Minister of State for Fisheries Timmy Dooley has said the result of an EU fishing quota deal for next year will pose a “very real challenge” for fishermen, as fishing organisations warn the agreement could affect 2,300 jobs in coastal areas.
EU member states finalised an agreement in Brussels on fishing opportunities for 2026 in the early hours of this morning, following the December meeting of the Agri-Fish Council, reports RTE.
Fishing organisations said the outcome for next year would be “catastrophic” for Ireland’s fishing sector.
The Seafood Ireland Alliance, which represents major fishing and processing interests, said the industry will have around 57,000 tonnes less quota available to fish next year, reports RTE.
The alliance said it is facing a quota cut valued at €94m, with potential losses rising to €200m once processing, logistics and export impacts are included, which could affect 2,300 jobs in coastal communities.
Speaking this afternoon, Mr Dooley said several fish stocks that are significant for Ireland were at very low levels and that scientific advice to the European Commission recommended reducing allowable catches for fishermen across Europe, reports RTE.
Mr Dooley said the reduction in stocks would have a major impact on jobs, lives and livelihoods.
He said many small enterprises in coastal communities rely on fishing boats going to sea in order to provide services, reports RTE.
He said he will shortly bring a memo to Cabinet outlining plans to appoint an independent chairperson to lead a programme of financial supports for affected communities to help them through the challenging period ahead.
Speaking earlier, Mr Dooley said the scientific advice underpinning the decisions reflects the effects of overfishing of the mackerel stock by certain third countries, reports RTE.
“They advised 70% drop in the total allowable catch for mackerel is compounded by a 41% reduction in blue whiting and a 22% reduction in boarfish, reports RTE.
“Ireland has consistently called for action against those countries who overfish mackerel.
“Given that Ireland holds the largest share of EU quota for mackerel in the western waters area, the devastating impact of the decline in this stock will be acutely felt,” Mr Dooley said, reports RTE.
Mr Dooley said the Government has urged the EU to send a clear signal that actions threatening the sustainability of shared stocks are unacceptable.
Mr Dooley expressed his “extreme disappointment” with a group of member states that chose to block the implementation of the Hague preferences for next year, reports RTE.
The Hague preference is a long-established element of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy that allows Ireland a larger share of certain stocks when total allowable catches fall below a defined threshold.
It is designed to protect the Irish fishing industry and was introduced in 1976 to reflect Ireland’s underdeveloped fleet and to offset the impact of access to Irish waters granted to vessels from other EU countries, reports RTE.
Mr Dooley said: “Regrettably, a group of member states chose to block the invocation of The Hagues this year,” reports RTE.
The Seafood Ireland Alliance said the deal amounted to “a betrayal of Ireland’s fishing industry”.
The alliance accused member states and the European Commission of going back on commitments in the Common Fisheries Policy intended to safeguard Ireland’s dependence on fishing, reports RTE.
Aodh O’Donnell of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation said blocking the Hague preferences was “symptomatic of a fundamentally unfair system,” where larger member states “can dictate what happens to the Irish fishing industry”.
Mr O’Donnell said Ireland entered the negotiations with a strong, united position but was “met with a slap in the face,” reports RTE.
“This failure delivers a €94m hit and threatens the survival of many Irish vessels and seafood businesses,” said Mr O’Donnell.
“The consequences will be catastrophic,” he said, reports RTE.
“Despite the best efforts of Minister Dooley and the Government, the Member States failed to honour the protection mechanism created to support Ireland and failed on the very foundation the European Union was built on.”
Mr O’Donnell said the refusal raises serious questions about future cooperation with other European fishing industries, reports RTE.
“If this protection cannot be honoured, why should Ireland continue to offer generous access to our rich fishing waters?” he asked.
The Seafood Ireland Alliance said more than 2,300 jobs in coastal communities are now at risk as a result of the quota reductions, reports RTE.
Brendan Byrne of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters (IFPEA) said processing facilities face a serious threat.
“They cannot survive without supply. Less quota means less fish and less work. Many plants may not survive this blow without raw material,” reports RTE.
John Lynch of the Irish South and East Fish Producers Organisations said Ireland’s unified stance was disregarded.
“All sectors of our fishing industry backed one position. That unity deserved respect, yet Ireland was dismissed, reports RTE.
“We now have a situation when our fleet of fishing vessels are left with 28 tonnes of sole to catch in 2026 on the south coast of Ireland, when Belgium has 450 tonnes,” Mr Lynch said.
Mr Lynch said a longstanding agreement based on access to Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone had been broken, reports RTE.
“This is a sad day for the Irish fishing industry, a very sad day for Ireland and a disaster for the dysfunctional fisheries council process.”
Patrick Murphy of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation said the Irish industry “was paying for others’ reckless behaviour,” reports RTE.
“Non-EU states ignored science and inflated their catches. They created this crisis. Ireland fished responsibly, yet we now carry what are proportionately the heaviest losses,” he said.
Mr Dooley said the Government plans to set up a working group to develop a support framework for the sector to tackle “the substantial challenges in the time ahead,” reports RTE.
The political agreement reached over recent days at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council sets catch limits for the most commercially important fish stocks.
It covers the Atlantic, the North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and other waters for 2026, and for certain stocks for 2027 and 2028, reports RTE.
The stocks included are those managed by the EU either independently, jointly with neighbouring non-EU countries, or through agreements with international organisations responsible for conserving specific species.
The European Commission said the agreement aligns with the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy, reports RTE.
It said the deal takes into account the best available scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries.
The Commission said that as consultations on mackerel among northeast Atlantic coastal states are still ongoing, ministers agreed provisional catch limits for the first six months of 2026, reports RTE.
The provisional catch limit follows ICES advice of a 70% reduction, pending agreement on a total allowable catch.
Due to the seasonal nature of the mackerel fishery, EU ministers set provisional catch limits at 90% of the advised level, reports RTE.
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