The collapse of markets for Irish herring in Japan and Germany has placed 1,500 jobs at risk on the south and west coasts, according to fishing organisations.
The Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods, has "lost the support of the entire Celtic Sea herring industry" due to his failure to respond, the organisations have said in a statement signed by 37 vessels, 15 processors, nine sales groups and two producers' groups.
The organisations' spokesman, Mr John Nolan, of Castletownbere Co-op, Co Cork, said Dr Woods had been asked over seven weeks ago to put an aid package together to protect the 1,500 jobs at risk and to create a task force to examine long-term solutions.
He said the Minister had received a second delegation three weeks ago, which made a submission outlining the "chronic" state of the industry and the need for immediate State support.
A significant drop in herring roe prices in Japan and the collapse of the German herring fillet market have virtually closed down the export trade for the Celtic Sea herring fishery. Increased interest in the Atlanto-Scandian herring fishery and Dutch dominance of the market have also had an impact.
"Families depending on this industry for a living are now facing a bleak Christmas where they will be lucky to feed their children, but can forget about Santa," the statement says.
"This was a Government which came to power promising great help for our industry but, in reality, it will be the first government to close it down," it says.
A spokesman for Dr Woods said yesterday a task force which he was setting up would meet after next week's EU Fisheries Council. Dr Wood's shared the industry's concern but the EU Commission was opposed to unilateral state aid.
