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Updated 4:05 PM
THE IRISH GOVERNMENT has spoken out against an EU plan aimed at resolving a long running dispute over mackerel fishing in the north-east Atlantic.
The EU is keen to end the dispute with Iceland and the Faroe Islands who have increased their overall share of mackerel in the area from 5 per cent in 2005 to 52 per cent in 2013.
The standoff lead to the EU placing trade sanctions against Iceland and the Faroes in July after they continued to increase their share of the mackerel catch without agreement.
In an effort to resolve the impasse the commission is believed to have devised a deal that would see Iceland get 11.9 per cent and the Faroe Islands 12 per cent of the future total allowable catch for mackerel.
At a meeting in Luxembourg today however, Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Simon Coveney argued against “rewarding Iceland and the Faroe Islands for their unacceptable and irresponsible actions in respect of the shared mackerel stock over the past number of years.”
“While any deal should provide a fair and justifiable quota share for Iceland, it must also protect the interests of EU member states like Ireland who have relied on this fishery for over 40 years,” he said.
Coveney added that any new offer to Iceland on their mackerel fishing rights must only be made on the basis of equal burden sharing with non-EU member Norway.
Fianna Fáil MEP and member of the parliament’s fisheries committee Pat the Cope Gallagher MEP labelled the deal being discussed as “disgrace” saying that it would impact on Ireland’s fishing rights:
If these figures are accepted, it would possibly result in a reduced share of mackerel quota for Ireland in the long-run. As a result, Iceland and the Faroe Islands would reap larger mackerel quotas than Ireland, which is an absolute disgrace.
The desire for a deal has been given extra impetus following advice last week from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) which advised that there would be scope to increase the North Atlantic mackerel catch by 64 per cent next year.
Fisherman at Ireland’s largest fishing port in Killybegs have suggested a multi-tiered deal that would see Iceland and the Faroe Islands getting different allowances based on the size of mackerel stocks at any given time.
Negotiations are due to take place in London next week between all the parties involved in the stalemate.
Ireland will take part in the discussions with Coveney requesting a meeting with EU fisheries commissioner Maria Damanaki ahead of the meeting.
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Hopefully, we can all survive this one.
Irish weather now presents so many warnings that it must have become very dangerous.
Ohh for the old days, when it was just blustery, cold and rainy. Now it’s colour coded alerts and huge precautions.
@Fiona deFreyne: Do you ever think you need a break from commenting on the journal???
@David O’Connor: spot on. Sarcastic doom and gloom merchant.
@David O’Connor: for 3 days at Christmas. Thank you for your interest.
I can at least comment on the subject of the article, a capacity which is clearly beyond you.
Thank you for all of your comments in 2017 on my inclination to comment.
@Fiona deFreyne: The only comments directed at you Tony are ones taking the piss out of you.
@Fiona deFreyne: You have the capacity to comment on weather warnings and the weather…… Pretty much the most popular topic of conversation for everyone in Ireland
@Fiona deFreyne: I find these warnings to be quite important to me personally, since I live on a boat and all. It’s good to have advance warnings so we can prepare adequately. Even if the warnings are over stated once in a while.
@David O’Connor: Hmm….I’m inclined to think Fiona de F is actually a team ? No 1 man or woman could post so quickly on so many articles ?
@gregory: Gregory Fiona De F is probably a team of journal journalists whipping up a frenzy in the comments
@gregory: Bang on…. How could someone know so much about every topic in the world, has to be a team of experts.
@Fiona deFreyne: take the warnings or don’t take them! We all have a choice?
@David O’Connor: its an algorithm
@David O’Connor: when you’ve nothing better to do than Google all day, take bits from articles and post as own comment, that’s how she/he does it…..expert mehole! Waffler more like!
@David O’Connor: Ability to comment doesn’t imply expertise. In fact, ability to comment on everything might well suggest the opposite; polymaths are rare…
@David O’Connor: Mossy’s female alter ego
@Fiona deFreyne: Good man Tony, must be nearly time for a further alter-ego, are you not getting tired of being know-all Fiona? You were better fun when you were good ‘ole know-all Tony…
@David O’Connor: ah here come the men to tell a woman to shut up. You know there is a mute button for you tender souls?
@Greased Up Deaf Guy: hello Gucci
@David O’Connor: I actually like her comments, and don’t see anything wrong with them…..what is wrong with you guys?
@Seamus Ryan: Good day sir, greetings to you and yours this festive season!
So it’s stopping at the border?How convenient
@Cathal O’hÁodhagáin: Part of the brexit negotiations deal
All these near-colliding wavy lines and streaky rainbow colours tell me that our meteorologists have done art appreciation and art history courses. Their weather charts are a mixture of expressionist and kinetic modern art styles. IMMA curators should consider an exhibition funded by the Arts Council/Comhairle Ealaion.
He will be blowin in the wind
@oliverjumelle: , No some one will give him shelter from the storm
@Pilib O Muiregan: a hard rain’s a gonna fall
@oliverjumelle: Met.ie warnings come from all along the watchtower.
@oliverjumelle: here comes the story of the hurricane
@Con O’Driscoll: Maybe the next storm will be Storm Jimi to validate that comment. As we know he was a massive Dylan fan.
Send vatadkar out in his socks. he’ll protect us
We might finally find out how many roads a man must walk down before you call him a man!
On a more serious note … if you look at the European weather warnings on met.ie, you will see that Israel has very quietly joined Europe while Lebanon and Syria, which are closer, are barred. Can one of our underemployed MEP’s please nudge the Apartheid Theocracy back to the Middle East and oblige.
@Denis McClean: It won’t be long before Israel is a full member of the EU, this will be facilitated by European guilt of countries like Germany, Austria etc and good friends like Israel. In fact I am surprised they have not actually joined NATO.
@Con O’Driscoll: lol christ was a Palestinian! Not an Israeli
Great.let s go surfing
Time to take in the garden chairs so.
With the impending arrival of Storm Dylan, “A Hard Days Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” while we are all “Blowin’ in the Wind.” So listen to Met Eireann’s (National Weather Service) advice; Take “Shelter from the storm” in case it turns into a “Hurricane”. Say a prayer that “Maggie’s Farm” survives and when “Highway 61 is Revisited,” hope it isn’t closed due to flooding.
I’ll get me coat.
No it won’t. Just like the rest of the warnings a proportion of the country will.
They should only issue weather warnings on weekdays
Damm fine geal and their weather policy, what we need is garlic man to fix this mess, repeal the 13th etcetera
Feeling sick to my stomach thinking about power outages after 6 days with no power after Ophelia. Hope everyone fares ok through the wind and storm!!!
@Seeking Truth: its not a Storm it’s a gale
Fresh Gale to Strong Gale 65-85kph winds as forecast above
Just get through and get lost. things to do tommorrow
Another weather warning? Dreading possibly having to pick up the bins!
Another storm? We have them all the time! We live a on the edge of the Atlantic!
Another poor excuse for ESB networks to issue warnings of power cuts….. Can they not secure our network from common weather occur ancestors like wind? And storms?
Wait and see more trees will be chopped down as a result.. Totally un-necessary… With health safety excuse. We need the shelter and Carbon storage they provide.
Storm!??
The forecast above is for 65-85koh winds…. This is beaufort scale force 8 to 9. Which is Fresh Gale to Strong Gale…. Not a Storm!
Let’s not lose the plot!
Why can’t the Esb secure supply in a gale? On the West Coast gales are very common.
Gusts of 130kph are forecast and judging by the sound of them on my roof I’m going downstairs.
Bit of wind and rain as usual typical wintry day in ireland no need to panic
What storm
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