EU Parliament votes to keep Spanish fleet out of Irish Box

HOPES of keeping Spanish fishermen out of Irish waters got a boost yesterday from the European Parliament.

MEPs voted by more than three to one to maintain the Irish Box and forbid the Spanish to enter for at least ten years.

However, the victory could be short-lived with the Spanish government threatening to take the matter to the European Court of Justice.

In parliament the vote was 334 in favour with 108 against.

The man responsible for it, Connacht/Ulster MEP Sean Ó Neachtain, was delighted:

“This is no longer a case of the Irish versus the Spanish. It is now a matter of the European Parliament against the Spanish.”

The MEPs voted in favour of his proposal on the basis that the fish in the seas around Ireland need careful management and protection.

Leaving it open to the Spanish fleet of more than 5,000 vessels could destroy it in a very short time, he said.

However, the parliament has no power in the area of fisheries and cannot force a change in the proposal to abolish the Irish box and replace it with one a quarter of the size.

It does have political clout and sends a strong message to fisheries ministers from all member states expected to discuss the issue at their meeting next week.

The Spanish claim they are being discriminated against and the agreement that kept them out of Irish waters since they joined the EU in 1985 expired in January.

They are considering taking the issue to the European Court of Justice and, according to a spokesperson for the European Commission, they have a very good chance of winning their case.

“The problem is that the Treaty of the European Union says you cannot discriminate against a member state and there are no biological grounds for protecting the entire Irish Box and keeping Spanish fishermen out,” said the spokesperson for Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler.

A Spanish Government spokesman said they were willing to compromise but only on the basis the smaller box is proved to be biologically sensitive and the scientific advice is updated regularly.

Jason Whooley, Manager of Irish South and West Fishermens Organisation welcomed the vote:

“This vote is a resounding endorsement of our position with regards to the Irish Box. Our fishermen have been consistently stating that this is a sensitive biological area which merits additional protection. We are delighted that over 75% of the Parliament share these views”.