The map below of various European nation’s EEZ zones has been doing the rounds on social media recently but it is seriously alarming when you look closer and realise the minute size of, for example, the Netherlands’ EEZ compared to Ireland - and yet the Netherlands are not only continuously making quota benefits through deals for non EU nations to catch blue whiting in Irish waters and the Netherlands are also widely known to be in control of the EU’s pelagic policy.
Meanwhile Belgium, with an even smaller EEZ than the Dutch and a mere tiny fraction of Ireland’s EEZ, holds an 80% share of the sole quota in Areas VIIg and VIIf while Ireland’s quota share is 4%…
While BREXIT has been used as an excuse for the lack of quota problems that Ireland is suffering at this time, the fact is that the massive imbalances in EU share out of quotas has been going on long before Brexit happened and Ireland’s government must address this issue and reduce the level of plundering by foreign fleets of Irish fish stocks while watching Irish fishermen go out of business!