Ireland and Britain agree to work towards fair mackerel agreements

IRISH Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney and his British counterpart Richard Banyon have agreed to work jointly to secure agreements on a fair share of mackerel with Iceland and the Faroes.

The ministers agreed at a meeting in Luxembourg yesterday that the current unrestricted, irresponsible fishing of mackerel by Iceland and the Faroe Islands was unacceptable and would result in the destruction of the stock.

The Scottish and Welsh fisheries ministers, Richard Lochhead and Alun Davies, were also present.

Mr Coveney said: “I appreciate that serious efforts are under way to reach agreement on the share out of mackerel, which is Ireland’s most important fishery.

“I am very concerned that an agreement is not secured at a high cost as the share given to Iceland and the Faroes involves a reduction in Ireland’s share,” he said.

The ministers also discussed their priorities on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and the upcoming negotiations on Total Allowable Catches and quotas.