With negotiations between Norway and the European Union on access and quota sharing set to begin next week, key figures in the Irish fisheries sector are demanding a radical rethink.
‘Giving free access to coastal players is akin to a colonisation of our valuable maritime space. We need to proactively defend the rights of our fishermen and the coastal communities that depend on them,’ said IFPO CEO Aodh O Donnell, commenting that these states undermine Ireland’s commitment to long term sustainability of key pelagic stocks.
Norway has secured a substantial share of the blue whiting TAC, and as this is a species found mainly in Irish waters in the spring of each year, Norway needs access to Irish waters to catch its large quota.
These catch opportunities available to Norway in Irish waters amounted to 224,000 tonnes last year, which Aodh O Donnell describes as amounting to chronic overfishing in excess of the scientific recommendations.
‘It is driven by the objective of establishing entitlements based on a bogus track record, at the expense of the responsible approach of EU Member States,’ he said.
‘This rogue initiative of fixing inflated unilateral quotas, as again for mackerel, is a contributory factor to Ireland facing a second consecutive year of mackerel quota cuts of minimum 5%. It is an additional blow when compounded by the 2024 Brexit transfer instalment of approximately 4%.’
‘The essentially “free access” for blue whiting in EU waters must stop. Access is hugely beneficial from a cost perspective to Norwegian vessels. If Norway wishes to continue to benefit from an EU access quota for blue whiting in 2024 and the years that follow, then Norway will have to compensate the EU, and Ireland particularly, in species of interest to it.’
He added that the Irish industry is united in opposing any unfettered access for blue whiting in EU waters, accusing Norway and the Faroe Islands of consistently have pursued a policy of unilateral quota grabs, systematically overfishing these species by up to 44 % yearly.
‘The Irish pelagic sector is a key economic driver for our coastal communities,’ commented Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association (IFPEA) chief executive Brendan Byrne.
‘This sector is challenged by Brexit and the external factors of overfishing by certain Coastal States. We must take a united approach at National and EU Level to defend our interests and to face down this irresponsible activity.’
