It is repeatedly claimed by the NO side that since 1974 the total value of fish taken out of Irish waters by EU fishermen is €200 billion

Another frequent claim is that Ireland produces 40% of EU catch but only gets 4% of the quota.

Answer:

• The total value of the fish taken out of Irish waters between 1974 and 2004 is approx. €8.5 billion, not €200 billion.
• Nearly 8.5% of the fish caught in EU waters comes from Irish waters. Nowhere near the 40% often claimed.
• Irish boats have been landing an increasing share of the fish caught in Irish waters - from an average of 16% in the 1970s to around 25% in the 1990s and up to now.
• Irish landings of fish have more than doubled since Ireland joined the EU in 1973 – from 86 000 t in 1973 to 185 000 t in 2007. (This includes landings by Irish boats both in Irish waters and outside.)
• Under the Common Fisheries Policy, access to Ireland’s 6 mile coastal zone is confined to Irish registered fishing vessels and vessels from Northern Ireland.
• The size of the Irish fishing fleet has actually gone up. Over the same period, the size of the fishing fleets across the EU has shrunk by 20%.
• Between 2000 and 2006, direct EU aid to the Irish fishing industry came to € 65.5 million. Between 2007 and 2013, there will be a further € 42.5 million of EU support to Irish fishing
• The Common Fisheries Policy is currently up for Review. The Review has commenced and a new policy framework will be in place from 2012.
• The fish market is international and our industry is largely dependant on exports. Since we joined the EU, we have developed markets within the EU. EU market offers highest prices and there is heavy competition in world fisheries for access.
  

A Yes to Lisbon will give us a stronger position of influence heading into the major Review of the Common Fisheries Policy.