Lifeline for Ireland’s inshore fishermen
Following previous failed attempts at implementing a management framework for Ireland’s inshore fisheries, marine minister Simon Coveney has launched a dedicated platform and suite of measures for this sector which comprises over 80% of Ireland’s fishing fleet.
The development package consists of three parts: establishment of a National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF); a funding package of €1m in 2014 and conservation measures to support lobster and shrimp stocks.
Inshore boats tied up at Dunmore East. Over 80% of Ireland's fishing fleet comprises vessels of less than 12m. Photo Gillian Mills
“Ireland’s inshore fishermen are poorly represented by current structures and need a dedicated platform where they can discuss and develop common initiatives,” remarked Minister Coveney.
ECJ upholds fishermen’s appeal on ‘safety tonnage’
The European Court of Justice has ruled (13/05) to annul a decision by the European Commission rejecting eleven Irish applicants for safety tonnage and has ordered the Commission to pay costs.
According to the Killybegs Fishermen's Association (KFO), the ruling clearly states the Commission 'did not have the powers to make the decisions and that in the absence of transitional powers, the applicants had the right to bring an action for damages against the European Union.'
Eleven members of the KFO are vindicated for the second time on safety tonnage application. Photo Gillian Mills
Safety tonnage, which relates to the volume of a vessel, not to tonnes of fish, covers enhanced safety measures onboard a fishing vessels such as shelter decks, raised wheelhouses, increasing freeboard and improvements to crew accommodation.
Low turnout of MEP candidates at fisheries meeting
Only two of fourteen midlands and northwest candidates in the MEP elections to the European Parliament attended a fisheries briefing organised by the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation and the Irish Fish Producer's Organisation on Tuesday (13/05).
The meeting focused on key priorities for Ireland's fishing industry for the next ten years under the new Common Fisheries Policy, the Common Organisation of Markets and the European Fisheries Fund - critical pieces of legislation for coastal communities.
MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher; Sean O'Donognue, KFO, TF Fay, The People's Movement for Change, and Francis O'Donnell, IFPO
Fisheries leaders and the public used the opportunity to question candidates on their priorities as potential members of the European Parliament.
Dublin discussions on Atlantic tuna ahead of 2014 season
A working group of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas comprising delegates from Spain, France, USA, Morocco, Japan and Canada have met in Dublin to discuss methods for assessing fish stocks, including Atlantic albacore.
ICCAT delegates from six nations with Michael Keatinge, BIM Fisheries Development Director, in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin
Hosted by BIM and chaired by Dr Craig Browne of the National Fishseries Marine Service, USA, the meeting was particularly important to the Irish fishing industry ahead of the albacore tuna season in August and September.
HSA launches fishing industry awareness raising campaign
The authority responsible for ensuring that Ireland's 1.8m workers are protected from work-related injury and ill-health has launched an awareness raising campaign for the fishing industry. Only 30% of fishermen inspected in a survey last November had a safety statement, and only one in five had completed a risk assessment.
"We are concerned at the relatively low levels of compliance with the requirement to have a risk assessment and safety statement for fishing boats," remarked Martin O'Halloran, Health and Safety Authority chief executive. Completing this process can be highly effective in managing risk and reducing accidents across other industry sectors and could be equally effective in the fishing sector, he added.
"Fishermen often work in dangerous and extreme conditions, the smallest oversight can lead to disaster. Under these circumstances, it's vital that skippers manage the risks and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their crew. Carrying out a risk assessment and preparing a safety statement for their boat will help skippers and owners identify the risks in advance and help to avoid the types of accidents we've seen all too often," he said.
Mackerel deal rewards overfishing, declares Irish fishermen
Irish fishing industry representatives cannot support the ‘mackerel deal’ as it rewards those that have acted irresponsibly by setting “totally unjustified enormous autonomous mackerel quotas” in recent years.
The Federation of Irish Fishermen was reacting to a five-year deal brokered in London (12/03) on the share out of the annual €1bn mackerel fishery in the northeast Atlantic that has been the subject of a bitter dispute between the EU, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.
Pelagic fleet, Killybegs. Ireland secures 60% increase in mackerel deal. Photo Gillian Mills
“This sets a bad precedent for the future as most of the pelagic stocks in the northeast Atlantic are shared and jointly managed,” remarked Sean O’Donoghue, FIF chairman.
De-clawing at sea threatens Irish brown crab fishery
The State agency responsible for Irish fisheries law enforcement has published a consumer guide to buying Irish brown crab in a bid to safeguard the fishery which is threatened by the illegal practice of de-clawing at sea.
'It is the responsibility of every crab fisherman in Ireland to ensure the sustainability of this fishery and to work with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) to ensure stocks are maintained,' a statement reads.
De-clawing is the practice of manually removing one or both claws from a live crab and discarding the animal into the water
Fishermen urged to avail of sea safety scheme
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, has called on all sectors of the fishing and aquaculture industries to take advantage of the new Enhanced Safety Training Programme from BIM. He was speaking at 10th Irish Skipper Expo in Galway, March 7/8.
Minister Coveney witnessed the signing of the contract with Sioen, the Gweedore-based maufacturers of the Mullion compact 150N lifejacket with the integrated Personal Locator Beacon.
Galway fisherman Thomas Fitzpatrick promotes safety at sea.
"The Irish fishing industry will be the first in the EU to utilise this life-saving equipment. We now have the resources available through BIM’s safety training and this lifejacket with an integrated personal locator beacon, to minimise lives lost at sea.
Assistance package for Northern Ireland fishermen
Northern Ireland's fisheries minister, Michelle O'Neill, has "committed" to bringing forward aid for the Province's fishing industry.
She reminded delegates led by South Down MLA Chris Hazzard that in Spring 2013 she had secured Executive approval for an aid package of £400,000 following a period of "exceptionally bad weather. I have therefore agreed to bring forward proposals to the Executive for some immediate help where it is needed most."
Minister Michelle O'Neill MLA with representatives of the fishermen's forum at Stormont
The Minister also announced plans to appoint a Fishing Industry Taskforce to undertake a fundamental examination of the challenges and opportunities facing the industry and to identify options for reform to help to ensure the future sustainability of the local fishing sector.