Fish quota change a ‘success’ for Ireland

EU countries will be allowed to privatise their fish quota under what Fisheries Minister Simon Coveney describes as a “huge success” for the country.

Ireland was one of the member states leading the fight against the European Commission plan to allow governments lease out their fish quota. They feared it would end up being owned by large foreign companies.

Mr Coveney said: “It would destroy the Irish fish industry because wealthy interests would buy up quota and we could see a dramatic leaking out of white fish to the Spanish and mackerel to Dutch fleets.