Franz Fischler
Exploring options on fish
Fisheries
Complete ban proposed
The EU Agriculture and Fisheries Commissioner, Franz Fischler, has said he is exploring alternatives to a moratorium on cod fishing.
Mr Fischler was speaking following meetings with ministers and interest groups in Dublin this afternoon.
Commissioner Fischler's comments came as the EU's scientific committee backed calls for a virtual shutdown of cod and cod-related fishing grounds amid concerns over white fish stocks in Europe.
Mr Fischler said he knew what this would mean for fishermen. The Commissioner added that he was therefore exploring other options where fishing for cod could continue on a very limited level, provided that ministers agreed on an improved recovery plan for cod in December.
The plan, he said, would include drastic cuts in quotas, but not a moratorium.
The hardship involved, he said, would be necessary to avoid the kind of trauma to fishermen which was experienced in North East Canada ten years ago, when cod disappeared.
Earlier today Mr Fischler said he was not in favour of unrestricted access of foreign trawlers in Irish waters.
In a major statement on the future of Irish fishing, Mr Fischler attempted to allay fishermen's fears about the entry of foreign boats into the Irish Box - an 80km exclusion zone off the Irish coast.
However, he did hint that some increase in access by foreign boats would be allowed.
