Noel Dempsey, Ireland's Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and John Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources have "rejected outright" the accusations levelled against them by Sean O’Donoghue of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation.

Mr O'Donoghue has complained bitterly over the delay in issuing mackerel licences, an issue he says has the potential to cause considerable economic damage to Ireland's pelagic sector. And he has urged Ireland's Prime Minister to intervene.

But both Ministers have made it clear that they are working to resolve an over-quota issue as quickly as possible.

Following a series of police raids on Scottish fish factories in late 2005 more than 40,000 tonnes of mackerel, conservatively worth at least €48 million, was reported by the UK authorities to have been landed illegally by some of the largest Irish pelagic fishing trawlers over a period of five years.

Minister Dempsey said he was very surprised and disappointed at the "outburst" by Sean O’Donoghue of the Kìllybegs Fishermen’s Organisation.

"This is an outrageous attack against Minister Browne and me."

It was particularly regrettable, he added, that he should make such a statement when Minister Browne is engaged in very delicate negotiations with the EU Commission on the deduction of this year’s mackerel quota. Minister Browne was in Brussels this week attempting to resolve the difficulties which arose as a direct result of the reported illegal mackerel landings in Scotland by large Irish pelagic vessels over the period 2001-2005.

"Minister Browne is working to protect the interests of the vast majority of Irish fishermen who are law abiding.”

Dempsey added: “Mr. O’Donoghue is aware that the reason for the delay is because we are trying to resolve the outstanding issues with the EU Commission to minimise the impact on the pelagic fleet.”

Minister of State Browne added: “The reported actions by some fishermen have created a very difficult situation and I am attempting to negotiate an arrangement to ensure the survival of the pelagic processors and those vessels which were not involved in the reported illegal activities. I am at a critical point in these negotiations with the European Commission, negotiations which the Commission is hoping to have concluded by next Tuesday.”

The Ministers also said they regretted that Mr. O’Donoghue has chosen this particularly sensitive time for the Irish fishing industry to make this series of unfounded accusations.

Three quarters of the total large Irish pelagic fleet of twenty three were reported by the UK authorities to have been involved in these illegal landings. A small number of very large trawlers were alone reported to be responsible for in excess of 25,000 tonnes of the illegally landed mackerel, worth over €30 million. The European Commission has declared very clearly that under EU law Ireland must make quota deductions in respect of the reported illegal activities of these fishermen.

In 2006 the commission required that a first instalment of in excess of 6,000 of tonnes of mackerel to be repaid by deducting it from that year’s Irish mackerel quotas. Ministers Dempsey and Browne in implementing that quota reduction pursued a policy that the people reported as involved in the illegal fishing activity should, to the maximum extent, be the ones to bear the responsibility of their reported illegal activity. The Ministers have sought that where possible the repayments do not fall upon those reported as not being involved in the illegal activity.

The current round of negotiations with the commission is now dealing with the outstanding balance of 34,000 tonnes of mackerel, worth more than €40 million which was reported as illegally landed in Scotland by Irish trawlers over 2001-2004. The Commission is demanding that quota reductions be imposed on Ireland in respect of these illegal landings. Ministers Dempsey and Browne have sought mitigation of the quotas reductions and both Ministers have met with Commission Borg on this matter.

In Brussels Minister Browne was impressing on the Commissioner that the deduction of this quota in any one year or indeed over a couple of years would devastate the entire Irish pelagic catching and processing industry. Minister Browne has pressed the case with Commissioner Borg to make some reduction on the level of quota deductions and to spread these over a reasonable number of years in order to ensure that the entire Irish pelagic industry is not destroyed by the actions of those vessel owners who the UK authorities reported as engaged in the illegal landings under investigation.

Similarly the minister is according to his department seeking to ensure that the repayments determined by the Commission are to the maximum possible extent levied on the vessel owners who were involved in the reported illegal activity so that those not involved and the Irish processing industry can survive the damage inflicted.

Minister Browne has also announced that he is opening the spring mackerel fishery for smaller vessels, under 65ft, from this weekend. The mackerel fishery for the rest of the multipurpose vessels will be opening the following week as was agreed between the Department and the industry. Fisheries for Herring and Horse Mackerel are also open and currently underway.

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