Ahern accused of selling out fishing industry

The Minister for the Marine, Mr Dermot Ahern, has been accused of selling out the Irish fishing industry following the EU's decision yesterday to downsize the "Irish Box" by two-thirds.

EU fisheries ministers voted to replace the Irish Box, a 50-mile, protected fishing zone around the Irish coast, with a conservation area one-third of the size.

The Labour Party accused Mr Ahern of hypocrisy in his claims that the agreement is a success, challenging him to "state why he voted against the proposals if he now believes they are such a significant victory".

Party spokesperson on the marine Mr Tommy Broughan said: "The Minister has sold out the fishing industry. His brazen cheek in making it sound like good news is an appalling derogation of his duty to protect Irish fishermen."

Fine Gael described the decision as a significant blow to the Irish fishing industry.

Party spokesman on the marine Mr Simon Coveney said: "Minister Ahern has failed hopelessly in attempting to keep the Irish Box intact with only Ireland and Spain voting against the proposed changes."

Mr Ahern yesterday said the deal ensured that the level of fishing in Irish waters would not increase until at least 2008.

He said: "In effect, we have now secured a new Irish Conservation Box based on scientific evidence that we ourselves produced over the last number of months to justify special treatment in this area because of juvenile fish.

"It's a very substantial area, covering part of the old box and indeed extending further south than the original box," he added.

The deal was also welcomed by a number of Irish fishing organisations. Mr Seán O'Donoghue, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, said: "Our two priorities were the fishing effort and the catch reporting and we've been assured that both of those have been delivered.

"So we as an industry can't very well say this is a bad deal if our two major issues have been resolved," he said.

The Irish Box was created to protect fish stocks in Irish waters when Spain and Portugal joined the EU in 1985.