Larger share of mackerel quota sought

IRISH fishermen are hoping Brussels will grant them an increase in their share of the mackerel and prawn catch after it emerged they might get just half of last year’s mackerel quota.

The annual meeting to fix the quotas of fish for each country in the EU was going on late into the night as haggling continued between member states.

Irish negotiators, including Minister with Special Responsibility for Fisheries Tony Killeen, started at a disadvantage because negotiations with non-EU countries Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands have not been concluded and fish in their waters were excluded.