Fishermen in the south-west have agreed to lift the blockade on Castletownbere harbour in west Cork, which had prevented Spanish and French vessels landing catches there since late last month.
In a separate development, the former junior marine minister, Mr Hugh Byrne, has called on all five fishing organisations to unite to ensure the future of the industry, and said the Government should renegotiate the terms of the Irish Box to ensure that 50 per cent of all quotas in this 50-mile exclusion zone are reserved for Irish vessels.
The physical blockade at Dinish Island in Castletownbere was removed at lunchtime yesterday and it was expected that the ban on landings in Dingle and Fenit, Co Kerry, would also be relaxed.
Mr Ebbie Sheehan, Castletownbere fisherman and one of the leaders of the unofficial protest, said the move was temporary and a final decision would depend on the outcome of negotiations in Brussels over the Irish Box and days-at-sea restrictions.
The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources welcomed the fishermen's decision. "We understand fully the fishermen's anger and their concerns, but free-flow of trade is vital and this blockade was not going to serve any purpose," a spokesman for the Minister, Mr Dermot Ahern, said. Talks were continuing in Brussels on both issues, as a prelude to a meeting between the Minister and the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Commissioner, Dr Franz Fischler.
Mr Jason Whooley, of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation, said the decision did not represent a "climb down". He stressed his organisation did not initiate the action and had been involved in intensive talks to end it.
"Fishermen are exactly in the same mood now as they were last month after the EU fisheries council ended,and are extremely angry at the prospect of increased fishing effort by Spain in the Irish Box. But they have taken the view that they will wait to see what the Minister can achieve now," Mr Whooley said.
"Fishermen have made it abundantly clear that if the negotiations with the Commission are not productive, the blockades will return and the levels of protest will escalate. They have a clear message for the Minister - the blockades have been lifted for now, the pressure is on the Minister to deliver and fishermen will be watching the developments in Brussels and the high seas very closely."
The Department said Spanish activity in the Irish Box was still at a low level. However, the industry has said it will increase once the spotlight is off the issue.
Mr Byrne, who lost his seat in the last election, said he had been contacted by fishermen during the last couple of weeks.
They were extremely concerned about their future, and believed the five main representative organisations should unite.
Although three of the five groups have formed an alliance, both the EU and the Government knew the industry was still fragmented, Mr Byrne said.
He also said it was time to renegotiate a new policy, including the terms for the Irish Box, which reserved 50 per cent of all quotas in the area for Irish vessels.
