The tiny rocky outcrop of Rockall off the Donegal coast could rock Brexit negotiations over fishing rights.
Rockall is 423km from Tory Island and just 25m wide and 31m long but was at the centre of ownership rows for decades.
The rock was claimed for the British crown in 1955, and Ireland gave up its own claim when its sovereignty was finally settled in Scotland’s favour in 2014.
Eamon O Cuiv, Fianna Fail’s island affairs spokesman said: “In the event of a hard Brexit, there is a strong desire by many in the UK fishing industry to ‘pull up the drawbridge’ and push for a ban on non-UK fishing fleets fishing in UK waters so that the currently shared fishing zone will be the UK’s alone.”
Sean O’Donoghue, CEO of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation said ownership of the rock would not be in dispute but Brexit would create an access issue.
He said “We can fish at the minute in Rockall as we have fishing rights there but when the UK leaves they will no longer be part of the Common Fisheries Policy and there will have to be some detailed discussions around the fisheries which are very difficult to resolve.”
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