Sinn Fein Kerry councillor Mr Martin Ferris has criticised the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, over new regulations on tuna-fishing off the south-west coast, writes Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent.
The regulations discriminate against Irish fishing vessels while giving foreign vessels more scope to exploit the fishery, Mr Ferris says. An emergency motion passed by Kerry County Council last week condemned the measures.
This is the last year that drift-nets can be used in the fishery for albacore tuna, worth over £6 million annually to the south-west region. From next year, the use of drift-nets will be banned under EU regulations designed to protect dolphins.
This year's licensing conditions outlaw the use of gill nets as well as drift-nets, but foreign vessels working within the exclusive fishery limits of this State may use both driftnets of not more than 2.5 km in combined length, or gillnets.
Mr Ferris said he intended to ask the Minister to treat all vessels fairly in the legislation.
A spokesman for the Minister defended the Sea Fisheries (Gill Net, Tuna and Certain Other Species) Fishing Order of 2001, and said it had been introduced to comply with EU regulations. Albacore tuna was subject to quota, and Ireland had to manage this quota as best it could.