North West Correspondent
There has been a guarded welcome to a Seafood Sector Taskforce set up by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, in the wake of Brexit to make recommendations on measures to mitigate the impacts of fish quota cuts on the Irish fishing industry and on coastal communities.
Speaking in Greencastle, Co Donegal, Minister McConalogue said that the quota reductions which begin this year for some key stocks, most notably mackerel and prawns, will result in a loss to Ireland of stocks worth €43 million per annum by 2026 or a 15% reduction overall in Irish fish quotas. The effects are immediate, with 60% of those reductions to take effect from April .