THE ERRIS Inshore Fishermen’s Association has sought an urgent meeting with Minister for Fisheries, Brendan Smith.
At a meeting in Belmullet Garda station yesterday morning fisherman Jonathan O’Donnell, accompanied by a witness from a human rights group, refused Supt Michael Larkin’s offer to return his boat, the James Collins, if he adhered to the bail conditions set in the High Court last week.
“I will not accept these restrictions. I will only take my boat back if I can fish where I have always fished,” said Jonathan O’Donnell.
“I’m going to ask Supt Larkin to drop the charges made against me. I was only fishing where I have always fished. There was no sign of the Solitaire or any Shell boat and I was nowhere near Glengad.
They are trying to make a criminal out of me,” said Jonathan O’Donnell.
At an earlier meeting Supt Larkin told Pat O’Donnell that his boat the John Michelle could not be released because the Navy has deemed it unseaworthy.
Meanwhile, Mr Eddie Diver, the chairman of the fisherman’s association, confirmed that a delegation met Dara Calleary, a Junior Minister and Mayo TD, in Ballina on Saturday night to impress on him the urgency of an early meeting with Mr Smith.
“Our priority is getting Pat and Jonathan O’Donnell’s boats back in the water. This is the height of the fishing season and they will lose their livelihoods. We now need clarification about the conflicting rights of these licensed fishermen to do their work and those of Shell to lay the pipes,” said Eddie Diver.
He continued: “We accept that gardaí on the ground, and Supt Larkin are only following orders. But we need clarification on the fact that the O’Donnells’ right to fish has been temporarily extinguished.”
Mr Diver said the association was also very concerned about the fact that, before the impounding of the boats and the arrival of the Solitaire, O’Donnell “fishing gear had been removed and towed away last week to an unknown location”.
“Shell and the authorities have to take responsibility for the fact that the gear was taken away and is not accounted for,” he added.
Dara Calleary said last night that he hopes to facilitate the meeting with Brendan Smith, and, if necessary, with other Ministers later. “The fishermen have some concerns about marine-related issues and they want to meet the Minister to try and resolve these. I hope to be able to get back to them today or tomorrow with an answer to their request,” said Mr Calleary.
The Department of Transport confirmed on Friday that no order had been issued for a 500 metre exclusion zone for the Solitaire, even though gardaí have said they are policing an exclusion zone “passed by the department”.
Chief Supt Tony McNamara confirmed protestors blocked the road to the Glengad landfall site yesterday afternoon after one of them balanced, in a harness, on top of a 17ft tripod of pipes.
“This action is impeding the public and tourists from travelling along the road. There was no Shell lorries working on this road yesterday,” said Chief Supt McNamara. There were three arrests. A spokesman for the Rossport Solidarity Camp said the three were detained inside the Shell compound at Glengad before their removal to Ballina.