Fishermen get early Christmas gift with extra 4% catch quota

IRISH fishermen got an early Christmas gift in the form of an extra 4% of fish they can catch next year following EU negotiations, but fishermen off Donegal will need new nets under revised rules.

Fisheries Minister Tony Killeen was particularly worried about attempts to end the system of Hague Preferences under which Ireland traditionally receives extra quota.

However, in the end he succeeded in retaining the system. As a result extra quota were added to 11 fish stocks that are important to Ireland’s fish industry.