STRUGGLE JUST TO STAY AFLOAT

EU quotas favour foreign fleets as Irish cuts surpass average, Fishermen: Policy is sinking industry, others profit from our waters

- BY JOHN KIERANS

IRISH fishermen are battling for survival and are being treated as second class citizens of Europe, it is claimed.

Our fishermen say that while Ireland owns a sixth of all EU waters in the Atlantic - they have less fishing quotes for our seas than most other member states.

This means other countries are making a fortune from our fish while our fishermen can only catch a tiny fraction of our stock.

And now it has emerged the amount of fish we can catch in our waters to protect existing stocks will be reduced by 15% in the coming six years while the average reduction for the rest of Europe's fishermen is 9.83%.

The revelation was made by the Aontu leader Peadar Toibin.

He said: "Irish fishermen have seen their sector gutted in recent years. Irish fishing rights have been handed lock, stock and barrel to other countries.

"Many countries are doing far better out of Irish waters than Irish fishermen.

"According to Departmental projections, the Irish coastal share of fish will shrink by approximately 15% in the coming six years.

"The average reduction throughout the rest of Europe is 9.83%.

LOSS

"Ireland's reduction significantly surpasses the loss of other countries.

"Indeed, Ireland has the highest loss along with Germany.

"What does that say about the ability of Irish ministers to work on behalf of Irish fishermen in Europe? It is an incredible situation at the moment."