Mullooly: Invoke the Hague preferences now to save Donegal's coastal communities

Midlands-North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has called for the immediate invocation of the Hague Preferences to protect Donegal's fishing industry from what he warned is an “existential crisis for entire coastal communities.”

Speaking in the European Parliament in Brussels, Mullooly highlighted the alarming scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which recommends a 70% cut to mackerel and 41% cut to blue whiting in 2026.

“These are Ireland’s lifeblood species,” he said. “This crisis was not caused by Irish fishers. Ireland fishes within EU limits, yet some coastal states set unilateral quotas above scientific advice while still selling freely into the EU market. That is neither fair nor sustainable.”

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Mullooly said he is hearing directly from fishermen and women who now fear there is no future for their children in the sector, with many advising the next generation to walk away, breaking a multi-generational tradition that has defined coastal life for centuries.

“Ireland is an island nation with a proud fishing heritage going back hundreds of years, yet Irish fishers are now the minority stakeholder in our own waters,” he stressed.

He warned that in today’s competitive global market, the closure of fish factories would likely be irreversible. With over 17,000 people employed directly and indirectly in fishing and processing, the loss of these jobs would be catastrophic for coastal economies and “incredibly hard to replace.”

“The industry already suffered a hammer blow from Brexit,” Mullooly said. “To now face these industry-killer cuts while Norway and others continue to overfish is simply not right.”

He concluded by urging the EU to act: “Invoke the Hague Preferences now to protect Donegal, Cork and all coastal regions. Ireland needs fairness, sustainability and survival -before a cornerstone of our national identity is lost.”