The European Commission has penalised Ireland for catching too much fish.
According to the Commission we exceeded our fish quotas for 2011.
This means our fishing limits for this year will be cut.
The European Commission puts quotas in place so as to ensure sustainable fishing in the EU.
Other countries penalised were Spain, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal.
In a statement the Commission said “This year, for the first time, the cuts were increased by 50% for those countries that had repeatedly, over the previous 3 years, overfished the same stock”.
10 countries overall are being targeted by the penalties.
Spain is among the hardest hit with its quotas for horse mackerel cut by 12,406 tons and for anchovy by 962 tons among others.
While the mackerel quota for Britain is to be reduced by 6,439 tons and for herring by 200 tons.
