Fishing crisis - Open access to our waters is madness

GIVING Spanish fishermen unrestricted access to Irish waters would have disastrous repercussions, not only upon rapidly dwindling fish stocks but primarily on the livelihoods of thousands of people in maritime communities around Ireland’s coastline.

The deeply held fears of Irish fishermen, evidenced in protest blockades at several ports, are well founded given the intense pressure being applied by Spain for unfettered access for all foreign trawlers to the so-called Irish Box.

Having lost their traditional fishing grounds off Africa, the Spaniards are fighting to gain a bigger slice of Ireland’s resources.

The irony of the situation currently unfolding is that initially the Irish exclusion zone, covering an area extending 50-miles from the coastline, was specifically created with the aim of protecting this country’s fish stocks from Spanish boats.

Under existing regulations, Spain can have only 40 out of its fleet of 400 vessels in Irish waters at a time.

It would be sheer madness for the EU to declare open season on Irish waters, effectively allowing the vast Spanish fleet to plunder a resource which, as is clear from the dire warnings of scientists, is already in danger of imminent collapse if drastic cuts are not introduced.

Irish concerns were brought home to EU Agriculture and Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler at separate meetings yesterday with both fishermen and the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Dermot Ahern.

But despite the personal assurances of Mr Fischler that he is not in favour of giving foreign trawlers unrestricted access to these waters, Irish fishermen remain can be forgiven for viewing the present scenario with a degree of cynicism born of bitter experience.

Ever since Ireland first joined the European club more than three decades ago, this potentially rich resource has been given the Cinderella treatment by successive regimes, heedless of the potential wealth on Ireland’s doorstep.

Against this backdrop, fears that fishermen will again be betrayed are understandable. Their worst fears will not be lightly dispelled by the assurances of Mr Fischler that any new restrictions would have to be applied in an even handed manner.

The clear inference is that radical change can be expected under the coming review of the common fisheries policy. Inevitably, negotiations between now and Christmas will be extremely tough.

If the Irish Government fails to win the argument, then agreements protecting the rights of individual member states will not be worth the paper they are written on. Inevitably, the fishing crisis will provide fresh ammunition for Eurosceptics.

In the face of opposition from a powerful alliance of EU countries, which have more to gain by backing Spain than Ireland, more than likely the Government will have to compromise.

There must be give and take on both sides. If more trawlers are allowed into Irish waters, then the most stringent possible measures must be introduced to ensure stocks are not wiped out by a latter day Spanish Armada of Spaniards hell-bent on sweeping all before them with little regard for the survival of fish stocks.

As Mr Ahern has emphasised, it would be disastrous to allow absolute access and open season on Irish waters.

If the right deal is not hammered out to prevent the wholesale dismantling of Ireland’s exclusion zone, then the future of Irish fishermen and of entire communities around the coast will be in jeopardy.