Prawn quota 'could sink fleets'

A decision on plans to cut the prawn quota is due in December

A proposed 30% cut in the prawn quota for Northern Ireland's fishing fleets could have dire consequences, an industry spokesman has warned.

The European Commission has suggested a 30% reduction in the total allowable catches of prawns for 2010.

Northern Ireland Fish Producers Association spokesman Dick James said: "There are 100 boats in my organisation catching nephrops in the Irish Sea.

"The mathematics are fairly simple - I'm going to lose 30 boats."

He added: "In County Down, we've also got the biggest concentration of prawn processing factories in the world.

"It'll probably mean that at least one of those will have to go as well."

Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew has "promised a tough stance" against proposals to cut prawn quotas in the Irish Sea".

Ms Gildernew said: "Whilst this proposal had been expected, it is still disappointing and I believe totally unjustified.

"Fisheries scientists here and in the South have strong evidence that the stock in the Irish Sea is stable and we will be presenting this evidence to the Commission to try to have this cut reversed."

On Tuesday, Conservative and Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson said the proposals "could lead to the further destruction of our fishing industry in Northern Ireland".

Sustainable

The European Commission announced last week that it was targeting a 25% cut in fish catches next year in all zones except the North Sea where measures have yet to be decided, as Europe's overexploited cod stocks were still at risk.

Compared with last year's quotas for the sea area covered by Northern Ireland fishing boats, the commission proposes a 25% reduction in cod, whiting and sole fishing, a 14% increase in plaice fishing and no change in the haddock quota.

The prawn quota is still under discussion.

A consultation period has begun on the plans, which will have to be approved by European fisheries ministers in December.

Earlier this year, Europe's fisheries chief called for sweeping policy reform after chronic overfishing for decades pushed 90% of stocks beyond sustainable levels.