Spanish fishing boats did not land their catch at Castletownbere, the country's premier whitefish port, this weekend after being advised feelings in the west Cork town were running high.
On a normal weekend as many as 30 Spanish boats (some local sources put the figure higher) dock at Castletownbere to unload their catches at Dinish Island in the harbour, from where the trucks leave for the Continent.
During the tuna fish dispute in the summer of 2000, the port was blockaded and trucks were not allowed across the bridge from Dinish Island.
Amid fears of a repetition, the boats used Kerry ports on Thursday.
Since the closure of the white fisheries to Irish fishermen at Castletownbere last week because Irish quota limits had been reached, the main species of monkfish, megrims and white pollack have not been fished and the Irish fleet remained tied up to the anger of the local fishing community.
The sight of Spanish vessels landing large catches of these same species, because they were within quota, would have heightened tensions.
Some 65 per cent of people in Castletownbere rely directly on fishing, with almost everyone else benefiting indirectly from what is the biggest industry in the area.
The weather, which would normally have led to good fishing, has added to the sense of frustration in west Cork in the lead up to Christmas, when every day counts.
The arrest of the Dawn Ross - one of the biggest and newest boats in the Castletownbere fleet, just before the closure of the fisheries, for alleged monkfish quota offences and the confiscation of its gear and catch - has further exacerbated feelings in the town.
The arrest of Irish boats was criticised during Friday's protests.
"There has been zero arrest of Spanish boats in Spain, zero arrest in France. We are the only country with our own fishermen ending up in the circuit court being convicted of a criminal offence. It's about time our own administration saw the light," Mr John Nolan, manager of the Castletownbere Fishermen's Co-op, said.
The Dawn Ross was the second arrest of an Irish boat in two weeks and its owners had to put up bonds of €80,000.
Feelings in the town were running very high and people were "extremely frustrated", he said yesterday.
Mr Derry O'Donovan, shipping agent and honorary Spanish vice-consul in Castletownbere, said the Spanish fleet would not be expected to return until early January. About 80 per cent of the fleet would return to Spain for Christmas.
The Kerry port of Dingle has been closed also to the Spanish fleet. Fenit was being used until this weekend, but this too is now closed.
On Thursday night a fire broke out on a Spanish fishing vessel in the harbour and two of its crew were taken to hospital. The fire was not malicious. Anti-pollution booms were put in place amid fears of an oil spill from the ship.