Fisheries Bodies to meet Minister
Mr Ahern was reacting to a number of changes agreed at a meeting of EU fisheries ministers last month. The Minister was meeting with representatives of the Irish fishing industry to discuss the new regulations.
Assurances from Spanish fishermen this week that they would not increase the number of vessels in the 50-mile radius around Ireland known as the Irish box have done little to ease the concerns of fishermen.
At present a maximum of 40 Spanish vessels can enter the box at any one time. However the EU claims this agreement is now defunct. However Irish fishermen want the Navy to implement the law as they understand it and arrest any vessel over that limit.
But the Minister for the Marine, Dermot Ahern, said that certain legal uncertainties have now arisen because the Council of Fisheries Ministers has a different interpretation of the regulations. He said he would be raising the matter with the Fisheries Commissioner this month.
The Minister also discussed a new limit set to be imposed on fishermen in Donegal, which would restrict them to nine days' fishing per month in certain waters around Ireland and Scotland. The Minister said that while he would work to improve this new regulation it would be difficult to re-negotiate.
