Pringle questions Government on new trilateral mackerel deal
- Updated: 25th June 2024
Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has questioned Government on a new trilateral mackerel deal, saying, “we cannot continue to allow other countries to overfish our waters.”
Addressing the Taoiseach in the Dáil today, Deputy Pringle said: “The Irish fishing industry has been decimated under the watch of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael since we joined the EU, and particularly over the last two decades, and things only continue to deteriorate.
“Last week a new trilateral mackerel deal was agreed between the UK, Norway and the Faroe Islands. These are countries that have a history of overfishing and we have previously seen them overfish by up to 44 per cent per annum.
“Industry associations have accused the three countries of artificially inflating their quotas through this trilateral deal, which gives them a massive share of the total allowable catch of mackerel, and have warned that this will lead to the overfishing of Irish stocks.
“The Irish seafood sector is heavily reliant on mackerel and blue whiting fisheries. We cannot continue to allow other countries to overfish our waters while Irish fishing communities suffer and people’s livelihoods are lost,” he said.
The deputy raised the issue during Questions on policy or legislation.
Deputy Pringle asked: “Will the government speak out against this deal or will you continue to allow unsustainable overfishing of our stocks by other countries?”
In his response, the Taoiseach, Simon Harris, said he will speak directly to the Minister for Agriculture on the agreement and ask the Minister to revert to Deputy Pringle.
