New rules to combat unsustainable fishing practices have been welcomed by the Irish fishing industry. They say it is a big step forward in safeguarding shared fish stocks, which were threatened by overfishing activity.
The Irish Fish Producers Organisation has commended the European Commission for strengthening EU regulations in this area. “We issued repeated warnings about unsustainable fishing by non-EU members in shared EU fishing zones,” says IFPO chief executive Aodh O Donnell. “We are delighted these warnings have now been heeded and relieved that new rules will protect our shared fish stocks for future generations”.
Mr O Donnell also welcomed the appointment today of a New EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans. “It is very positive to see Fishing and Oceans will now have its own Commission. We call on the Irish Government to follow suit and appoint a Minister for the Marine.”
He says it’s also time for the EU to implement their policies on ocean governance. “The time has come for the EU to practice what they preach and to stop the deliberate, persistent and irresponsible fisheries management by Nordic countries.”
“This is vital to protect widely distributed stocks that we share, such as mackerel. Ireland is very dependent on these stocks in terms of economic activity for our fleet and for onshore processing. Half of the quota of the EU’s total allowable catch of western mackerel is allocated to Ireland. If it’s overfished by Nordic states in our own waters, then this stock is under serious threat.”
O Donnell urged the EU not to delay in introducing and enforcing the new regulations. “It’s intolerable that EU States stick to agreed quotas while Nordic non-EU States overfish by setting their own rogue unilateral quotas. These unilateral quotas exceed the overall agreed TAC by 45% (as estimated by ICES) undermining the sustainable fishery practice that Ireland and Europe follows.”
Ireland as the main quota holder of the European western mackerel TAC has endured three years of scientifically recommended quota reductions. However, 2024 marks a fourth year of overfishing against this independent scientific advice by the Nordic states including Norway and the Faroes.
O Donnell says this unsustainable practice is exacerbated by excessive interannual transfers to “maximise the quota grab.”
“The mackerel stock is in serious jeopardy. Based on the activities of the Nordic states in the last year, we fear the worst in 2025,” he says.
“We also seek to raise the bar of monitoring and control of Norwegian fleets that catch enormous volumes of blue whiting in our waters each year.”
“We urge Norway and Faroes to mirror the EU policy of actively promoting and implementing responsible fisheries management. We encourage them to agree to a comprehensive coastal sharing agreement for this important species and to stop the policy of disregarding scientific advice regarding the long-term sustainability of the stocks.”
“Ireland must play a part in pushing for this legal framework to curtail the irresponsible activity by Non-EU States. The amendment proposed to regulation 1026/2012 should be supported by effective trade measures that link market access to fisheries management.”