Irish fishermen are angry with their government for imposing "grossly excessive" punitive legislation while the fishermen have accepted already measures like decommissioning 25% of the whitefish fleet to conserve stocks.
The Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) Lorcan O'Cinneide condemned the new Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2005, introduced by marine minister Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher in the Irish parliament on 17 November, for imposing "real draconian" penalties.
Because of differences between the Irish legal system and the EU administrative legal system penalties in Irish courts for fishery offences could be much higher than administrative sanctions, or fines, imposed in most other EU countries, admitted a spokesperson for the minister.
Irish fishermen pointed out that the Irish police had already stepped up investigations and prosecutions of illegal fishing under existing legislation.
Mr O'Cinneide was disappointed that the minister had not honoured his earlier promises of making amendments to the bill. Why did not the government "do the decent thing and withdraw the bill pending complete redrafting after appropriate consultation," said Mr O'Cinneide.
"Excessive zeal"
He stressed that he and other industry leaders like Jason Whooley of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation (ISWFO) had raised concerns during the Irish visit of EU fisheries commissioner Joe Borg on 10 and 11 November about "excessive zeal" of the Irish authorities implementing the EU fisheries laws compared with other EU countries.
Mr O'Cinneide and Mr Whooley pointed to the apparent inaction by Spanish, French and Portuguese authorities against deepwater gillnets, often with illegal mesh sizes and abandoned on the seabed, used by their fishermen and the eagerness of the Irish authorities to punish even minor infringements. These deepwater gillnets were destroying monkfish stocks, they said.
Irish fishermen were doing their bit to conserve stocks and maintain a sustainable industry as they had responded positively to the government call to match effort with stocks, said Mr O'Cinneide.
"The aim is to create a leaner fleet that is sustainable and provides a good living to fishermen by reducing the number of boats by 25% after modern vessels had been introduced in the fleet through the recent whitefish renewal schemes," explained Padraig Gordon, fleet development officer with the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (BIM).
Decommissioning
The first list of 22 vessels, 17 whitefish boats and five scalllopers to be decommissioned before Christmas was published on 24 November, costing the government more than €11 million. Two rounds to decommission a further 24 plus vessels in the spring and summer of 2006 were expected later, said Mr Gordon.
