Minister under fire for ‘snub’ on fishing talks
PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/9/2011: Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill watches the eels being sorted at Lough Neagh Eel Fishermen's Co-operative Society with Father Oliver Kennedy, Chairman of the Co-op, during her visit to Toomebridge today. The visit marks the award of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) to Lough Neagh Eels. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON
THE Conservative Party has attacked the Sinn Fein Agriculture Minister for failing to show up at a meeting with Portavogie fishermen and the UK fisheries minister.
Conservative MP Richard Benyon, the fisheries’ minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), met local fishing industry representatives at Portavogie on Tuesday. But his party slammed Stormont Fisheries Minister Michelle O’Neill and her officials for not attending.
Paul Leeman, fisheries spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Conservatives, last night accused the Sinn Fein minister of being “far more preoccupied with her own political agenda”.
He said: “What fishermen keep telling us is that they have to turn to the Government at Westminster to address their concerns, because DARD, under the Sinn Fein minister, is working to a different agenda.
“A recurring theme of the meeting yesterday was the difficulties which have been caused by the EU’s cod recovery plan.”
He said there was a particular problem with fishermen having to fit special gear to avoid catching white fish, in order to meet EU regulations.
However this makes their vessels unsuitable for the Northern Ireland fleet and ineffective as prawn boats.
“DEFRA, in conjunction with other devolved administrations in the UK, is working to find a solution to this,” he said.
“Meanwhile the minister in Northern Ireland has capitulated to this EU diktat and agreed to meet its demands, without establishing a viable alternative”.
By shunning the Portavogie meeting she also missed out on an opportunity to discuss Marine Conservation Zones, which DEFRA is charged with implementing but which will significantly affect Northern Ireland fishermen, he added.
A spokeswoman for Ms O’Neill said that Mr Benyon visited Northern Ireland at the invitation of Northern Ireland Office minister Hugo Swire.
“Minister O’Neill was informed of the visit on January 31 but due to prior diary commitments was unavailable to meet with Mr Benyon and fishing industry on the February 6 and 7. However, the minister did have a meeting with Messrs Benyon and Swire on the evening of the February 6 during which the ministers had a helpful exchange of views on a range of fisheries related issues.”
Subjects discussed included Common Fisheries Policy reform, marine conservation zone planning and the scientific benchmark assessment of Irish Sea Herring.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
