Fishermen protesting against what they claim is unfair treatment by the Government lifted blockades at Castletownbere and Dingle ports in Cork and Kerry yesterday, as the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, warned that strict enforcement of the tuna fishing regulations would continue.
Speaking in Kenmare where he met representatives of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation (IS&WFO), the Minister indicated that he had taken a harder line than his predecessor, Dr Michael Woods, on the controversial tuna issue, when he said the Government was under pressure from the EU to implement the agreed legislation on tuna fishing which limits the length of nets to 2.5 kilometres.
The Minister conceded that his Department had given a specific instruction to the Naval Service this season to monitor tuna boats, even though the driftnet fishery will be outlawed altogether in 2002. He added that the Naval Service's brief was broader than that, and there would be careful and strict monitoring of illegal fishing by foreign vessels.
His Department had evidence, he added, that some Irish tuna fishermen had been using nets as long as nine or 10 kilometres. "The law is the law, and fishermen understand that the Irish Government is obliged to see that it is upheld. Equally the fishermen understand that the Government itself is being monitored and, as I speak, a European inspector is on board one of our naval vessels."
Of the 18 Irish trawlers licensed to fish for tuna, four have been arrested by the Naval Service in the past month.
Most of the small fleet is now subject to satellite surveillance as a condition of their licence, which is limited to each trip. The most recent arrest was of the Dingle trawler, Golden Feather, off the south coast at the weekend.
The Minister said he understood the frustration of the fishermen and added that from his point of view yesterday's meeting had been a constructive one at which he had pledged to increase surveillance against the use of illegal nets by foreign vessels.
This and other issues would be discussed when he met the IS&WFO again in Castletownbere on Wednesday. Last night he told The Irish Times he was seeking increased surveillance from the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith.
Although Mr Fahey's predecessor, Dr Woods, had supported a case taken by France against the EU driftnet ban, on grounds that there was no scientific proof that dolphins were being caught on any large scale, the Minister said he had inherited the current situation. "I can't go out to Europe arguing for conservation if we are not adhering to the law ourselves," he said.
Mr Jason Whooley, the manager of IS&WFO, said the Minister had given the fishermen "a good hearing", and was now better able to understand the level of frustration which they felt. Other issues, including fleet replacement, illegal nets and the increased cost of fuel had also been discussed and would be debated again at next Wednesday's meeting in Castletownbere.
However, Mr Whooley said his organisation had no evidence that nets up to 10km long were being used by tuna fishermen, and it was up to the Minister to provide it.
The blockades were being suspended, but any further action would depend on the success or otherwise of the Castletownbere talks, he added.
The Independent South Kerry TD, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, said the situation had become very serious. Irish vessels were being "harassed, haunted and tracked down day and night for trivial reasons", while the foreign boats were being allowed a free run. Mr Healy-Rae said he would appeal directly to the Minister "to take the pressure off the Irish boats".