There was a depressing inevitability about yesterday's proposals by the European Commission on reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.
The proposals, which are due to be discussed by EU fisheries ministers early next month, involve an 18 per cent cut in tonnage of the EU fleet. This may result in widespread job losses in coastal areas, which will be compensated for by a 460 million euro programme to help fishermen to reconvert to other jobs.
The announcement was made on the day that the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, announced a 56 million euro investment package in 38 new boats here - boats which will be replacements for old tonnage, the Minister has stressed.
The language used by the EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Franz Fischler, is very familiar. "Dwindling fish stocks, diminishing catches, too many vessels chasing too few fish". No one, not least fishing communities, would dispute the need to protect threatened stocks. However, if Mr Fischler was serious about conservation, his formula could have been far more imaginative.
As Mr Padraic White, chairman of Ireland's strategy review group on the CFP, told this newspaper, the "headline" approach to fleet reduction is an over-simplication of the problem, as it fails to recognise the difference between cutting boats and reducing fishing effort. Fewer vessels will not lead to a fall in catches if there are no measures to conserve stocks. That is why Ireland proposed a far more enlightened approach to reform, which has the support of fishermen here, involving technical conservation measures and designation of "recovery areas".
Ireland has also argued for protection of the Irish Box as the most biologically sensitive area of its type in Community waters. It has proposed that existing six and twelve mile inshore limits should be extended to 24 miles in western waters to protect the stocks and the coastal communities dependent on same. All of this has been ignored.
There are some positive suggestions from the Commission including a proposal to set up a joint EU inspection structure, to create regional advisory councils, and take action over flag-of-convenience vessels which have done so much damage in Irish waters. However, the Commission's talk of involving stakeholders rings a little hollow when, without adequate explanation, it has allowed the addition to the Irish and European register of the 144-metre supertrawler, Atlantic Dawn.