Several hundred fishing vessels will sail into four ports on this morning's tide as part of a protest at the Sea Fisheries Maritime Jurisdiction Bill.
Fine Gael's marine spokesman John Perry has expressed his support for the protest, which will take place in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Waterford ports.
He has described the legislation before the Oireachtas as "harsh and destructive".
The four organisations behind the day-long protest emphasise that it is not a blockade, and that port authorities have been informed.
"There are over 200 amendments tabled in relation to this Bill, some 100 of which are from the Government. But the Government amendments go nowhere in meeting the demand for a fair, effective system of policing fishing stocks and fishing activity around Ireland by Irish and foreign fleets," said the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, the Irish Fish Producers' Organisation, the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation and Irish South and East Fishermen's Organisation.
The organisations have highlighted the fact that Fianna Fáil members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Marine have also voiced concerns about the legislation.
Last week, the committee abandoned a scheduled debate on the Bill as the Government's amendments had not been circulated to all members.
The organisations are especially concerned about the Government's determination to maintain a criminal system of penalties for fishery offences, citing advice from the Attorney General.
Britain is moving to an administrative system, leaving Ireland as one of the very few EU states to maintain a criminal system.
The European Commission says it prefers administrative penalties, and reiterated this view last month.
Legal opinion commissioned by the Oireachtas committee suggests that there is "no valid legal objection" to the introduction of a system of administrative sanctions, similar to that in place for inland fishery offences and road offences.
"Dozens of TDs from all parties have called for an end to the criminalisation of the fishing industry which is being added to by this Bill, but the Government apparently is not listening to them or to the industry," said the fishing organisations.
"There is mounting anger in the industry at how the Irish Government is imposing an extreme criminal justice approach, flying in the face of the clearly-stated preference of the EU and Commissioner Borg for an administrative system of penalties for all but the most serious and persistent offenders, as is the norm throughout Europe.
"We have a right to make our voice heard in peaceful protest, and if the Government won't listen to us where we are then we will come to them."
Statistics released for last year show that almost half of all boardings of vessels in Irish waters involved Irish-registered vessels.
