Fishermen accuse officials of PR exercise in frank exchange

European Commission officials were accused of engaging in a public relations exercise on the Common Fisheries Policy review when they met Irish industry representatives in Cork yesterday.

As long as a coastal state like Ireland has the same voting rights at EU council level as an inland state like Luxembourg, there can be no equity in relation to fisheries management, angry Irish representatives said. Yesterday's meeting represented a more democratic approach by the European Commission towards its coastal constituency. Involving a frank exchange of views, it tended to expose the widening gap between Brussels bureaucrats and fishermen.

Mr John Farnell, director of the EC fisheries directorate, DGXIV, said he and his colleagues were anxious to canvass opinion. He said there would be "no institutional revolution" and no change in voting structure at council level.

Mr Christophe Nordmann, who is responsible for legal affairs in DGXIV, suggested that not all decisions had to be taken by the Council of Ministers, and there was some room for manoeuvre.

In several pointed references to Ireland's own responsibilities, Mr Farnell and Mr Nordmann said control and surveillance of EU waters were matters for national governments. The EU could only offer financial assistance, with Ireland being a major beneficiary.

A more equitable system of conservation and control was one of the dominant themes, with the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation recommending a system of regional fisheries management.

Yesterday's debate in Cork is to be followed by meetings in Howth, Co Dublin, tomorrow and Donegal on Monday. The round will continue in Britain and Denmark next month.