Fishing industry representatives have sought an urgent meeting with the Minister for the Marine, Mr Ahern, over the latest EU proposals on cod which could tie up much of the Irish Sea fleet.
The cod recovery plan outlined by EU Fisheries Commissioner, Dr Franz Fischler, in Brussels yesterday has been described as "totally daft" by Mr Lorcan Ó Cinnéide, chief executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation.
The European Commission was taking a "farcical attitude" to consultation on alternative conservation measures, Mr Ó Cinnéide said. "We might as well be on top of Mount Brandon for all that they are listening to us." Mr Seán O'Donoghue, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, said the proposals were illogical and in breach of the EU's stated aims of fairness and transparency.
The proposed "days at sea" regime, which has already been applied to the north-west Irish whitefish fleet, has been renamed "kilowatt days at sea" by the Commissioner.
Yesterday, Dr Fischler said he wanted to extend it to the Irish Sea. Currently, vessels in the north-west using a certain net mesh size can only work for nine days a month, plus two days for steaming, as part of a conservation measure aimed primarily at cod stocks in the North Sea.
As the measure relates to gear rather than catch, it applies to whitefish vessels not targeting cod. It also "rewards" vessels fishing with a smaller and less environmentally friendly mesh size for other species.
Larger vessels have moved elsewhere, while smaller vessels are being forced out of business, and the onshore service sector in the north-west port of Greencastle, Co Donegal, has already been badly hit.
Dr Fischler said yesterday that the plan was the first in a series which would "mark a new course for the Common Fisheries Policy". It is due to be discussed by EU fisheries ministers at a council meeting later this month.
"I know that this will mean hardship for many in the industry.
"Millions of euros in EU support are available to help the troubled whitefish sector. I call on member-states to make use of this aid," Dr Fischler said at a press conference yesterday.
The technical measures currently applied to the Irish Sea were "not sufficient to tackle the depleted state of this stock".
Mr Ó Cinnéide said it was "frighteningly clear" that the European Commission was not listening to the proposals already put forward to protect cod stocks and its officials had "their minds closed to workable and effective alternatives".
Mr O'Donoghue warned that the Irish Box issue was still unresolved.
The biological sensitivity of the Box area and the damaging effect of any increase in fishing effort in the area, would be emphasised at a meeting in Brussels today between the EU director-general of fisheries, Mr Jorgen Holmquist, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, and the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation.
Mr Pat Keogh, chief executive of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, and Mr Jason Whooley of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation, will argue that sentiment and strength of feelings on this issue were "higher than ever" in Ireland and that the proposal to lift the limit of 40 Spanish boats in the area is against the EU's own conservation policy.
Mr Ahern, said he would be studying Commissioner Fishchler's proposals "very closely", but Ireland had already put a scientific plan in place for north-west cod stocks.
"We believe that this approach is the way forward," a spokesman said.
