Fishermen buoyant after court rules on tonnage
Chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO), Sean O’Donoghue, said they were elated by the judgment from the European Court in Luxembourg.
All 24 trawler owners who took the action were members of the KFO, and they were awarded their costs in the judgment.
“We feel vindicated in taking this action and we look forward to the European Commission reinstating our safety tonnage and to the Irish government rectifying the situation where they imposed penalties on our members,” Mr O’Donoghue said.
All the vessels involved were building in new safety features such as shelter decks and improved accommodation, which they claimed they were allowed to do.
However, the changes increased the weight of the vessels and the total amounted to 11% of the combined tonnage of the Irish fleet. This happened at a time when the Government and the commission was demanding that the tonnage of the fleet be reduced as part of measures to conserve fish stocks.
The fishermen argued that the increased tonnage did not mean they would take more fish from the sea. The court agreed with them and said the commission should have looked at each individual case to see if in fact the additional weight was due to safety measures.
To compensate for adding to the total tonnage of the fleet, the 24 trawler owners were forced to buy boats and put them out of commission, and, in this way, retain their additional weight.
Mr O’Donoghue said they will now be able to sell the additional tonnage but added that it would be worth much less financially than it was when they bought it.
The rules have since been changed to take into account additional tonnage resulting from safety measures.
The trawlers, all over 12 meters, are from Donegal, Cork, Galway and Clogherhead.
They included the owner of the Atlantean, businessman Des Faherty, from Dublin, and 23 others.
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