Fishing industry unease at talks with Iceland
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Iceland has begun informal talks with the EU that could see its fleet fishing in Irish waters, according to industry representatives.
Department of Agriculture officials are understood to have held discussions with other EU states about whether or not to give Iceland access to EU waters.
The understands an Icelandic delegation has already met EU officials to discuss reviving aspects of a 1992 trade deal.
It is also understood that talks began in February between various European and Iceland fishing bodies about reviving Iceland's participation in an agreement on a European Economic Area that was first signed in Oporto, Portugal, in 1992.
The Oporto deal with Iceland had been active before the country applied to join the EU in 2009 but was shelved along with Icelandic accession talks.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue informed the country's main fishing industry representatives about the informal talks in a virtual meeting late on Froday afternoon.
This was, the email invitation stated, to discuss “developments at EU level re the possibility of discussions between the EU and Iceland on fishing opportunities”.
The meeting request came just hours after the department — responding to questions submitted earlier this week about the talks with Iceland — declined to confirm or deny there were any such talks.
Various figures for what Iceland wants from an EU deal were mentioned at Friday's meeting but representatives were asked not to divulge any of the figures.
However, if a deal were to be signed with Iceland, it would give Iceland access to EU waters in general, and Ireland’s mackerel-rich waters in particular.
Large Icelandic fishing vessels are already fishing for mackerel right up to their own territorial water border with Ireland, just off Co Donegal’s Tory Island.
It is understood that Mr McConalogue is due to go to Europe in the coming weeks to tell the EU fisheries commissioner what is the view among Ireland's fishing industry of Iceland's approach.
South and South West Fish Producers Organisation CEO Patrick Murphy said a deal with Iceland could lead to overfishing and jeopardise Irish fish stocks.
Mr Murphy told the : "We were told that Iceland is just testing the waters and seeing what can and what can't be agreed.
"We told the minister that if Iceland is to get any rights of access to Irish waters, we need to be front and centre of any such discussions.
"My biggest fear is that a deal will end up being agreed on and Ireland will end up being the country that will benefit the least from any such deal.
"I am not being alarmist when I say this because there is a track record here of Ireland ending up as the sacrificial lamb so the bigger EU countries can get the deals they want."
Irish Fish Producers' Organisation CEO Aodh O'Donnell said: “Mackerel is one of our key species and is not found in any abundance in Icelandic waters.
“It has long been bountiful in our waters and spawns on our coasts but is now coming under threat.
“Ireland plays a key part in a European responsible sustainable approach to this economically important species to our communities.
“ We cannot be forced by Europe to roll over and passively accept another colonisation of our precious marine space.”