Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Basically this is something that we have identified and taken up the mantle on. I want to recognise the role of our fisheries attaché, Mr. Colm Ó Súilleabháin, who is at Brussels level and is working with my team here. He put this on the agenda and on the radar at European level. What happened in the past was there was a transfer of mackerel from western waters to Norwegian waters and because there was an agreement with Norway, Denmark traditionally had been fishing that quota in Norwegian waters. That has been going on for 20 to 30 years. The importance of that mackerel to the Danish is that quota is around 40% of their entire mackerel industry, so it is a massive piece for them. However, we have been making the case clearly that in the absence of a Norwegian agreement, the transfer does not take place from western waters to Norway and therefore, that should stay in European waters and we should be able to fish that instead. It has been a hot topic and I was accused by the Danish at the European Council meeting of trying a midnight heist for raising this and addressing it. No more than the way we fight for our mackerel and our fish, you can see the importance it holds for other member states. The Commission's legal position does back up the merits of the argument we are making. It is now very much part of the discussion and trying to ensure we have a successful an outcome as we can get on that. It is something we have identified and have gone after and we continue to try to achieve progress on.