Shellfish farmers may take a case to the European Court of Justice over the Government's failure to protect the quality of water in inland bays and estuaries.
Britain has already been forced to spend £50 million on anti-pollution and purification measures following legal action by British shellfish farmers for failure to implement EU directives.
"The British industry is a fraction the size of ours so a successful case could cost the Government millions," Mr Richie Flynn, spokesman for the Irish Shellfish Association (ISA), said yesterday.
ISA members meeting in Westport, Co Mayo, at the weekend agreed to retain the solicitor who advised their British counterparts. The association has also sought an urgent meeting with the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, and his junior colleague, Mr Hugh Byrne.
Raw sewage and waste have been identified as the main causes of pollution on beaches, and Mr Flynn said the shellfish farmers' action to protect bays and estuaries would have widespread implications for the public.