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PRESS RELEASE
A National Scandal

FIF calls for the Immediate Re-Opening of Sea Bass fishery

FIF has described the ban on a commercial fishery for Sea Bass for Irish commercial fishing vessels only as a national scandal and is calling for the immediate re-opening of the fishery. It is a cause of intense frustration and anger for Irish fishermen particularly as other Member States eg UK and France fishing the same fishing grounds can catch and land sea bass into to Irish ports whereas the Irish vessels are legally required to discard it if they catch it. It is further exacerbated by the fact that Irish recreational fishermen are allowed to fish sea bass with a defined bag limit. Eibhlin OSullivan, Chair of the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) said: This is a self-inflicted National scandal that cannot this time be blamed on the EU. The impact of this unjustified ban is now coming home to roost with the Commission proposing to introduce in the form of non paper published in June an EU Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and individual Member States quotas for Sea Bass. She added: In the paper the Commission sets out that they intend to allocate the quota to member states based on individual member states track record for commercial landings between the years 2000 and 2010. From an Irish fishing industry perspective this is a disaster as due to a decision of the then government in the mid 90s Ireland has banned commercial fishing for Sea Bass and therefore will receive virtually no share of the TAC. This is totally unacceptable and at this late stage we are calling on the Minister Coveney to immediate re-open this fishery to Irish vessels" FIF has requested that this fishery be re-opened for a number of years now and in 2009 a proposal was submitted to the then Minister to allow for a fishery for Sea Bass 50km off the South East Coast of

Ireland which would not interfere with the recreational fishery and would allow further scientific data to be gathered which would in time allow for the fishery to be fully opened. However, due to pressure from Industry is now left to face the consequences that Ireland will receive no share of this TAC for species in Irish waters. A further difficulty with a TAC and quotas being placed on Sea Bass is that this species will now come under the proposal for a discard ban and how are Irish vessels supposed to adhere to the ban when they have no quota whatsoever allowing them to land these species.

Ends

29th November, 2012.

Contact Details: Eibhlin OSullivan, CHAIR, FIF and CEO, Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation Ltd. - 086 2360001 Francis ODonnell, CEO Irish Fish Producers Organisation - 087 9247344 Sean ODonoghue, CEO Killybegs Fishermens Organisation - 087 4196535