South-west fishermen are continuing their blockade of harbours in spite of appeals from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to drop the unofficial action.
And in a development which indicates increasing official tension over the Irish Box issue, the Naval Service says it is no longer able to answer press queries over fishing activity in the 50-mile zone.
All queries must now be referred to the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
But a Department spokesman said last night that he is "not aware" of any specific direction on the issue.
It had been "agreed" that a single system should be put in place to communicate figures on the number of vessels in the Irish Box, as there had been some "confusion" over figures issued last week, the Department spokesman said.
No significant increase in Spanish activity is expected in the Irish Box area this week, as January 6th is a key Christmas festival date in Galicia.
However, the Irish Farmers' Association has come out in support of the fishing industry's concerns on the outcome of last month's EU council meeting.
In what was described as an "historic meeting" in Castletownbere, Co Cork, on Sunday night, the IFA president, Mr John Dillon, and the chief executive of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation, Mr Jason Whooley, agreed to develop a close working liaison.
"A strong alliance between fishermen and farmers will bring home to government the importance of both sectors to the rural economy," the IFA president said in a joint statement after the meeting.
Mr Whooley said his organisation supported this week's tractorcade and the IFA's family farm survival campaign.
Fishermen who met in Castletownbere, Co Cork, yesterday agreed to continue the ban on foreign fishing vessels landing into their port, while the "blockade" also continues in Dingle and Fenit, Co Kerry.
"We are under enormous pressure to drop it, but there is no mood to do so among my colleagues," Mr Ebbie Sheenan, fisherman and fleet owner, said yesterday.
A spokesman for the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources said that while the Department fully understood the fishermen's frustration, it would appeal to them to act "reasonably and responsibly" as trade was the lifeblood of the economy.
Department officials are due in Brussels this week to hold talks with EU officials.
The discussions will concentrate on the two issues of the Irish Box and new days at sea restrictions on whitefish vessels in the north-west.
