Fishermen give cautious reaction to quota cuts

Irish fishermen have given a cautious reaction to the latest cuts in fish quotas proposed by the European Commission today in an effort to save dwindling stocks.

The proposed reductions of up to 60% for herring catches, 34% for cod and 27% for mackerel will affect the Irish Sea, the North Sea and waters west of Scotland.

They will be the subject of intense haggling between individual member states at talks in Brussels later this month.

Responding to the proposals today, the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation said they included good points and bad points.

The organisation said the Department of Agriculture had "quite a lot" of negotiating to do to address Irish concerns in a range of areas, including the weighing of pelagic stocks and deepwater proposals put forward last week.