Minister to meet EU Commissioner after Pringle pushes for Bluefin Quota

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Updated: 25th January 2016

Minister to Meet EU Commissioner after Pringle’s Push for Donegal Bluefin Proposal

In response to Deputy Pringle’s repeated call for a recreational Bluefin tuna fishery in Ireland, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has agreed to meet with the EU Fisheries Commissioner to discuss the proposal.

‘I welcome the fact the Minister will talk with the EU Commissioner on this proposal despite the fact that I’ve brought this proposal before the Dáil on a number of occasions over the past year’ says Pringle.

‘Recreational bluefin tuna fishing in Ireland could bring huge potential for Donegal in terms of job creation and boosting tourism in the region.’

‘Previously in the Dáil the answer was there’s no point in asking. My response to that was if we don’t go looking for something we’re never going to get it’ explains Pringle.

‘We’re only be asking for 3 tons out of a total of 22,000 tons of Bluefin quotas in the EU and therefore wouldn’t affect Bluefin numbers,’ continues Pringle.

‘I think what we are looking for is entirely reasonable’ explains Pringle. ‘We’re not looking for a major commercial fishery and nothing that will impact current fisheries. If we don’t start a conversation with the Commission we will never get anywhere.’

‘I want to see more conversations like this in the future and a fairer share of our natural resources, including our fish stock being fought for on the EU stage. Proposals like this one, drafted by the Irish Big Game Angling Society, are designed by local people who have creative ideas that could greatly benefit local job creation in rural counties like Donegal but this Government barely gives them the time of day,’ concludes Pringle.

ENDS

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