ANNUAL EU negotiations on “blue Europe’s” fish catch allocations were continuing in Brussels last night, with Ireland pledging that it would “stick with the science” on stocks.
Ireland’s delegation is being led by Minister for Marine Simon Coveney, who has said that he would “challenge anyone to say we are not sticking with scientific advice”.
He has urged the European Commission to recognise this at a time of increased pressure from environmental groupings.
The European Commission had recommended cuts in certain stocks which could translate into a €60 million to €65 million loss in earnings for the Irish fleet if implemented.
“EU maritime affairs commissioner Maria Damanaki thinks she can present an approach of applying up to 25 per cent cuts in stocks where they don’t have data, and yet we have very credible data prepared by the Marine Institute to back up our case,” Mr Coveney said.
“For example, we have identified boarfish as a potential stock which should expand but the commission wants to apply a reduction which makes absolutely no sense. Boarfish is a deepwater species which is said to be abundant on the edge of the continental shelf.
“You have another situation where the European Commission is recommending a 60 per cent increase in the total allowable catch for Celtic Sea herring, whereas the industry is seeking 30 per cent as a more responsible approach.
“So this shows it is not true to say that fishermen are irresponsible, as some would suggest.”
Mr Coveney says he was not happy over the fact that the Irish Sea prawn fleet must tie up until February in spite of having quota in credit, while the British and Northern Irish fleets continue to work the grounds.
Industry representatives who are working with Mr Coveney’s negotiating team have said that a “discredited” Irish Sea cod recovery programme involves a further 25 per cent cut in available fishing days for 2012, and this must be resisted.
The Federation of Irish Fishermen said EU ministers must support more selective fishing methods to reduce discards in the Celtic Sea, as advocated by the industry.
Ireland’s Environmental Pillar’s marine group has said that “overfishing is a disgraceful legacy which cannot continue”.
