Irish fishermen have declared to continue their demonstration against high fuel prices and cheap fish imports. They help protest rally at Cork Airport and distribution of fish in Waterford, Donegal and Galway. According to the fishermen the protest at the airport’s cargo terminal aims to highlight the negative impact on livelihoods of imported seafood, and is part of a Europe-wide series of demonstrations over both escalating fuel prices and non-EU imports.
The fishermen said that the fish will also be offered to the public at quayside prices in Galway’s Eyre Square, Dunmore East, Co Waterford, and Killybegs, Co Donegal. There were hundreds of vessels have been tied up in ports this week while several hundred representatives of four industry organisations affiliated with the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) staged a march to Leinster House in Dublin.
The federation represent some 90 per cent of Irish fishing vessels over 12 metres in length. It wants fleets to be paid not to go to sea as part of a temporary rota-based system regulating commercial fishing as fuel costs soar. According to the federation the EU should reduce the subsidies for the industry, similar to those given to farmers and food producers, to save huge numbers of fishermen from bankruptcy.
