EU Fishing Council decision described as a 'body blow' to Irish Fishing Industry

The decision of the EU Fisheries Council in Brussels has been described as a “body blow” to the Irish fishing industry,

Ciaran Mullooly MEP warned that the outcome will devastate coastal communities and place thousands of jobs at risk.

Following a marathon Council meeting, Ireland has emerged with 57,000 tonnes less fishing quota for 2026, despite widespread recognition that the Irish fishing sector is already under severe pressure. This pressure has been compounded by ongoing overfishing by non-EU countries and the continued access of other EU fleets to Irish waters.

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Rather than securing concessions through the expected application of the Hague Preferences, Ireland has instead suffered further losses. The Hague Preferences were established in 1976 as an insurance mechanism to prevent disproportionate quota cuts for highly fishing-dependent nations such as Ireland. For the first time in almost fifty years of the Common Fisheries Policy, their application has been blocked by other Member States.

“This decision has failed the Irish fishing industry,” Mullooly said. “It means Irish boats will be tied up at the quayside while vessels from other countries continue to fish in our waters. That is simply unacceptable.”

Mullooly said it must be clearly stated that overfishing is not being caused by Ireland’s fishing industry, which has complied with some of the strictest conservation measures in the world. Instead, he said, the problem lies with non-EU countries that consistently overfish in Irish and European waters and show blatant disregard for EU conservation rules.

“Irish fishermen are being asked to shoulder the burden of conservation, while those efforts are completely undermined by countries outside the EU that ignore the rules. That is neither fair nor reasonable. Further job losses will be the result of this EU policy."

Mullooly said it is deeply ironic that Ireland, with some of the richest fishing waters in Europe, continues to be left with one of the weakest fishing sectors.

He argued that the EU must now take a tougher approach to third countries, proposing a simple and enforceable principle: if a country does not respect EU fishing and conservation rules, it should not be allowed to export overfished products into the European market.

“How can the EU defend a policy of conservation if it rewards those who ignore the rules?” Mullooly asked. “There should be no access to the European market for countries that overfish and undermine efforts to manage and protect fish stocks.”

Mullooly confirmed that he will raise the issue directly in Strasbourg, calling for urgent action to defend Ireland’s fishing communities, restore fairness within the Common Fisheries Policy, and ensure that conservation efforts are not just shouldered by the Irish fishing industry.