There has been angry reaction to the European Commission's decision to cut the number of mackerel Ithat reland is allowed to catch because of illegal fishing.
Chief executive of the Irish Fish Producers' Organisation Lorcan O'Cinneide said it was "a very serious issue" with over one-eighth of this year's total mackerel quota affected by the cut.
Mr O'Cinneide said that a penalty has been imposed on Irish fishermen before due process had been served and before anybody had been charged.
The commission imposed the penalty on quotas of Irish mackerel after it was discovered that 41,241 tonnes of the fish were illegally caught between 2001-2005. This total will be clawed back when it is deducted from Ireland's future quotas.
The illegal Irish hauls were discovered during police raids after being landed in the Peterhead and Shetland ports in Scotland. Several Irish vessels were involved in the illegal catches worth more than €40 million, and investigations into the activity are ongoing in Scotland.
This year, Ireland's quota will be cut by 6,391 tonnes - the amount of mackerel illegally caught last year. This will reduce Ireland's current catch quota of 47,000 tonnes, which was set last December.
The cut in the national quota means people who did not engage in illegal activity will be penalised.
Minister for the Marine Noel Dempsey described the illegal catches as a case of "fishermen robbing fishermen". He said the commission is determined there will be a level playing field in the fishing industry and that "the days of eye-turning are gone".