Fishermen doubt 'legal vacuum' will remain in place

THE Irish Fishermen’s Organisation yesterday described as inconceivable that the European Commission would allow legal uncertainty to have developed around fishing in the Irish Box.

IFO secretary-general Frank Doyle yesterday expressed doubt that Brussels would permit “a legal vacuum” to remain in place, despite the controversy over access to the area.

“It is very difficult to avoid the sense that there is an agreement in place on the issue,” said Mr Doyle.

His comments arose over the uncertainty about restrictions on fishing in the Irish Box, an area around the coast, as fears among fishermen about the impact on their livelihoods increase.

The Government argues that limits on the number of foreign vessels allowed to fish within the 50-mile area of the Irish Box remain in place following a meeting of the Council of Ministers last month.

However, EU officials and Spanish fishermen maintain that restrictions which limit the number of such vessels to 40 trawlers at any time have been effectively lifted since January 1.

Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources officials are due to hold a meeting with the Commission next week in an effort to resolve the disagreement on the outcome of the review of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Mr Doyle said the Marine Minister Dermot Ahern had offered representatives of the four main Irish fishing organisations “nothing of substance” in relation to assurances that the Irish Box would retain its pre-January restrictions.

The IFO leader said he was also not surprised by comments of the head of the Spanish Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, Xavier Gerat, that more than 40 vessels could enter the Irish Box.

However, Mr Gerat promised that Spanish trawlers would not exceed their annual quota. He said the Irish had no need to be worried as satellite equipment and the registering of entry to and exit from the Irish Box would ensure the Spanish did not exceed their quota.