Fishermen are meeting Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Brendan Smith and Minister of State Tony Killeen today to discuss the crisis in the fishing industry.
On Wednesday, fishermen at Cork and Waterford ports ended blockades after Mr Smith agreed to meet the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) today.
Mr Smith and Mr Killeen began their meeting with the FIF and representatives of protesters at noon in Athlone, Co Westmeath. The protests earlier this week were not officially sanctioned by the FIF.
Mr Killeen has called on the FIF to work with the Government on an agreed approach that would be presented to EU fisheries commissioner Joe Borg at a bilateral meeting with Ireland next Wednesday.
A spokesman for the southwest fleet, Ebbie Sheehan, had said the blockade had been "temporarily suspended" pending the outcome of today's meeting with Mr Smith. He warned that further action could follow if the talks were inconclusive.
Up to 70 vessels had blocked the entrance to Cork harbour and staged protests at other ports to protest rising fuel prices and cheap imports.
The FIF is seeking State support for a scheme in which fleets would be paid not to go to sea as part of a temporary rota-based system regulating commercial fishing as fuel costs soar.
The organisation claims 50 to 70 per cent of a trawler’s turnover is being spent on fuel.
The FIF also wants stricter controls on traceability so consumers can see where the fish they are buying was caught.