Broad welcome for fish quota deal

THE fishing industry has broadly welcomed the decision by the Fisheries Council in Brussels to increase the quantity of fish Irish and other EU fishermen can catch in the coming year.

After a final all-night negotiating session, Marine Minister Dermot Ahern said just 11% of Ireland’s fleet will be adversely affected by the restrictions on the number of days vessels can spend at sea.

However, the industry describes as misguided the European Commission’s insistence on tying up boats as the best way to save fish stocks such as cod.

Ireland was the only country that opposed forcing vessels to remain in port for a specific number of days as part of the long-term recovery plan for cod and hake.

The system is already operating off Donegal and, in the end, the Irish delegation agreed to extend it to the Irish Sea for up to 12 days a month, depending on the type of fishing gear used and the level of cod, sole and plaice catches.

The Irish have been taking greater measures to help the cod recovery by stopping all fishing for 10 weeks in the spring during the spawning season when stocks are at their most vulnerable.

Beam trawlers fishing for flat fish will be limited to 16 days a month at sea; prawn fishing 22 days a month and gill netters 14 days. Irish Fish Producers Organisation chief executive Lorcán Ó Cinnéide described the measures as “swingeing” and warned many fishermen will be hit badly.

Jason Whooley of the South and West Fishermen’s Organisation said all fishing vessels will be affected in one way or another by the days-at-sea limit.

“The commission tried to lay foundations for days at sea for all waters off the Irish coast. Thankfully, their carte blanche approach was rejected. It is clear, however, that the commission agenda is to introduce days at sea to all Irish waters sooner rather than later,” he said.

However, Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler said he would increase quotas only if ministers agreed to the cod and hake recovery plan. He ruled out a demand by the scientists for a total ban on cod fishing in the Irish Sea, North Sea and off the west of Scotland because he said it would destroy fishing communities.

Ireland got a quota increase for other fish of 8% overall, with monkfish up by 32%; megrim by 26% and haddock by 17% for south-western waters, while cod quotas for the Celtic Sea have been reduced by 6%.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the deal was fair. “We needed to strike a balance in partnership with the fishermen. That balance involved providing for sustainable fishing while protecting stocks and I believe we have achieved it with this deal.” Surveillance to ensure fishermen do not cheat is also to be tightened up.

One problem still to be ironed out, according to Seán O’Donoghue of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, is that under the new regulations, all mackerel, horse mackerel and herring will have to be weighed, and the only facilities for this is in Killybegs.

The Regional Advisory bodies, comprising industry representatives and experts, will help monitor stock levels. About six are due to be established for each of the major fishery species and areas under the new conservation orientated plan.