EU Reaches Deal On Fishing Quotas

European Union ministers have reached a deal to reduce many of next year's fish quotas for overexploited species, while cautiously increasing others to ensure the livelihood of fishermen.

"I am delighted to say that we have reached an agreement for fish quotas for 2010," said Eskil Erlandsson, Agriculture Minister for Sweden, which holds the EU's rotating presidency.

"The quotas were based on scientific advice. Quotas have been reduced for sensitive stocks and cautiously increased for other stocks," Erlandsson told a news conference in Brussels.

The Irish Minister of State at the Department of the Marine Tony Killeen said the outcome was positive compared to the position facing Irish fishermen at the start of the talks.

The issue dominating the meeting from an Irish perspective was the fallout for mackerel fisheries following the break down of the EU Norway talks last week.

The European Commission was initially recommending a 50% cut in the mackerel quota in order to preserve stocks, pending a resumption of talks with Norway.

The quota been raised to 65% of this year's quota for Ireland, on the basis of further talks with Norway in January.

In advance of a resumption of EU Norway talks, the European Commission was recommending that the UK and Ireland offer 10,000 tonnes of their mackerel quota to Norwegian vessels.

This was opposed by the government and the Irish fishing industry, who argued the 2,000 tonne Irish segment would have cost the industry €2.5m.

The Chief Executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation, Lorcan O Cinneide, has said the fisheries deal agreed in Brussels was a lot better than the one proposed and was the best agreement that could have been reached.

In the North, interest hinged on a proposed 30% cut in the 2010 prawn quota for local fishing fleets which in the event has been reduced to 9%.

Stormont Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Michelle Gildernew took part in negotiations in Brussels as part of the December Fisheries Council on Tuesday and, despite the reduction in the proposed cut, she said she was disappointed.

"Given the strength of our scientific evidence I believe that there should have been no cut, but the commission wouldn't move any further," she said.

Overall, the ministers agreed to cut total allowable catches for main species such as haddock, sole and cod by between 20 to 25% in 2010 from this year's volumes, and increased the number of hake catches by 15% as stock concerns ease.

"Although many reductions have been necessary, we have done our utmost to lessen the short-term burden for the fisheries sector," said EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Joe Borg.

The ministers also partially lifted a ban on anchovy fishing in the Bay of Biscay, requested by France and Spain, after a good indication of stock recovery following recent surveys.

"We have allowed for a fishery of 7,000 tonnes starting from January 2010, on understanding that this figure will move up or down depending on the outcome of scientific advice in spring," Mr Borg said.

Although many species remained overfished, a small but increasing number of stocks were now being fished at maximum sustainable yield levels, said Mr Borg, adding that overfishing was declining and could be phased out by 2015.

(BMcC/KMcA)