Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has called on Fisheries Minister to “delay bringing forward legislation – the Sea Fisheries Amendment Bill 2017 until the Minister has consulted with the fishing industry – North and South.
He was speaking after participating in a cross-party Oireachtas delegation which today met the Minister Michael Creed about the recent arrests of fishing vessels from the North and the serious concerns around proposed new fishing laws.
He said “The recent arrest of the two Northern fishing vessels has highlighted serious issues with current laws, which must be corrected. But there are also widespread concerns within the fishing industry in Donegal and across the 26 Counties which must be addressed.
“It is remarkable that for two years, the government have parked this controversial legislation and for all of those two years, they have failed to consult with the fishing organisations around the coast to address those concerns.
“And now they propose to rush through this legislation at the height of a Brexit crisis and with the British Government about to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention!
“This is all wrong and the Minister should agree to the deferral of this legislation until he has consulted with all of the fishing industry representative organisations and attempted to address their real concerns”