Irish fishermen in the south- west last night began to blockade ports from Dingle, Co Kerry, to Castletownbere, Co Cork, with their fishing vessels in protest at EU plans to allow unrestricted access to the Irish Box fishing waters.
The fishermen were not allowing Spanish or French fishing vessels to land and off-load catches. Over the weekend it is predicted 40 European vessels will be prevented from landing.
The protest is in advance of Monday's visit to Ireland by the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler.
The fishermen are angry over the threat of unrestricted access by European vessels to Irish waters - up to the 12-mile limit - from January 1st. A legal opinion prepared for the EU council questions the right to retain restricted zones, including that of the Irish Box extending 50 miles from this coastline.
The protest involves restricting access to berths for up to 50 "flag of convenience" vessels, mainly Spanish and French, which are expected to land in the ports.
The main focus of action may be in Castletownbere, but the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation (IS&WFO) says that it does not endorse the move. The IS&WFO will be participating in talks with Commissioner Fischler in Dublin on Monday, through its representation on the Government's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) advisory group chaired by Mr Pádraic White.
Yesterday, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, sought the support of the Danish EU presidency for retention of the Irish Box, and for Ireland's case in the current (CFP) review.
Any deal to allow unrestricted access to the sensitive fishing area would "make a mockery" of EU conservation policy, the Minister told his counterpart, Danish fisheries minister, Ms Mariann Fischer Boel, in Copenhagen.
If the legal opinion drawn up for the EU council was accepted, it would allow Spain, with the largest EU fleet, to "fish out" Irish waters, the Minister said yesterday. Currently, some 40 Spanish vessels are permitted into areas of the Box, under an arrangement dating back to EU accession by the Iberian states in 1985.
Portugal has already signalled its support for Ireland's stance, and the Minister intends to continue his diplomatic initiative after Monday's visit to Dublin by the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler.
Mr Ahern, who described yesterday's talks in Copenhagen as "useful, constructive and important" says that he told his Danish counterpart that the Box was a most sensitive fishing area, and was also one of the richest grounds in EU waters. However, it was already under severe pressure from European fleets. "The removal of the current restrictions on Spanish access to the Box will result in a huge and uncontrollable increase in fishing activity, placing the future of fishing in the waters off our coast in danger of total collapse," he warned.
The Minister urged Ms Boel to rethink the package of fleet cuts proposed under the CFP review, and explained Ireland's historically inadequate quota entitlements. He says he made it clear to Minister Boel that Ireland's additional quota entitlements, known as the Hague Preferences, were a cornerstone of EU fisheries policy for the last 25 years and should be retained. This measure was the only recognition of Ireland's underdeveloped industry when the quotas were first introduced.