Govt urged to prioritise protection of fish stocks

The Green Party has called on Marine Minister Dermot Ahern to make the protection of fish stocks his top priority.

Party spokesman Eamon Ryan criticised the Irish approach to the problem, saying it is pointless to argue over quotas and the so-called Irish Box if there will be no fish left in the sea in the long-term.

"There's an annual ritual. The scientists come out and say they're very worried about the level of stocks and each year the Irish Government and others say 'Okay, we'll take the scientific advice,'" he said.

"But in our case, we have to ignore it to protect our own industry and we scramble with everyone else to try and get as much quota as possible."