Allister comments on fishing outcome
16 December 2009
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:
"The 9% cut in prawn quota and the savage cut in days at sea are major and unwarranted blows to our industry. This year the science was on our side but still the EU's slash and grab mentality prevailed. It must be remembered, however, that though, as ever, the Commission was set on the ruination of fishing none of this was possible without the Council of Ministers' agreement. In the end it was the politicians who drove home the knife.
"Another cumulative 25% cut in the cod quota, after years of such cuts, further devastates that sector in Northern Ireland, yet in the Republic they got away with no cut and whereas our Ministers accepted the status quo on herring the Republic won a whopping 72% increase in the Celtic Sea. When the unreformed Hague Preference kicks in the Republic will cream off even more benefit.
"So, another poor outcome in Brussels for a sector which year on year gets a merciless kicking just before Christmas."
