Belgian trawler is held over alleged logbook offences

The Naval Service yesterday arrested a Belgian vessel in the Irish Sea for alleged fisheries offences and has escorted it to Dublin Port.

The detention of a Belgian boat reflects a growing interest among other EU member fleets in Irish waters as pressure on stocks elsewhere increases.

The Stormvogel a beam trawler, was apprehended 20 miles east of Dublin for alleged under-recording of catch and other logbook offences by the LE Deirdre under the command of Lieut Cmmdr Pat Allen.

The arrest brings the number of detentions this year to 18. Three Norwegians apprehended earlier this year by the Naval Service on the blue whiting fishery off the Irish coast have had penalties of £306,000 in fines, costs and loss of fish and gear imposed on them by the State.

The skipper of the Morgester fjord, Mr Frode Aga, which was detained by the LE Deirdre on February 5th 150 miles off the west coast, pleaded guilty to the offence, which was the first for a Norwegian vessel in EU waters. Two other Norwegian skippers also pleaded guilty to offences relating to logbook irregularities.

EU fisheries ministers meeting Luxembourg, meanwhile, have agreed on a 67 per cent increase in Ireland's share of the developing blue whiting fishery.

The agreement has been described as a "major coup" by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, who said it had been secured "against all the odds". Only Britain supported Ireland in opposing the original deal, but this was not sufficient for a blocking minority.

Mr Joey Murrin, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, said that even a doubling of the proposed allocation for Ireland would not be sufficient.

Speaking before the final figure had been agreed, Mr Murrin said the Irish fleet had been "stitched up" by EU states once again.

Under the compromise deal, the total allowable catch for all EU member states for this fishery was increased from 133,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes, and Ireland was offered an extra 10,000 tonnes of that.

The major share of the fishery - only recently subject to quota - has been allocated to the Netherlands.

Significantly, Ireland secured a 50 per cent increase in the allocation key for the future, the Minister emphasised. The quota is based on catches in the best three years of the past five.

Blue whiting is low in oil content, and offers a lucrative alternative for the £100 million super trawler fleet based in Killybegs, which has been under pressure because of a downturn in the mackerel fishery. Landed as an industrial catch, it has potential for human consumption, and Bord Iascaigh Mhara has been involved in research to develop its market opportunities.

Norway, which is not a member of the EU, has a particular interest in blue whiting. The original figure offered to Ireland of 14,000 tonnes was condemned by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, at last week's EU summit in Cologne and by the Minister, Dr Woods.

Dr Woods said he questioned the methodology used to reach this figure, which would have been less that 40 per cent above the average Irish catch over the past three years.

The Minister has commended the German presidency on its handling of the issue, but he added that Ireland still had severe problems with the EU Common Fisheries Policy.