Unprecedented meeting comes as new scientific advice from ICES threatens to devastate the Irish pelagic fleet.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley, T.D., has met with members of Ireland’s pelagic industry in Killybegs, Co. Donegal for an initial discussion on the recent scientific advice for key pelagic stocks such as Mackerel and Blue Whiting.
The unprecedented meeting comes as new scientific advice from ICES threatens to devastate the country’s pelagic fleet, with recommendations for a 70% cut to Ireland’s mackerel quota in 2026 and a 41% reduction in blue whiting allocations.
Industry Reaction
Following the meeting, Aodh O’Donnell, Chief Executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) said Minister Dooley acknowledged the scale of the threat to Ireland’s fishing and processing sectors. “The Minister pledged to bring the industry’s concerns directly to the Government and present a financial framework for addressing the crisis to them.
He said he would ‘deploy all political capacity’ to secure such a framework, and that he would seek to reassess key policies which affect the national fishing fleet. On an EU level, the Minister told the meeting he would be seeking a fresh approach. He said would ‘fight to the nth degree’ for the EU to apply the ‘Hague Preferences’. This mechanism allows the EU to adjust historic quotas for Ireland when the total allowable catch falls below a certain level.
The Minister was urged to seek stronger EU action against non-EU states that continue flagrant overfishing of shared stocks, which has created this crisis in fish stocks.
Pelagic Skippers and Vessel Owners along with representatives from the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association (IFPEA), the Irish Fish Producers Organisations (IFPO), the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO), Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation (IS&WFPO), Irish South and East Fish Producers Organisation (ISEFPO) and other interested parties attended the crisis talks.
The industry is united in its message: years of reckless overfishing by non-EU coastal states, including Norway, the Faroes and the UK, have brought the stock to this critical juncture – while Irish vessels have adhered strictly to scientific advice and quota regulations.
The industry leaders described the initial discusses as “constructive,” and said the Minister promised to keep in touch with them weekly during the crisis
They stressed that Ireland must now press for sanctions and rebalanced quotas at EU level before the December Fisheries Council meeting.
€66 Million Loss on the Cards
Mackerel, Ireland’s most valuable single fishery worth €94 million in exports, could see its economic contribution slashed by €66 million next year alone if the cuts proceed. The fishery, managed as a shared migratory stock and fished sustainably by Irish fleets for decades, now finds itself below safe biological limits through no fault of Irish operators.
Aodh O’Donnell pulled no punches in his assessment. “This is a hammer blow that could wipe out Ireland’s offshore fleet and processors,” he warned.
“Non-EU states have overfished with impunity while the EU stood by. That has to stop. If Brussels fails to act, Ireland’s most valuable fishery could disappear, taking hundreds of millions and thousands of jobs with it.”
Ministers Reaction
Following the meeting Minister Dooley said:
“The scale of the reduction in Total Allowable Catch recommendations by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for key pelagic stocks such as Mackerel, Blue Whiting and Boarfish is deeply concerning and will significantly impact on the Irish Seafood sector. This sector has shown resilience in the face of continued challenges over recent years as well as demonstrating a commitment to sustainable fishing.
Ireland has raised the overfishing of key pelagic stocks by some Coastal States outside the EU repeatedly over recent years, and I will continue to highlight this critical issue for our fishers and engage intently with the European Commission and other Member States on possible actions to protect our stocks.”
The Minister will be meeting with relevant stakeholder groups on October 8th to gather input on the annual Sustainability Impact Assessment, which will provide a further opportunity to discuss this advice, among other challenges facing the sector.
Minister Dooley concluded:
“The Programme for Government emphasises the valuable role of fisheries in the future of our country and the communities that rely on this activity for their livelihood. I look forward engaging further with stakeholders at this critical time, to ensure that their interests are robustly represented at domestic, European and international level.”
