MINISTER of State for Fisheries Tony Killeen and industry organisations have agreed that Irish negotiators face “very fraught” annual fish quota talks in Brussels over the next two days.
The failure by the EU and Norway to strike a deal in advance on the shared north Atlantic mackerel stock could place “severe restrictions” on Ireland’s supertrawler fleet, the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) has warned.
Mr Killeen said the recent breakdown in negotiations between the EU and Norway – for the first time in years – could have a severe economic impact on a key Irish sector.
“It could be March before the EU and Norway reach a deal, and either way it will affect the early new year fishery for this very important stock. That’s when the quality and consequent price for mackerel is at its best,” Mr Killeen told The Irish Times.
A proposed 30 per cent cut in Ireland’s prawn quota, on which whitefish fleets on the east, south and west coasts depend, is “totally unjustified”, the FIF has said.
The federation, which represents four main fish producer organisations, is also concerned about retaining the so-called Hague Preferences, which have been in place since 1976 to protect the Irish and Scottish share of key stocks.
The FIF is opposed to the continuation of technical measures which effectively close off mixed whitefish fisheries off the north-west. There are also proposed cuts of up to 30 per cent in Celtic Sea cod and in herring, and a proposed 25 per cent reduction in days at sea off the east and northwest coasts, it warns.
“We had hoped these talks would be easier this year due to the Lisbon Treaty coming into operation . . . unfortunately this is not the case,” FIF chairman Seán O’Donoghue said.
Last year’s attempt by the French EU presidency to remove the Hague Preferences was successfully resisted by Ireland, but a number of EU member states would still like to see the principle removed.
“We have a Swedish EU presidency this year, which appears to be neutral on the issue, but there is no room for complacency,” Mr Killeen said.
“The danger is that an erosion of the Hague Preference principle would be attempted, and that would be very damaging in the long term,” Mr Killeen said.