Image – L-R Alan O’Neill, Brendan Byrne, IFPEA, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Aodh O’Donnell IFPO, Patrick Murphy, IS&WFPO
Ireland South MEP, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP has issued a stark warning on the threats that the Irish fishing industry faces.
Ireland’s fishing sector supports up to 17,000 jobs in coastal communities around Ireland, both directly and indirectly.
Ní Mhurchú pointed out that foreign fishing fleets continue to catch around 85% of the fish in Irish waters, leaving Irish coastal communities shouldering the consequences of shrinking quotas.
Speaking after a meeting in Brussels with representatives from Ireland’s fishing industry, Ní Mhurchú revealed that several EU member states are actively pushing to weaken or abolish the Hague Preference, the long-standing mechanism that ensures Ireland receives additional quota when certain fish stocks are depleted due to overfishing.
She described the moves in Brussels as “an existential threat to the future of Irish fishing.”
“We cannot and will not allow the Hague Preference to be altered in any way,” Ní Mhurchú said. “It is the last remaining lifeline for Irish fishers. It protects coastal jobs, stabilises local economies, and ensures our industry gets a fair share of the fish in our own waters. Any attempt to dilute it would be devastating — not just for fishers, but for the rural towns and coastal communities whose livelihoods depend on them.”
Ní Mhurchú confirmed that she will work with Minister Timmy Dooley to “fight tooth and nail” in Brussels to block any move that undermines Ireland’s position.
“In 2004, we had around 400 boats fishing in Ireland. By 2025, this had fallen to around 140 boats. Ireland has already lost too much. We cannot afford another hit. I will use every lever available at EU level to defend our quotas, our coastal communities, and the future of our fishing industry.”
ENDS
