Madam, - I agree with Eamon Ryan TD (Opinion & Analysis, January 17th) that the continual political interference in State fishery agencies is harmful to long-term development of our marine resources. Having spent 30 years as a specialist fishery journalist I have seen many examples of this, and from extensive travels abroad have noted how administration based upon scientific research has yielded national prosperity, Norway and Iceland being just two examples.
But the worst of this has been the failure to confront the ravaging of our adjacent fishery stocks by foreign vessels, particularly Spanish. Ireland's efforts within Europe to alter the unreasonable concessions granted to foreign vessels have been weak and politically motivated.
The importance of Ireland's reachable fish stocks can be judged by one fact: the catches of non-Irish EU registered vessels has exceeded in value all of the EC aid given to the Republic since we became a member. - Yours, etc,
ARTHUR REYNOLDS, Seapoint Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.