The Dublin Array Wind Farm project will start operations on February 9 and will continue until May 11, weather permitting. The project lies on the Kish and Bray banks roughly 10 km off Ireland’s east coast. The works will consist of geophysical surveys to characterise the offshore array and export cable search data with the […]
Ocean Focus (Winter) 2020 reviews two extremely interesting maritime books: Spirorbis: Stories from my Life (Peter Vine) and People of the Sea: A Maritime History of Beara (Marc O’Sullivan Vallig). In her review, Trish Marina describes Spirorbis as a ‘hefty volume filled with gorgeous photographs and dramatic tales of adventure’. And she asks: ‘How does one present the stories […]
A penalty point system for serious infringements of fisheries regulations is now in effect. Required under EU law, the system follows the appointment of the independent Determination Panel, comprising three legal professionals nominated by the Attorney General. All EU member states are obliged to establish a points system, to be applied to licence holders of […]
Shell has signed an agreement with Irish developer Simply Blue Energy to acquire a 51% share of their Kinsale venture to develop the Emerald Project floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea. The joint venture will be operated by Simply Blue Energy supported by Shell floating wind experts, with the project office based in the […]
At an informal meeting of EU fisheries ministers, Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine highlighted the “disproportionate burden” on Ireland regarding fish quota transfers from the EU to the UK. “Ireland’s concerns have been raised at the highest level and is waiting to hear how this matter will be urgently addressed. As […]
A preliminary analysis report on the reduction of fish quota shares under the EU/UK Trans and Cooperation Agreement shows Ireland will have transferred 15% of its quota by 2026 (€43m) compared to the overall value of Irish quota in 2020. The UK has or will receive a Total Allowable Catch for 105 stocks, 41 of […]
Ireland’s seafood development agency is extending a nationwide survey by two weeks to determine importance of fisheries to families and coastal communities. To date, 14% of Ireland’s 1,400 under-10m inshore vessels have completed the survey. BIM is hoping that the extension to February 8 will encourage more fish vessel owners to participate. With many competing […]
Designated landing ports for UK registered, Northern Ireland fishing vessels, has increased to seven, with the addition of Ros a Mhil, Howth, Greencastle, Rathmullen and Burtonport. These ports join Killybegs and Castletownbere for landings from vessels of any third-country origin. Marine minister Charlie McConalogue has said he is “working to make sure the necessary notifications […]
Figures released by Ireland’s food export board, Bord Bia, show that the value of food, drink and horticulture were held to a marginal 2% decline in 2020 (€13bn), during a period of ‘unprecedented challenge and disruption’ to normal market operations. The figures underline a dividend of a ‘decade-long diversification strategy that has seen Ireland achieve […]