The north-west supertrawler fleet has condemned the agreement by EU fisheries ministers on Ireland's allocation of the developing blue whiting fishery. The deal, which will give Ireland a 67 per cent increase on the original offer of 14,000 tonnes, has been described as a "major coup" by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods.
However, Mr Joey Murrin of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, accused the Minister last night of "distorting the facts". An extra allocation of "paper fish" had been created by EU fisheries ministers in Luxembourg to "get everyone off the hook", Mr Murrin said.
"This is not about blue whiting. There is a principle involved here, and a political stitch-up," he said. "Ireland has been done once again, and we will have to tackle the overall political difficulties that face us in these negotiations," Mr Murrin said. "One vessel, the Atlantic Challenge, caught 17,000 tonnes of this fish in 1997, so how can 24,000 tonnes keep a fleet going?" he asked.
Under the compromise deal, the total allowable catch for all EU member-states for this fishery was increased from 133,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes, and Ireland was offered an extra 10,000 of this.
The major share of the fishery - only recently subject to quota - has been allocated to Holland. Significantly, Ireland secured a 50 per cent increase in the allocation key for the future, the Minister emphasised. The quota is based on catches in the best three years of the past five.
Blue whiting is low in oil content, and as such offers a lucrative alternative for the £100 million supertrawler fleet based in Killybegs, which has been under pressure on foot of a downturn in the mackerel fishery. Landed as an industrial catch, it has potential for human consumption, and Bord Iascaigh Mhara has been involved in research to develop its market opportunities.
Norway, a non-EU member-state, has a particular interest in blue whiting, and three Norwegian vessels have been apprehended by the Naval Service for alleged offences this year on this fishery off the Irish coast. For many years, Russian research vessels working in these waters have also highlighted the fishery's value.
The original figure of 14,000 tonnes offered to Ireland was condemned by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, at last week's EU summit in Cologne and by the Minister. Dr Woods said he questioned the methodology used to reach this figure, which would have been less that 40 per cent of the average Irish catch over the past three years.
Last night, the Minister commended the German presidency on its handling of the issue. However, he also added that Ireland still had severe problems with the EU Common Fisheries Policy overall. Separate items on yesterday's fisheries council relating to reductions in the EU fleet were still being debated last night, and the Minister said he was vehemently opposed to the EU Commission's plans to cut back on licences if fleet tonnage targets were exceeded.
