Fish industry fears as preferential quota system in balance
Negotiations and talks between EU member states and the European Commission continued late into the night in the annual quota-fixing meeting in Brussels.
But at the top of the Irish agenda is the issue known as the Hague preferences. In place since 1976, it had become ever more important as stocks and the quantity of fish fishermen are allowed to take has decreased.
Other countries, including France, want to change the practice and divide that quota between all fishing nations. “Overall the quantities involved are small but they would have a big impact and be worth up to 20% more to a fleet in a small French port for instance,” said Mr Killeen.
Ireland had very little support around the table and if it went to a vote he would expect to lose, he added, because everyone was under big pressure from the proposed cuts.
The industry has said that it will be decimated if the preferential treatment disappears.
Last year Ireland’s quota of cod in the Celtic Sea was 380 tonnes and this increased to 780 when the complex Hague formula was added. Haddock is also affected.
The commission has also proposed a white fish ban off the north-west coast and a ban on skate and ray and a 15% reduction in prawn.
“We are exposed in every area. If all the proposals were carried out it would be very difficult to see how elements of the fishing industry could survive,” the minister said.
He admitted he had very little to negotiate with, other than to argue that Ireland, as an island with a large coastline, has communities that are more dependent on fishing than other countries.
Mr Killeen said that the proposal to shut down cod, whiting and haddock fishing off the north-west meant that fishermen in Greencastle and other ports there would not be able to put out to sea at all.
Gerard O’Flynn, chairman of the Federation of Irish Fishermen, underlined the importance of retaining the Hague preferences.
A huge number of vessels have been scrapped on the basis that there would be sufficient quota to make a viable business for those remaining. “But we will never have this if we are continually reducing the quota too. It’s very frustrating. The industry needs stability,” he said.
The Hague Preferences intended to compensate Ireland when the 200-mile limit became part of EU waters were never written into legislation, so they are open to be changed by a majority vote of the member states.
A new set of compromise proposals on total allowable catches and quotas were being drawn up overnight and will be on the table for the ministers to discuss this morning.
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