IFSA Challenges EU’s Assertions on Common Fisheries Policy

EU Fisheries Commission Faces Backlash Over Claims on Ireland’s Fishing Industry

A recent EU Commission ‘fact sheet’ has sparked outrage in Ireland’s fishing community by claiming that the country is better off under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

The document, published on 06 June under the heading ‘Ireland Representation’, suggests that the CFP has led to increased productivity, boosted seafood value, and secured a future for the Irish fishing industry.

Cormac Burke, from the Irish Fishing & Seafood Alliance, strongly refuted these claims, stating, “I challenge the EU Fisheries Commission to find a single person in Ireland who will agree with their claim that ‘it is a myth that the Irish fishing industry is worse off now, under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, than it previously was.’”

Burke criticised the fact sheet as propaganda, arguing that it attempts to mislead the public into believing that Ireland’s fishing industry was underdeveloped before EU control and has since thrived. He described the article’s assertion that the CFP supports Irish fishermen, communities, the environment, and fish consumers as outrageous, especially when many in Ireland refer to the policy as the ‘Corrupt Fisheries Policy’ due to its perceived unfair quota allocations.

Despite Ireland owning over 15% of the EU’s waters, the EU Commission only allocates around 3.5% of the EU quota in Irish waters to Irish fishing vessels. This discrepancy has led to multiple EU-funded fleet reduction schemes in Ireland, while other EU member states have increased their vessel numbers to exploit the abundant quotas in Irish waters.

Burke highlighted the case of Belgium, which has recently built additional beam trawler vessels to harvest the 80% sole quota they hold in southeast Irish waters, compared to Ireland’s 4% quota in the same area. Additionally, Irish waters are being used as bargaining chips in negotiations with non-EU countries, allowing them to fish extensively in Irish waters in exchange for quotas benefiting other EU nations, but not Ireland.

The Irish pelagic fleet remains inactive for nine months of the year, severely impacting the pelagic processing industry and coastal communities dependent on it for employment. Burke also noted that the EU Commission’s article misleadingly cites the 2023 BIM report valuing Irish seafood at €552 million, which includes figures from the aquaculture sector to mask the decline in the catching and processing sectors.

Burke called for transparency, suggesting that the author of the EU Commission article, presumed to be Irish based on their use of “our own waters,” should be identified and held accountable for spreading what he terms blatant pro-EU CFP propaganda.

Fact Sheet Overview:

Ireland lost control of its fisheries when it joined the EU:

The fact sheet argues that it is a misconception that Ireland lost control of its fisheries upon joining the EU in 1973. It claims that Ireland’s fishing industry developed significantly within the EU, with exports of fish and fishery products growing from £2.7 million in 1970 to €552 million by 2023.

Increased Patrols and Sustainable Fishing:

The EU’s support in extending Ireland’s Marine Exclusive Economic Sone (EES) from 12 to 200 miles in 1976 and funding for four new fisheries protection vessels are highlighted as measures that helped Ireland manage its waters. The fact sheet emphasises the importance of sustainable fishing for the survival of fish stocks and fishing communities, claiming that the CFP promotes economic health and environmental protection.

Despite these assertions, the backlash from the Irish fishing community underscores the deep dissatisfaction and perceived inequities within the EU’s management of fishing quotas and policies.