Kelly commends Kilmore Quay Fish Protest

Cllr Anthony Kelly has commended the crew of the Saltees Quest for the stand they took today against the ludicrous EU regulations regarding the discarding of fish caught that exceed quotas.  The Sinn Féin Cllr has called on the government to use Irelands coming presidency of the EU to revisit the Common Fisheries Policy, bringing the date forward for the total ban of discarding dead fish and easing highly restrictive quotas on Irish fishermen.

Cllr Kelly said;

"The stand taken by the crew of the Saltees Quest should be a commended.  It's a pity that Kilmore Quay fishermen have once again had to put themselves in the firing line as they are left with no one to represent them."

"The recent changes to the Common Fisheries Policy allowing for the phased out and eventual total banning of the process of discarding dead fish back into the sea while welcomed, was too little, too late.  A total ban won't come in for another six years and the changes made failed to deal with the core issue of extremely restrictive quotas.  In fact our monkfish quota has actually  been reduced."

"EU regulations governing Irish fishing have brought the industry to its knees.  It has been estimated that the commercial value of Irelands fisheries between 1975 and 2010 was €210 billion.  Over this period Irelands share of this was €17 billion while our net loss was €184 billion." 

"Only the worst type of management would run such a profitable business into the ground and unfortunately the worst type of management we have had with an unbroken line of incompetent governments who have failed completely to represent the Irish fishing industry."

"Next year Ireland begins its presidency of the EU.  Our government must use this time to win a better deal for Irish fishing, beginning by bringing forward the date set for the total banning of the process of discarding, and crucially, deal with the core issue of highly restrictive quotas."