A detective superintendent from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Harcourt St in Dublin has been appointed to head up an investigation team to examine serious allegations of illegal activity by fishermen in Killybegs Co Donegal.
Meanwhile the man who has made serious allegations of fraud and other irregularities by fishing vessels operating out of Killybegs says he stands over all of his claims.
Pat Cannon told RTÉ news that he was standing up for himself and all of the small fishermen in Ireland who are being neglected.
He said that his action in reporting his allegations to Irish and European authorities was not motivated by a vendetta.
Mr Cannon said that if things go on the way they are then there will be no fish left in Ireland in a few years.
Dempsey pledges to investigate claims
Reacting to the allegations, the Minister for the Marine, Noel Dempsey, has said if any wrongdoing has occurred in the fishing industry it will be exposed and action will be taken to prevent it happening again.
Mr Cannon also alleges that there has been collusion by officials of the Department of the Marine.
The Minister said that his Department had not received any documentary evidence to support the claims, but that they would be investigated.
The Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation says it has no knowledge of any illegal activity but that it will co-operate in any investigation.
The claims were made in letters sent to fisheries ministers in a number of European countries, and to the EU Fisheries Commissioner and the European Court of Justice.
A spokesman for the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Franz Fischler, told RTÉ News that the EC was aware of the claims, but was not investigating them at present.
He said enforcement of fisheries regulations was a matter in the first instance for the Irish authorities and the Commission would await further information from the Irish Government.
He also pointed out that the Commission had in the past taken action against the French government for non-enforcement.
