The Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) has met the EU Fisheries Commissioner in Brussels to demand they reject Norway’s request for unilateral access to Irelands’ blue whiting grounds. The demand comes as ongoing Norway-EU fisheries negotiations run over time, partly due to the blue whiting row.

IFPO chief executive Aodh O Donnell says Norway’s request “is NOT part of their existing agreement with the EU. Instead, they are seeking, for a second consecutive year, additional and unfettered access south of the 56-degree line of the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).”

“Specifically, Norway – who are not EU members – are likely to have an 81 % increase in their quota next year. They want to catch a large share of that quota in Ireland’s rich Blue Whiting grounds. In making this demand, Norway is not offering any reciprocal access to their own fishing grounds for Ireland.”

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