THE Irish Business and Employers' Confederation (IBEC) has formed a special council to lobby on marine issues, particularly the European Commission's proposed cut in the fishing fleet.
Mr Brendan McGinty, director of the new body and of IBEC's north west region, said the proposed cuts would decimate the Irish fishing industry. "If proposals of a similar scale were put forward for any other national industry, cross party political support would be mobilised to counter the threat," he said.
IBEC intends the council to take advantage of the Irish EU presidency, which Mr McGinty says gives Ireland "a pivotal role within the EU for the next six months".
The council will represent processors, sea fishing interests and aquaculture at what IBEC describes as a time of considerable challenge and opportunity for the industry. The current review of marine policy was to have been completed early this summer.
The council intends over the coming year to embrace the EU Common Fisheries Policy, EU structural funds, the 1997 Budget and the implications of GATT and EU enlargement.
"Above all, the council will work to promote public and political awareness of the nature and workings of the marine industry as a generator of economic activity," Mr McGinty said.
The council wants to meet the Minister for Defence and the Marine to discuss key issues it wants promoted during the EU presidency.
Mr McGinty pointed out that, while Ireland has 16 per cent of EU waters, it has only 5 per cent of the catch and 2.5 per cent of the EU fleet.
He said that while conservation measures were appropriate, the current proposals failed to target the reductions at other EU national fleets.
