Irish fishermen win concessions

MAJOR concessions were won by the Irish during five days of talks in Brussels to agree a policy to replace the 20-year-old Common Fisheries Policy and save dwindling cod stocks.

However, fishermen say they will be destroyed by the latest EU plan. Conservation experts say it spells disaster for cod stocks as talks continued last night.

Marine Minister Dermot Ahern got increases in the amount of cod they can fish in the Irish Sea and the North Sea by 50% compared with the original proposals put on the table on Monday. Ireland managed to hold onto the Hague Preferences which give extra quota to Irish and British fishermen. They got increases in the herring quota in the south-east of Ireland while a proposed reduction of 80% in hake has been dropped altogether.