The fishing industry is concerned that additional EU regulatory measures due to come into force next year are not practical and will make fish more expensive for consumers.
Fish producer organisations representing 3,700 fishing vessels from EU members states are attending the AGM of the European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) in Killybegs this week.
EAPO President Esben Sverdrup-Jensen said it is a fine balance between an efficient, transparent regime and a burdensome system where competitiveness is lost to competitors in non-EU countries.
"I think that balance is on a knife-edge. We are looking at the possible introduction of a very cumbersome sampling system that will cost the processing money.
"It will make fish more expensive for consumers, and it might just force us to land in countries outside of the EU," he said.
Those sentiments were echoed by Emiel Brouckaert, EAPO Secretary General and chief executive of Rederscentrale, a Belgian fishing industry organisation.
"At this point, there are so many challenges, it's difficult to find an optimistic skipper or an optimistic owner of a vessel in many countries," he said.
The monitoring of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone is the responsibility of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service.
In a statement, the SFPA said it is satisfied that additional measures, "as currently proposed, that are due to come into force in 2026 and 2027 are workable".
They said the measures around the weighing of fish are already implemented in Ireland through Ireland’s Control Plan.
They added the proposed measures mean all other EU member states, will have to comply in future with provisions like those currently set out under Ireland’s Control Plan.
CEO of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, Dominic Rihan said the industry agrees with the SFPA on the need for a control plan, but it "disagrees on the new proposals from the European Commission being workable".
"The levels of sampling, scrutiny and weighing is almost doubling without a guarantee that it will achieve the objectives set out.
"Our members want to fish responsibly and keep business here in Ireland, but they need workable rules that reflect the realities of fishing," he said.
CEO of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation, Aodh O’Donnell said the issue around weighing procedures, particularly in Ireland are disincentivising the landing of fish to the port of Killybegs.
"Our ports should be magnets for landings, but the rules have had the opposite effect.
"Reform at EU level is urgently needed to restore confidence, competitiveness, and jobs in coastal communities."
A lack of fish is impacting business in the harbour town.
Managing Director of Killybegs Catch Limited, John Shine, says his family-run business has turned down new markets because of a shortage of fish.
Shine's Seafood offers Irish caught albacore tuna, winter mackerel and sardines.
"We have outgrown our supply and that’s causing a problem for us," Mr Shine said.
"We did have opportunities to expand into the American market. They were really looking for Irish fish, but we had to walk away.
"We couldn’t secure a guaranteed supply of fish and that’s a problem going forward".
A short distance from Shine’s Seafood, Sean Ward Fish Exports, one of the main processing factories in the town has been closed for several months.
Kenny Ward said the factory employs up to 90 workers during full production.
"We should be a hive of activity," he said.
"We’re in an empty factory, like many other factories in Killybegs.
"We haven’t had fish here since March. We want to be producing and providing employment in the local economy.
"The issue is twofold: a lack of quota and a lack of standardised equitable regulation across all of the European Union and the north Atlantic states".
Meanwhile, the three-day EAPO meeting at the KFO office in Killybegs comes ahead of 2026 quota negotiations in December.
Mr Rihan said there was "a real sense a nervousness" ahead of the negotiations.
"We don’t know the final numbers. Everyone in Killybegs is nervous and fearful of the cuts that may happen".
