Two Irish MEPs have called on the European Commission to compensate fishermen affected by severe cuts in quotas of whitefish next year. The EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Franz Fischler, has maintained that member-states should use EU structural funds to compensate those affected by the cuts.
Mr Patrick Gallagher (FF) said it was unacceptable to expect national authorities to provide all the funding. "It is just not on that the financial burden of this decision should be borne disproportionately by the national authorities in a few member-states," he said.
Mr Joe McCartin (FG), also a Connacht-Ulster MEP, said proposals should be submitted to the European Commission for a package of social and economic measures designed to ensure the survival of fishing communities.