Scallop fishermen from the southeast are threatening to resume their blockade of ports if the Government does not respond in a positive fashion to their demands. The frustration of the fishermen, who are threatened with the loss of their livelihoods, is understandable. But the action being contemplated is unacceptable because of the disruption and damage it will cause to innocent parties. It would also lead to the fishermen losing whatever public support they now enjoy.
Last Monday, the travel plans of up to 1,500 passengers were spoiled when scallop fishermen prevented six bank holiday sailings taking place between Rosslare Europort and the Welsh ports of Fishguard and Pembroke. The port of Waterford was also affected. Since then, talks designed to resolve the situation have been going on between representatives of the fishermen and the Department of the Marine, with a deadline set for 5 pm today.
There is no easy solution. And blame for what has occurred cannot be apportioned to one side alone. Fishermen are angry because they see themselves as victims, having been encouraged by the Department to specialise in a new scallop fishery and invest in upgraded boats and equipment, only to be then subjected to an uneconomic number of fishing days. But the introduction of a new regime by the European Commission has affected all EU fishermen. And its negative impact on southeast coast fishermen reflects their success in reducing Irish scallop stocks so that they have to travel long distances to make large catches.
What is happening in the scallop fishery is symptomatic of a general decline of all fish stocks and a scramble by EU fishery interests for the remaining wild species. Irish governments sold out our sea fisheries in return for concessions on agriculture when we joined the then EEC. Since then, there have been sporadic attempts to recover the situation. But it has been grudging and limited. And it is at present reflected in a Minister of State having responsibility for the sector.
This year the Government will introduce its first decommissioning scheme for whitefish boats that are no longer commercially viable. The details are still sketchy. And the scallop fishermen want to be included. There are technical problems concerning the nature of the licences involved, as well as funding considerations. But, with goodwill on all sides, compromise may be possible. Whatever the outcome of the negotiations, scallop fishermen will damage their long-term interests if they resort to the disruption of container and passenger traffic.