Donegal Minister Joe McHugh has welcomed an increase in fish quotas.
The deal will see whitefish quotas increase for fishermen in the North-West.
Minster McHugh said: “Following long negotiations which ended in the early hours of this morning an increase in quotas has been secured for operators in Donegal.
“This deal delivers on sustainability but it is also a strong result for fishermen, especially those with boats in Greencastle, and it is also giving them a bit of reassurance amid questions on how Brexit will challenge the industry.
“The overall increase of 30% in whitefish quota for the North West, including a near doubling of the quota for offshore haddock, will really improve fishing opportunities for whitefish fishermen in Donegal.
“There has been a reduction in haddock in part of the fishery off the north coast but the negotiations are about striking a balance.”
Minister McHugh also noted that 2019 will see the full implementation of the landing obligation for all stocks in Irish waters, also known as the discards ban, where juvenile fish will no longer be discarded into the sea.
“We are moving to rebuilding stocks to sustainable levels. Combined with the change in quotas and the actions being taken on stocks, this is a positive result for Donegal and for Ireland,” the Minister said.
“We need to make fisheries viable and sustainable. We need to protect the livelihoods of fishermen going out on the seas in their own boats. At the same time we need to respect the science and work on solutions that meet all those requirements.
“The deal we have got strikes a balance on that path.”
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