Louth County Councillor Tom Cunningham has reacted angrily to the EU quotas for the coming year’s fishing industry. Cllr Cunningham feels that Ireland has got a unfair deal and feels “the Fishing industry is under enough pressure but this is adding to the strain. It’s hard enough to make a living at the fishing now but these further cuts in the quotas is going to make it nigh on impossible.”
The Sinn Féin Councillor from Clogherhead said “I have written to the Minister Simon Coveney asking him how these new quotas will help the fishing industry and have attached the letter below.”
Councillor Cunningham said he intends “to contact Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy in the new year and invite him to the area to speak to the fishermen himself and see what is happening to our Fishing industry.”
The following is the letter sent to Minister Coveney.
Minister Coveney,
I write to you in the wake of the EU quota’s for the fishing industry for 2015. First of all I would like to welcome the 14% increase in the prawn quota. But again overall the Irish Fishing Industry got a bad deal which could have a catastrophic effect on Irish Fishermen and coastal communities.
With a reduction of 12% in the haddock quota and 13% reduction in the cod quota where both species of fish stocks are showing signs of growth, can you explain to me why our cod and haddock quotas get such a big reduction? Already Irish Fishermen have taken the initiative to manage and conserve fish stocks in Irish waters.
Since 2012 fishermen have been using 100mm square mesh panels in their nets to reduce the number of small fish that are caught and discarded. Since this Government has taken office we have listened to Fine Gael and Labour talk non stop about jobs recovery. How will these EU quotas create jobs? If anything these quotas will cost jobs in the Fishing Industry and in the coastal communities.
As an island community the Fishing Industry should be at the cold face of our economic recovery. Because of repeated failures of this government and previous governments and of EU policies our Fishing Industry will not achieve its full potential.
Is mise
Cllr Tom Cunningham