On the eve of another attempt to resolve the Irish Box issue, industry representatives have expressed concern about the outcome of negotiations in Brussels last week.
Ireland voted in favour of a proposal to cut fleet size and remove fishing entitlements from Irish skippers in the form of "tonnage" at an EU management committee meeting. The Fine Gael marine spokesman, Mr Simon Coveney, has sought an immediate explanation for this vote from the Minister for the Marine, Mr Ahern, given that the industry had warned this could result in losses of up to €120 million by Irish vessel owners.
Industry representatives have said the Irish vote has left a high degree of "confusion and uncertainty" within the national fleet. It appears the Irish vote effectively broke the "Friends of Fishing Alliance" formed by southern EU states and Ireland during last year's common fisheries policy review.
Mr Coveney said the Minister should inform the industry without delay on the consequences of the vote. "It is unacceptable to keep the fishing industry in the dark after discussions have taken place on such a serious issue that may result in the Irish fleet losing a significant amount of tonnage, and which could lead to a 15 per cent cut in the size of the Irish fleet," he said.
A spokesman for the Minister said Ireland had taken a "pragmatic approach", following several weeks of negotiations on the issue which had ensured the original proposal would be modified. This modified proposal - of which details were not immediately available - would allow Ireland's fleet size limits to stay in place, the spokesman said.
A Department spokesman said if Ireland had voted against the proposal, there was a risk such action would support an increase in the size of the Spanish fleet.
The separate, unresolved issue of the Irish Box is due to be raised tomorrow at the first EU fisheries council under the Italian presidency. "We will be maintaining a close watching brief on developments," said Mr Lorcán Ó Cinnéide of the Irish Fish Producers' Organisation. The Minister has held advance meetings with the Italian agriculture and fisheries ministry on the issue, having already rejected a compromise smaller box proposed by the European Commission.