Representatives of the fishing sector have said the loss of one third of Ireland's national fish quota in 2026 means they are facing their toughest year ever
The Government is establishing a taskforce aimed at supporting those affected.
Minister of State for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Timmy Dooley is to meet representatives of the sector in Killybegs in Co Donegal later today.
Seafood Ireland Alliance, a coalition of leading fishing and processing organisations, says 2,300 jobs are at risk.
The impact of scientific advice and resulting reductions in quota, combined with the blocking of the Hague Preferences, resulted in the stark situation.
Mr Dooley said former Irish Farmers' Association CEO Michael Berkey will chair a taskforce that will help to establish "a framework of supports" for the seafood sector and coastal communities in the new year.
The minister said he recognises the importance of maintaining a vibrant fishing sector, both for the communities that rely on them and the wider economy.
He said some fish stocks, important from an Irish perspective, were at a very low level and the scientific advice at the December Fisheries Council from the International Council of the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) was to reduce the allowable catch for fishermen across Europe.
Minister for the Marine Martin Heydon recently told the Dáil that the scientific advice upon which the council's decisions were based, reflects the impact of overfishing of the mackerel stock by certain third countries.
Overfishing of mackerel a 'particular source of anger'
Mr Dooley has acknowledged that coastal communities are feeling dismay at the outcome of the negotiations in Brussels earlier this month, but said that a "particular source of anger is the overfishing of mackerel by Norway, Faroes, and Iceland".
The EU has provisionally reduced the total allowable catch for mackerel, Ireland's most valuable catch by 70% next year.
The Irish Fish Producers Organisation has said Ireland's mackerel quota was worth €94m in exports to top markets in Europe and Asia in 2025 and that a 70% quota cut could cut this value by €66m in 2026.
Mr Dooley said given that Ireland holds the largest share of EU quota for mackerel in the western waters area, "the devastating impact of the decline in this stock will be acutely felt by both the catching and processing sectors".
He said that he has consistently called for action against those countries who overfish mackerel.
"We need to see a concerted EU response which must include the triggering of the unsustainable fishing regulation," said Mr Dooley.
"This is something I have sought for some time and will continue to pursue."
The triggering of the regulation has the capacity to impose restrictions on imports of fish and fishery products from third countries found to be engaged in unsustainable fishing.
Commission deeply concerned at four-state agreement
Fresh tensions have arisen as Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and the UK signed a four-state agreement on mackerel catch limits on 15 December, well in excess of recommended scientific advice.
Two days after the December Fisheries Council concluded in Brussels, the four coastal states set a total allowable catch 72% higher than recommended level, without consulting the European Union.
In a statement, the European Commission it was deeply concerned about the arrangement at a time when the mackerel stock in the North-East Atlantic is already in "an unsustainable state due to longstanding overfishing".
It said the four-state arrangement also undermines the legitimate interests of the European Union's fishing industry.
The commission urged all parties to reconsider their decision. It plans to assess the compliance of the four-state agreement under international law, including with the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Minister’s visit welcome in a 'moment of real crisis'
Killybegs in south west Donegal is Ireland’s largest seafood port, with the highest volume and value of seafood landed annually.
Irish Fish Producers Organisation CEO Aodh O’Donnell said that members genuinely welcome Mr Dooley’s visit and engagement at a moment of real crisis.
"Minister Dooley has shown a willingness to listen and to work with the sector," he said.
"However, the industry is now facing an existential threat".
Mr O’Donnell said Killybegs will lose almost half of its fishing opportunities in 2026, representing a devastating blow for the north-west and for coastal communities that depend on the industry.
He said members feel angry and betrayed by "repeated policy failures at EU level".
A difficult December Fisheries Council was further compounded by four member state - France, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland - which prevented Minister Dooley from invoking the Hague Preferences, a long-standing safeguard for Ireland.
The Hague Preferences were introduced in 1976 to counter the impact of access to Irish waters provided to vessels of other EU nations and to account for Ireland’s underdeveloped fleet.
Mr O’Donnell said the mechanism was designed to protect Ireland "in times of crisis like this".
"Ireland accepted major concessions on EU accession, including access to our waters, based on this protection [Hague Preferences]," he said.
"That long-standing commitment has now been set aside. Fishing communities see this as a deep injustice and a dangerous precedent".
Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation Chief Executive Dominic Rihan said next year will be the toughest ever faced by the industry.
"Next year is undoubtedly going to be the toughest ever faced by our industry, following from the disastrous outcome from the December Fisheries Council," he said.
Mr Rihan said Mr Dooley’s visit to Killybegs is timely and shows a continued commitment to the industry as the meeting provides an opportunity for the organisation’s members to voice their concerns.
He said some of the challenges ahead next year include: a lack of quota, persistent overfishing of mackerel by countries and implementation of new legislation.
"At national level, we have an increasingly inflexible and ineffective management system which, hinders rather than helps fishermen," said Mr Rihan.
"At a time when we need adaptive and agile management policies to ensure we can maximise the quotas available, instead we have a rigid system that is outdated and impractical."
Call for clear focus on support
Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Organisation CEO Brendan Byrne said all within the industry realise next year will bring unprecedented challenges.
"We all realise within the Irish fishing and processing sectors that the first day to dawn of 2026, will bring our greatest challenges, with unprecedented upheaval and highest level of cutbacks in the history of Irish fishing," he said.
Mr Byrne has called for the Government to prioritise the fishing industry next year, adding that support and sectoral reform is "paramount to survival".
Read more: EU fishing quotas cause concern among coastal communities
"The need for fishing to become front and centre of government priorities for 2026; with clear focus on support with real and meaningful reform of the sector is paramount to survival."
He said efforts to get the fishing sector back on a sure footing must start "at home" and has called for a restructuring and renewal of the Department of Marine, the Seafood Fisheries Protection Agency and Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
Earlier this week, Minister Dooley visited Castletownbere in Cork, ahead of his engagement with stakeholders in Killybegs.
Mr Dooley highlighted the resilience of coastal communities and said that a whole-of-government approach was required to support them through this challenge.
The minister has committed to developing a framework of supports for the seafood sector with colleagues, including the establishment of a taskforce under the auspices of the Food Vision 2030.
"My key priority for the Food Vision Seafood Group will be to ensure that a platform of economic, environmental, and social sustainability supports are available to the fisheries and seafood processing sectors and their coastal communities," he said.
Chaired Mr Berkey, the group will comprise representatives from fishing, aquaculture and seafood processing organisations, along with relevant Government departments and agencies.
"The Programme for Government commits to securing a sustainable future for the fisheries sector, while supporting coastal communities that rely on this activity for their livelihood", Minister Dooley said.
"We will work together across Government to deliver on this commitment."
