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Fears over sale of fishing quotas
19.07.11
by Jessie Magee
An EU proposal to allow member states buy and sell
fishing rights could spell the end of the Irish
family-owned fishing fleet, it's been claimed. The
controversial plan, part of a major reform package
put forward by EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria
Damanaki, has been roundly condemned by fishing
groups and politicians in Ireland and France.
The Federation of Irish Fishermen warned that the
mandatory privatisation of fishing quotas would
“benefit those with the most capital,” while
Fisheries Minister Simon Coveney said the system
would lead to Irish quotas “being bought up by
European international companies,” leaving the
country with potentially no control of its own fish
stocks. |
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Fishing boats moored at Greencastle
harbour. |
North West MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher dismissed the
idea as a “trendy solution...drawn up to suit the
menu of celebrity chefs in their comfortable Chelsea
restaurants, far removed from the realities faced by
fishermen and coastal communities.”
Mr Gallagher, a member of the European Parliament
Fisheries Committee, has vowed to seek to change
several of the measures proposed, including the
mandatory privatisation of fishing quotas. As it
stands, the rule will apply to all vessels over 12
metres in length. The Fianna Fáil MEP will lobby for
this provision to be changed to exempt all vessels
under 15 metres, meaning 80 per cent of the Irish
would be exempted.
North West MEP Jim Higgins will also warn of the
dangers of putting quotas on the market. “What is to
stop a large set of Spanish fishermen from setting
up a company in Ireland and buying all our quotas?”
he said.
The fishing reforms will now be debated and amended
by all member states before the due implementation
date of January 1, 2013. |
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