The Irish Box issue remains unresolved, following inconclusive negotiations at yesterday's EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels.
The Minister for the Marine, Mr Ahern, described as "tense and difficult" yesterday's discussions, with interventions by 10 member-states. Irish industry leaders said last night that the issue might not now be decided during the lifetime of the Greek EU Presidency, but also that they were "heartened" by the response yesterday from the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Commissioner, Dr Franz Fischler.
"Commissioner Fischler gave a strong indication that Ireland was not going to be steamrolled, although he also said that his new proposal for a reduced box was non-discriminatory," Mr Jason Whooley, chief executive of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation (IS&WFO) said.
The compromise proposal on the Irish Box is due to go before an EU Council working group today, but a legal document may not be ready in time for the next fisheries council early next month.
Ireland is "not happy" with the compromise tabled by the European Commission, which would abolish the 50-mile protected zone off the Irish coast, but would concede the existence of sensitive zones off the south and west. It would also involve the restriction of fishing to "current levels" and establishment of fishing capacity "ceilings" for each region within western waters.
Mr Ahern reiterated yesterday that this "new Irish Box", as described at the council, was not sufficient, but he did concede that it represented a move in the right direction. He said that he had "not pulled any punches in keeping the focus on conservation".
During the discussions, Portugal raised concerns about increased Spanish access to its waters under the revised EU Common Fisheries Policy. Several other member-states were also concerned about the implications of the compromise.
Last week the chairman of the EU Parliament's fisheries committee, Mr Struan Stevenson, said that if the Irish Box was abolished, it could have serious consequences for the Scottish protected zone known as the Shetland Box.
Until there is an agreement, the existing Irish Box stands, according to Mr Fischler. Mr Seán O'Donoghue of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation (KFO) said he was "heartened" by the Commissioner's comments yesterday after the council.
