We’re a small fish in big pond
Nothing could be further from the truth. Many nations cannot catch their huge quota allocations. Ireland has 11% of European waters and is allocated a mere 4% of quotas while we have only 2% of the European fleet. The EU is asking a 40% reduction of all fleets.
For some 20 years Ireland was not allowed build one single whitefish vessel of any size. We had the second-oldest fleet, which led to loss of vessels and life. The replacement of our aged fleet is necessary; the number is strictly controlled and they are not all new vessels.
As regards subsidies it has been reliably estimated that other EU nations extract two billion pounds worth of fish annually from Irish waters.
For ten years the EU Commission opposed Irish suggestions on technical conservation measures, such as larger net meshes to allow juvenile fish to escape, and areas closed to all fishing. BIM, meanwhile, has several programmes designed to help the inshore fleet.
Tom Hassett,
Strawberry Hill,
Cork
