Fishermen pleased with quota talks result

IRISH fishermen have come away reasonably happy with the quota of fish they can take from the seas next year following negotiations in Brussels.

Significant steps were also taken during the talks to ensure the survival of stocks that are under threat.

Fisheries Minister Sean Connick estimated the quota of fish is worth €223 million for next year thanks to increases in mackerel and in haddock and whiting in some areas.

Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said that she succeeded in moving towards maximum sustainable yield of fish by 2015 which should ensure that species are no longer facing extinction.

The quota of prawns, an important part of the country’s fishing industry, will be cut by 3% while the value of boarfish that can be caught will be cut by almost a fifth to about €4m. This was the first time boarfish was subject to a quota.

The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) welcomed the result and were relieved that the Hague Preferences that traditionally give Ireland an extra quota was retained. The industry employs about 3,500 people and with acquaculture exports are worth about €350m a year.

Irish negotiators succeeded in putting off a further reduction in the days vessels can spend at sea to protect cod, while a review of the cod recovery measures is undertaken with a view to introducing alternative ways of protecting the species.

They successfully avoided having to commit to measures in 2012 on a new management system for prawns and to cap effort in the Celtic Sea off the south-east coast.

Mr Connick described the negotiations, that continued until 4am, as particularly challenging but concluded: “This package will help underpin the economic future of our coastal communities.”

He produced scientific information to show that cod stocks in the Celtic Sea were healthy and there was a possibility of it being increased if new survey results are confirmed by scientists.

Eibhlin O’Sullivan, chair of FIF, said the minister, his officials and Marine Institute Scientists made persuasive evidence-based contributions in relation to many stocks which helped secure quota.

Karin Dubsky of Coastwatch said they regretted that the Commission and the ministers did not make more progress towards ensuring species are out of danger. “Maximum Sustainable Yield means that the fish are on the edge — we would prefer greater progress was made towards this goal which the EU has committed to reach by 2015 under the UN’s biodiversity convention,” she said.

Greenpeace agreed with the Commissioner that she had managed to keep certain red lines she was committed to. But they said a large number of quotas are still too high, especially for cod and tuna.

“It is obvious that the EU is unable to manage its fisheries under current rules. Reckless overfishing must be brought under control and fisheries policy reformed to allow stocks to recover.”