IRISH fishermen are up in arms over secret EU talks to give Iceland access to our fishing waters.
Our trawlermen are being allocated an extra 15 million Blue Whiting quota this year on condition that Icelandic crews can fish here.
The Irish Government claims the talks are “informal” and nothing has been decided yet.
But Aodh O’Donnell of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) blasted that they must fight for our fishing industry the way other EU member states do.
He told Irish Skipper magazine: “The Irish Blue Whiting quota is worth around 15 million in 2024.
“If this new deal goes ahead Iceland can catch almost the same amount of blue whiting in Irish waters as we do.
“They have a population of less than 380,000 compared to our population of over 5.2 million.
“They are not an EU member. How is this a fair deal?
“Are we getting to catch around 15 million of extra fish in Iceland or EU waters for this deal? No.
“Instead we believe a small fraction of this is on the table for Ireland.
“However countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden will each gain more than Ireland from it.
“The heart of the matter is that the EU is effectively using our EU waters to get better deals for other EU and non-EU states at Ireland’s expense.
‘Flawed deal’
“It is both unbelievable and outrageous.
“Can anyone imagine the Spanish or Dutch governments accepting a flawed deal like this?
“There is a genuine fear that the negotiations may be close to a deal granting Iceland access to our rich waters – without our input or adequate consultation.”
The Irish fishing industry has already lost 26 per cent of our mackerel quota to the UK because of Brexit.
The Department of Marine has deliberately reduced the Irish fleet and decommissioned dozens of trawlers.
Ireland’s pelagic fish exports dropped by 45 per cent last year, representing a loss of €56 million to the economy.
‘Come clean’
Brendan Byrne of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association demanded the Department and the Minister Charlie McConalogue to “ come clean about the talks”.
He fumed: “We fail to understand why the Minister and his officials are negotiating an agenda driven by the EU Commission.
“However countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden will each gain more than Ireland from it.
“The heart of the matter is that the EU is effectively using our EU waters to get better deals for other EU and non-EU states at Ireland’s expense.
‘Flawed deal’
“It is both unbelievable and outrageous.
“Can anyone imagine the Spanish or Dutch governments accepting a flawed deal like this?
“There is a genuine fear that the negotiations may be close to a deal granting Iceland access to our rich waters – without our input or adequate consultation.”
The Irish fishing industry has already lost 26 per cent of our mackerel quota to the UK because of Brexit.
The Department of Marine has deliberately reduced the Irish fleet and decommissioned dozens of trawlers.
Ireland’s pelagic fish exports dropped by 45 per cent last year, representing a loss of €56 million to the economy.
‘Come clean’
Brendan Byrne of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association demanded the Department and the Minister Charlie McConalogue to “ come clean about the talks”.
He fumed: “We fail to understand why the Minister and his officials are negotiating an agenda driven by the EU Commission.
“This agenda is not in Ireland’s interest but benefits Iceland as a non-EU member.
“Have we not learnt any lessons from the past?”
Mc conologe is another weak Irish minister who is licking the boots of his eu masters.This has to be the most treacherous government ever to be in power.The sooner they are gone,the better.We are the laughing stock of Europe.