Dept of Marine says scallop fishing quota exceeded

The Department of the Marine is defending its handling of negotiations on fishing regulations.

In a statement, it says the rules, which apply to all EU fishermen, are designed to protect fishing stocks.

The size of the Irish scallop fishing fleet has expanded to unsustainable levels in recent years, their statement continues.

The Department says fishermen failed to agree a management arrangement, and Ireland's quota for 2005 has been used up in five months.