LOCAL MEP TO PUSH CASE ON FISHING QUOTAS

Date Published: 03-Dec-2008

Local MEP Sean O'Neachtain of Spiddal is attending a crisis meeting on the future of the Irish Fisheries industry taking place in Brussels today.Sean O Neachtain and fellow MEPS Brian Crowley, and Liam Aylward along with representatives from the Irish Fishing Industry are meeting EU Fisheries Commissioner Jo Borg They'll be telling Commissioner Borg Irish fishermen face the prospect of going out of business unless the EU revisits what the sector claims are savage and disproportionate reductions in 2009 quotas. They claim unless a ban on fishing for cod, haddock and whiting in 2009 is overturned at an EU summit of fisheries ministers later in the month, the proposals will wipe out a large proportion of the sector.Fianna Fail MEP Sean O' Neachtain says the livelihoods of fishermen must be protected.