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Activists from the Extinction Rebellion group have called on ministers to end the practice of over-fishing in Irish waters.<\/p>\nActivists from the Extinction Rebellion group have called on ministers to end the practice of over-fishing in Irish waters.<\/p>\n
About 50 demonstrators gathered outside Leinster House on Monday.<\/p>\n
The protest is the latest in a series of \u201cdirect action\u201d demonstrations by the environmental group, which held a week-long campaign of \u201ccivil disobedience\u201d in October.<\/p>\n
Two of the demonstrators were dressed as mermaids with costumes made of seashells, recycled items and fishing nets while others dressed as fishermen.<\/p>\n
Extinction Rebellion called on the government to uphold the law and end over-fishing.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the group said ending over-fishing by January 1 2020 is a legal requirement for members of the European Union.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe European Council\u2019s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was revised in 2013 to include a law to force member states to eliminate over-fishing by the start of next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cYet, on the eve of this deadline, the Irish Government appears to have no plans to end business as usual when it comes to over-fishing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver-fishing at current levels takes a terrible toll on fish populations, marine life and on the ocean\u2019s ability to sequester carbon, and thus help slow down global warming.<\/p>\n
\u201cIreland has continuously been identified as among the worst nations for negotiating fish catches above scientific advice on sustainable limits.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group said inaction to ensure sustainable fishing levels to date has created a situation where significant cuts in fish quotas and even closure of fisheries must now be considered to meet the EU\u2019s binding 2020 deadline to end over-fishing.<\/p>\n
Padraig Fogarty, campaign officer with the Irish Wildlife Trust, said: \u201cWe\u2019re trying to highlight the dire state of the ocean and over-fishing is something that has taken an enormous toll on marine life over the last decade.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a law now that states that it has to stop by the end of January and it does not look like we are anywhere near that deadline.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re saying today is \u2013 enough is enough. The Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Michael Creed has to uphold the law.<\/p>\n
\u201cIreland has one of the worst records in the European Union for over-fishing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a climate and bio-diversity emergency so it is vital the Government starts treating these issues seriously and that we stop over-fishing and restore the health of the oceans.\u201d<\/p>\n