Blockade fishermen in talks with Minister for State

Scallop fishermen in the South East are heading for talks this morning with a local Minister for State.

Yesterday, the fishermen staged a barricade and prevented three ferries from coming ashore.

They are angry at restrictions, which only allow them to fish for eight days every month. They are threatening to renew their blockade this afternoon if the meeting does not resolve the matter.

Frank Doyle, General Secretary of the Irish Fisherman’s Organisation, blames the Department of the Marine, which helped fishermen register new boats 10 years ago.

“The Department, which went through the procedures with them and put them on the register, is now saying that they are excess to requirements,” said Mr Doyle.

“The amount of days that we have nationally is far too few. The time at sea per vessel is going to be drastically reduced to the point where they will all be pretty much uneconomic and facing a serious amount of trouble,” he said.