Irish fishermen claim that they are being “sacrificed” to secure a trade deal between the United Kingdom and the European Union following Brexit.

The so-called Trade and Cooperation Agreement entered into force in 2021, and its terms require European vessels to gradually surrender a portion of their quotas for specific fish stocks in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea to the United Kingdom.

For the Irish fishing industry, this means a 15% reduction in the relevant quotas (by 2025), with annual projected losses of 43 million euros, making Ireland one of the countries most severely affected by this agreement.