"Political engagement" is required to resolve the row over Norway’s bid for “unfettered access” to Irish fishing waters, according to Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey.
Irish fishing bodies have asked the EU to suspend talks on Norway’s bid for access to Ireland’s blue whiting grounds.
Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation (IFPO) chief executive Aodh O’Donnell said it was “alarming that the EU could unilaterally negotiate away rights to our blue whiting”.
“Meanwhile Norway, a non-EU member, is offering no meaningful reciprocal arrangement to Ireland,” he said.
O'Donnell calculates Ireland’s blue whiting fish stocks are worth over €160m.
Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey Photo: via Wikipedia
“ Norway already has 18% of the European and coastal states quota for blue whiting – compared to Ireland’s share of just 3%. But they are now seeking further - and unilateral access - to Irish waters, to catch much of their enormous blue whiting quota in 2023 of over 400,000 tonnes,”he said.
“This is being negotiated by the EU on behalf of Ireland, though no agreement has been reached despite two rounds of talks.”
The IFPO, the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association (IFPEA) and the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation (ISWFPO) have issued a joint call for the talks to be suspended in a letter to the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius.
EU Fisheries Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius
“The negotiations on the additional access to Irish waters should be deferred until the New Year and particularly until after the annual December [fish] council meeting,” IFPEA chief executive Brendan Byrne said.
“An in-depth consideration on blue whiting is required, and that is where it should take place,”Byrne said.
“ Ireland already bore the brunt of EU fishing quota cuts after Brexit. Why should we take the hit again, with nothing in return and the burden share from TCA/Brexit still unresolved? This is surely a political decision and requires an equitable political solution,”he said.
IWSFPO chief executive Patrick Murphy said the EU fisheries commission “has no mandate for a decision which would have such a negative impact on Ireland's fishing interests”.
Mr Markey said he had raised the issue with the EU Fisheries Commissioner in the European Parliament last week, and was told that any agreements will be equally treated across Europe.
“When it came to Brexit, Ireland didn’t get equal treatment so if somebody is being offered unfettered access into Irish waters to fish for additional blue whiting, there has to be some consideration given to us,”he said.
“The Commission said officials are working closely with member states but I am unconvinced and believe a political solution is needed that takes into account concerns raised by a member state. This matter is too serious to be dealt with on a technical level - behind closed doors,”he said.
The Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation said that “given the proximity of Ireland to the main fishing grounds of this stock, landings into Ireland are attractive for foreign vessels”.
“It is therefore of critical importance that any transfer to Norway in the ongoing EU/ Norway negotiations is kept at a very low level and that access to the Irish Box is paid for by the transfer of blue whiting quota,”the KFO said.
