How Irish EU strategy turned the tide on Spanish fishermen

FISH COUNCILS — where EU marine ministers meet — are a by-word for long, complicated negotiations that never seem to end. And that exactly was the way it was looking in Luxembourg on Monday when the Irish Box deal was up for discussion.

But then, just before lunch time, a compromise document was produced by Commissioner Franz Fischler and all sides adjourned to consider their next step. And then just after lunch the Fisheries Commissioner convinced the Italian minister, who was chairing the meeting, to call a vote.

By then the French had been placated and so too had the Portuguese. The Irish fishermen, in force outside where the meeting was taking place, had their final demands down to two.

The Spanish could not be allowed greater access based on their engine sizes and the number of days they spent fishing in the area for the last four years to the new Irish Box and the western waters around Ireland generally; and everybody's catch had to be policed.

Word leaked out that Ireland and Spain voted against whatever package was on the table but were defeated by the votes of 12 countries and Belgium's abstention.

However, the commissioner and the minister at their respective press conferences said both conditions had been met. Journalists were even more incredulous when the fishermen said it was a good deal and they were happy about it.

Behind the deal, however, was patient and unwavering use of the various methods available to influence decisions at EU level by the Irish.

The situation looked hopeless when the Spanish announced late last year that under the terms of their accession treaty they were allowed full access to the Irish Box from January 1, 2003.

It seemed pretty hopeless and the Irish had very little sympathy or support from anyone else on the issue. There was a sense of it being a silly squabble and the Irish and Spanish were told to sort it out between themselves.

That was not good for the Irish. The Spaniards are known to be poor negotiators. They prefer to stick to their demands, wear down their opponents and walk away with the spoils.

However, a careful analysis pointed to another way out of the net conservation, a principle held in high regard by the EU. Scientific evidence was trawled through by the Irish Marine Institute and the department and they discovered juvenile fish stocks were in danger in an area from Galway to Waterford.

At first the Irish got little response to their concern for conservation. But a one-to-one between Mr Ahern and the Commissioner together with a massive vote in the European Parliament garnered by MEP SeánÓ Neachtain turned the tide.

Suddenly conservation was the issue and it became plain sailing for the Irish case. As the Minister said it was a good day for the fishing industry. It was also a good day for politics.