A potential deal between the EU and Iceland on fishing quotas is 'akin to another form of colonisation' of Irish waters.
Irish Fish Producers Organisation CEO Aodh O'Donnell is warning that, while talks remain at an exploratory stage, a deal would not be good for Ireland.
Reports say Irish trawlers would be allocated an extra 15 million blue whiting quota this year on condition that Icelandic crews can fish here.
Blue whiting is closely related to cod, haddock and hake with Irish vessels targeting the species in a small area known as the Porcupine Bank about 320 kms off the coast of Kerry.
Mr O'Donnell told The Pat Kenny Show the deal could give Iceland access to "almost the equivalent of the total Irish quota for the year".
"We've a very small percentage of the blue whiting despite the fact that it's in our waters," he said.
"Yet Iceland - a third country - would be given the same quotas to catch that species in our waters.
"It just doesn't make sense."
'Iceland is not the problem'
Mr O'Donnell said Ireland has to speak up in Brussels.
"Iceland is not the problem here; they value the resource, they value the fish in our waters," he said.
"We have to take the same view; we have to defend our rights, we have to represent our fishermen, we have to go to Europe and say, 'This is not on'.
"We have to shout stop".
Mr O’Donnell said he fears EU interests will overtake Irish ones.
"Europe has to respect the fact that these resources are in our waters, these are in our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone)," he said.
"We just can't allow third countries to come in and plunder those resources.
"It's just akin to another form of colonisation".
'Minor' Irish interests
Mr O'Donnell said the deal could be better for larger EU member states.
"It may disadvantage some, particularly Ireland, but for other member states they could be the beneficiaries of this," he said.
"Ireland are the main givers of value because the fish are in our waters.
"We have to remember that these negotiations are taking place at a broad EU-level and that Ireland's interests are very minor in all of this.
"If we look at the history of this there have been so many flawed deals done in the past at EU-level which have really left Ireland with crumbs on the table".
Currachs and fishing boats at Roundstone Harbour in Co Galway, 29-8-07. Image: The Irish Image Collection/Design Pics via ZUMA WireMr O'Donnell said the current EU system is a "crazy situation".
"We have 12% of the European waters, we've 5.6% of the total EU quotas," he said.
"We only catch one and a half fish out of every 10 that's caught in Irish waters.
"On top of that we have Norway, for example, they have access to catch fish in our waters.
"So we have an armadas of third country vessels out there fishing when our boats are tied to the pier".
'Waters are being colonised'
Mr O'Donnell said Ireland has to stand up to Brussels.
"Ireland obviously has to defend its interests, the Irish Government has to take its resources seriously," he said.
"We cannot have a situation where our waters are being colonised.
"We have now the opportunity to do something about the proposed Icelandic access; we have to stand up, we have to defend our interests.
"We have to get the Government to work with industry, we have to have a coherent approach but we cannot have another decimation of our sector," he added.
The Irish seafood sector is said to have been drastically reduced in the last few years with the fleet downsized as a result of Brexit.
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