Fishing industry representatives have expressed relief at the outcome of this year's EU quota talks which concluded yesterday with marginal increases in several key species for Ireland.
The Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, has declared satisfaction at the outcome, and has complimented an "absolutely brilliant" negotiating team. "Thank God for Irish civil servants," the Minister said yesterday in Brussels after a 27-hour session.
Connacht-Ulster MEP Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher, has also praised the deal, but he criticised the Commissioner for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Franz Fischler, for his "dictatorial" and "draconian" approach to proposed cuts, which could have had a severe impact on the Irish sector.
"Perhaps the Commissioner should take a visit to the west and north-west coasts of Ireland and meet the people whose livelihoods he has in his hands," Mr Gallagher said.
Mr Fischler, welcomed the outcome. "After 28 hours of non-stop negotiations, reason has finally triumphed," he said. "I welcome the decision of the fisheries ministers to set the fisheries quotas for 2002 at a biologically acceptable level. With this decision, for none of the stocks will a deterioration be allowed."
Mr Fischler acknowledged the quota cuts would hit fishermen's incomes in the short term but claimed they were in the industry's long-term interest. The outcome for Ireland involved cuts in several key species, including cod, haddock, monk, megrim and prawns, but a clawback on whiting and hake ensured an overall increase of just under 5 per cent in the whitefish share.
Losses were also sustained in horse mackerel and blue whiting, but there was a slight increase in the mackerel share. Significantly, a proposal to impose quotas for the first time on unexploited deepwater species targeted by Ireland was dropped, and moves to cut the fleet size were postponed by six months.
An attempt by Commissioner Fischler to deprive Ireland of its right to invoke the Hague Preference, which ensures there are minimum amounts of quotas for certain species, was opposed by Ireland. Ireland's right to invoke this clause, agreed by the EU at a time when Ireland's fleet was still under-developed, was crucial, the Minister said.
Mr Sean O'Donoghue of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation said he was "pretty happy" with the deal, and congratulated the Minister and his team.
Mr Jason Whooley of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation said he was relieved that an "onslaught" by the Commission had been resisted. He was critical of the procedure.
"Nobody can be expected to develop long-term management measures for the fishing industry under such circumstances."
The European Parliament has adopted a report proposing limits on "flag of convenience" vessels in the EU which register under another member-state to avail of that quota.
These vessels "ignore all the rules", exploit the best fishing grounds and "wreak havoc", the report - proposed by Green MEP Ms Patricia McKenna - concludes.