The Irish Fishing sector needs ‘right to weigh’ to be reimplemented as soons as possible according to the CEO of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association, Brendan Byrne.
In April of this year, the EU Commission revoked Ireland’s ‘Control Plan’ that allowed fish to be weighed in factories as it “did not take appropriate measures” to address noncompliance including “manipulation of weighing systems”.
It was expected the Control plan would be back in place by the first week of December, however, Brendan Byrne says that is now unlikely to occur and it could be upwards of three months before the rules change.
He says over 75% of fish are caught in the first quarter of the year meaning new the without the plan, fishermen in the likes of Killybegs are going to be significantly impacted.
