Cod fishermen may receive hardship funds

THE Government may be asked to make hardship funds available for cod fishermen.

EU Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler yesterday announced the EU is to replace year-on-year negotiations on catch quotas with cod-fishing limits in an attempt to conserve the species.

EU countries will be given an amount of "kilowatt days" established by multiplying the boat's engine power by the days spent fishing to distribute among the fleet.