MEP responds to fishing quota outcome
20 December 2008
Responding from Brussels to the outcome of the Fish Quota negotiations, Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister said:-
"Though there are substantial quota cuts in cod and plaice, away beyond what the science justified, I welcome the fact the Commission did not get its way on extensive herring and prawn quota cuts. There will be no reduction in the herring quota and the prawns are needlessly cut by 2%, but such is much better than the 15% cut demanded by the Commission. By all accounts the UK Fisheries Minister negotiated hard on Northern Ireland's behalf. The extensive lobbying to which he and his officials were subjected by me and others has shown some return.
The big hit, however, for the local industry is the savage 25% cut in days at sea, which was conceded in the negotiations in November when Conor Murphy was supposed to be representing Northern Ireland's interests. The scale of this reduction is such that the negative impact on our fishing fleet will be much greater than we can bear. Thus, attention must now turn to securing a compensatory package for the local industry. This matter must be progressed both through the EFF (European Fisheries Fund) and the resources of the local department."
