Furious fishermen call for 'No' in Treaty
Wednesday August 26 2009
IRISH fishermen furious at having to struggle to survive financially while being forced to dump their catches at sea are planning to oppose the second EU Lisbon Treaty.
The Irish Fishermen's Organisation (IFO) staged a special meeting in Cork yesterday -- and are now going to lobby for a 'No' vote after accusing Brussels of undermining their livelihoods.
The IFO also lobbied for a 'No' vote in the original Lisbon Treaty ballot last year.
Yesterday, angry Cork and Kerry fishermen said they were being driven out of business by Brussels' fishery policies, claiming that they blatantly favoured non-EU imports and fleets of larger EU member states.
Struggling
IFO south-west chairman Ebbie Sheehan said nothing had changed in Brussels since 2008 when fishermen rejected the original Lisbon Treaty.
He said Irish operators were still struggling to survive financially with higher operating costs and a draconian fishing quota regime that forced fishermen to dump hard-won catches at sea.
Angry fishermen said yesterday that fish was being imported into the EU from non-EU member states.
The IFO move came as Cork Chamber of Commerce said that it would launch a major pro-Lisbon Treaty campaign under the direction of IBEC, with advertising and poster campaigns.
It said a 'Yes' vote was in the best interests of the country.
- Ralph Riegel
