Pádraig MacLachlan

Yes, the answer is yes.

I mean, common fisheries policy has been disastrous for

Our country in terms of, you know, we have this huge resource, the sea around us.

We're an island nation and we're trapped in 1970s, 1980s European policy.

So those who had a track record continue to get the fish.

And that means the injustice is locked in.

You know, you can't change the injustice.

We really, as a people, but our governments have allowed this passively for a long, long time.

But it gets even worse because you have a common fisheries policy that rewards the industrialisation of fishing.

So you have...

A handful of corporations, massive corporations based in Holland that are given a very large proportion of the fish.

They have super trawlers that go up and down the coast of Ireland, perfectly legally hoovering up fish of all species with no monitoring by our authorities.

It's a national scandal and I'm pleased that Stefan is shining a light on it.

It's shameful for our country that we have such a huge resource on our seas and it is given away without a fight every single year.

It's just disgraceful.

Yeah, the bluefin tuna is one of the most lucrative fish in the world and it is an abundance.

in our waters, would you believe that we're only allowed to catch and release bluefin tuna?

We've fought for a quota for many years and we haven't been allocated a quota.

And bluefin tuna are a predatory fish, you know, they will hoover up

and eat, obviously, some of the species like mackerel herring and so on, sprats that we would want for our own supply.