Three Government Ministers were urged not to "turn their backs on Donegal" during a meeting with north-west fishing industry representatives yesterday on the outcome of the recent EU fisheries council.
A north-west delegation highlighted the "catastrophic" impact of the new days at sea restriction on vessels extending from Galway to Donegal, and said its effect had been overshadowed by the equally serious decision on the Irish Box.
The delegation met the Minister for the Marine, Mr Dermot Ahern; the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív; and the Minister for Social Welfare, Ms Coghlan.
An urgent meeting is being sought with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, on his return from Mexico.
The Inishowen fishing port of Greencastle risks being "wiped out" as a landing port if the new restriction is implemented in full from February, the delegation said. The control measure will tie up boats fishing in Area VI in the north-west for all but nine days a month as part of conservation measures for cod stocks imposed on the west of Scotland.
The measure will have its most severe impact on smaller vessels, as those vessels large enough to migrate will move south and base themselves in Rossaveal, Co Galway; Castletownbere, Co Cork; and Dunmore East, Co Waterford, as fishing seasons change. This will put further pressure on the Irish Box, which has been opened up to the Spanish whitefish fleet.
The Minister is currently challenging this open access to the box in Brussels, and has threatened to go to the European Court of Justice if necessary. However, his department directed the Naval Service not to detain any Spanish vessels fishing inside the box until the legal position is "clarified".
Representatives of three fishing industry organisations walked out of quota talks with officials from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources this week.