IRISH FISHING industry leaders have accused EU maritime affairs commissioner Maria Damanaki of ignoring stakeholders in the industry with her proposals for next year’s catches in EU waters.
On the eve of today’s annual EU fisheries council in Brussels, Federation of Irish Fishermen chairwoman Eibhlín O’Sullivan said the commissioner’s approach was “very disappointing”.
Ms O’Sullivan said Ms Damanaki appeared to “have adopted a policy of non-consultation with the industry”.
The ministerial council will consider proposed total allowable catches and quotas for next year, which will include cuts in some key stocks fished by the Irish fleet.
The proposals aim to decrease cod quotas in the west of Scotland ( by 72 per cent) and Irish Sea (by 62 per cent) with a view to closing these fisheries in 2012. A 40 per cent cut has also been earmarked for Celtic Sea cod.
The European Commission is also suggesting a 50 per cent cut in whiting stocks off Rockall, west of Scotland and the Irish Sea, and cuts of between 15 and 25 per cent for haddock.
It proposes a 15 per cent reduction in certain stocks of monkfish, prawns, plaice, pollock and sole off Rockall and west of Scotland, and a 93 per cent cut in the total allowable catch of blue whiting.
Fishermen will be further restricted by a 25 per cent reduction in days allowed to fish at sea off the east and northwest coasts. A new boarfish fishery developed by Irish pelagic (mackerel/herring) vessels may also be restricted.
The Federation of Irish Fishermen says it is “imperative” that Ireland is not also penalised for what it describes as “reckless and irresponsible behaviour” by Iceland and the Faroe Islands during 2010 on mackerel fishing.
It says Ireland’s mackerel quota must be increased to reflect the “very healthy state” of this stock.
The federation is also concerned about the so-called “Hague preferences”, which have been in place since 1976 and give Ireland an additional quota share in some key stocks.
Several states have been lobbying for some years to remove this support for Ireland, which has one of the largest sea areas in the EU – more than 10 times the size of the island.
The federation is in Brussels representing the Irish Fish Producers Organisation, the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation and the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation.
Smaller boat owners are represented by the Irish Fishermen’s Organisation, which is now aligned with the Irish South and East Fishermen’s Organisation. These two groups are part of a new European grouping known as the Reclaim Our Seas Alliance, which recently met Ms Damanaki.
The alliance, which involves groups north and south of the Border, along with fishing counterparts in England, Scotland and France, has made a strong case for repatriation of control of policy, management and stocks back to individual EU maritime states.
The alliance believes the EU Common Fisheries Policy, which is due for review, is far too centralised and has failed to protect a renewable resource.
