EUROPEAN FISHERIES ministers struck a deal late last night in the annual round of EU negotiations on fish quotas, overcoming their differences in “difficult” talks over the allocation of fishing rights in the union.
The agreement followed compromise proposals from Swedish agriculture and fisheries minister Eskil Erlandsson, chair of the talks as part of Sweden’s rotating presidency of the EU.
The deal allows Irish fishermen to fish for the equivalent of 65 per cent of the 2009 mackerel quota next month, pending the resumption in January of stalled talks between the EU and Norway over the overall mackerel quota.
The cod quota remains unchanged, in spite of a European Commission proposal to cut it by 30 per cent – and a 20 per cent cut that was cited at the outset of the ministers’ negotiation.
The prawn quota drops by 9 per cent, a reduction that contrasts with 30 per cent mooted at the start of the negotiation and the 47 per cent cut proposed by the commission.
A proposal agreed by the Government and the Irish fishing industry to close a large part of the Porcupine Bank area of the Atlantic to prawn fishing in May, June and July was endorsed by EU ministers.
“Anybody who would have looked at the original proposal when it came out about a month ago would have been extremely concerned about the prospects for Irish fishermen in the medium term,” Minister of State for Fisheries Tony Killeen told reporters in Brussels last night.
“The outcome by comparison with the original proposal is extremely positive, but of course there are challenges.”
The Government and fishing industry interests had rejected the original EU proposal to limit Irish mackerel fishing to 50 per cent of the 2009 quota in January on the basis that the catch in the first two months of the year is the most valuable to Irish fishermen.
The inclusion for the first time of mackerel from the Bay of Biscay and Spanish waters in the quota to be agreed with Norway led to proposals to cut the Irish mackerel quota next year by some 2,000 tonnes.
Following last night’s talks, however, the 2010 quota will be the subject of separate talks next month. “It could be part of the Norway deal on this occasion,” Mr Killeen said.
The Minister, who argues that the proposed cut in the Irish mackerel quota is unjustified, said that Irish interests would be protected by a special declaration from the council of EU ministers and the commission that was included in political agreement.
“The council and the commission shall pursue all options to limit the negative impact of integration on member states fishing on western, North Sea and southern mackerel,” the declaration said.
There are indications that British negotiators are not opposed in principle to the commission’s proposal to cut the British mackerel quota by 6,000 tonnes as part of the new arrangement.
The cut proposed for the Spanish quota is 1,000 tonnes.
The Celtic Sea quota for herring next year rises 72 per cent following the deal last night. The monkfish quota in Irish waters rises 15 per cent and the hake quota rises 17 per cent.
While the Celtic Sea quota for plaice rises 7 per cent, the Irish Sea quota for plaice rises 14 per cent.
Irish negotiators aimed to block any dilution of the “Hague Preferences” agreement, a long-running deal under which Irish fishermen benefit from fishing rights for certain species in addition to their annual EU quota. The arrangement remains intact.