Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus has called on the Irish Government to stand up for Ireland’s coastal and fishing communities.
MacManus was at Greencastle Harbour with Donegal TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn where they met with local fishermen and representatives of the Foyle Fishermen’s Co-Op.
Amongst the concerns discussed were access to Rockall and the cut in fishing quotas post-Brexit.
Speaking from Inishowen, MEP MacManus said: “This is a critical time for Ireland’s coastal and fishing communities. The sector has sustained a number of blows recently, with Brexit and the resulting loss in quota being the most devastating of them all.”
“We need the government to stand up for our coastal and fishing communities, and we need the government to demand our fishermen will get a fair share of the fish in our waters.”
“They also need to fight harder for equal burden sharing of the loss of fish quota arising from the Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement amongst the fishing fleets of all EU Member States. This quota loss amounts to tens of millions of euro each year to our fleets in Ireland.”
MacManus went on to criticise the Irish Government’s position on the Rockall dispute.
“One issue that was raised repeatedly at our meetings with Donegal fishers was the issue of Rockall. The Irish government need to take a stand for Ireland’s fishermen in the dispute over Rockall and work towards protecting the rights of Irish vessels to fish in the 12 mile area around the rock. The government have been notably weak in their position thus far”.
MacManus concluded by stating the need to sustainably harness the full potential of our fisheries, to the benefit of coastal and fishing communities.
“As an Island nation, we need to be looking at ways to sustainably harness the full potential of our fishing and coastal communities. This will require the Irish government to take a stand and demand a fair share of the fish in Irish waters. The time for excuses and using our fishing communities as a bargaining chip must end.”
