The unofficial "blockade" preventing Spanish trawlers from landing at west coast ports has entered its fourth day. The protests are against full-scale Spanish trawler access from January 1st to the "Irish Box", waters where restrictions formerly applied.
The supertrawler owner Mr Kevin McHugh said he sympathises with Irish whitefish skippers over the Irish Box issue and proposal for new days-at-sea restrictions for the north-west fleet.
"I am very sympathetic with guys who have ordered new vessels on the understanding that there would be opportunities to fish out there, and now find that these opportunities are closing in on them," Mr McHugh said. Open access for Spanish vessels to the Irish Box from January 1st will have a "serious impact on stocks", he said yesterday.
The current EU management system has patently failed, he said.
"These skippers have taken 10 years of quota cuts on conservation grounds, and now they are told that the stocks aren't there at all. At the same time, effort in the Irish Box area is allowed to be increased. Something is not adding up."
Mr McHugh made his comments yesterday as the unofficial blockade of south-west fishing harbours entered its fourth day. The ban came into force late on Friday night in Castletownbere, Co Cork, and spread at the weekend to the Kerry harbours of Dingle and Fenit.
The onshore blockade will stay in place until the three industry organisations - Irish Fish Producers' Organisation, Irish South & West Fishermen's Organisation and Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation - meet the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, on Thursday, said Mr Ebbie Sheehan, skipper and trawler owner in Castletownbere. No Spanish vessels had attempted to land as of yesterday, he said, but this situation could change over the next day or two as new year markets have to be supplied.
The organisations did not initiate the protest, and are not directly involved. They say, however, the action reflects fishermen's anger and frustration at the recent EU Fisheries Council decision on quotas and the review of the Common Fisheries Policy.
Mr Sheehan said the protesters had received a message of support and solidarity from Tarbert in Co Kerry. It was expected that any vessels which did try to land might head for commercial port facilities in Cork or Galway.
The fishery harbour of Rossaveal, Co Galway, supported the action, he said.
