Fishermen begin quota battle in Brussels

IRELAND’S small island and inland fishermen are siding with the European Commission and environmentalists against the Government and the big fishing interests at the annual battle for fish quota.

Negotiations begin today in Brussels and are expected to last into the early hours of Wednesday morning over who gets what share of fish stocks that all admit are under more pressure than ever.

But Donegal fisherman Jerry Early says he and his fellow island and inshore colleagues are down to their last throw of the dice because the government has ignored their interests in favour of the big trawlers.