The 1964-2014 1964-2020 LEADINGSkipper JOURNAL OF THE IRISH & UK INDUSTRIES SEPTEMBER 2020 €3.50/£3.00 SEAFARING GUT INSTINCT Tributes Paid by Galway Paddleboarders after Epic Rescue. See pages 4-5 DIGITAL ISSUE www.theskipper.ie/subscribe/SUBSCRIBENOW Fisherman Patrick Oliver and his son Morgan return to Galway docks. (CREDIT: JOE O’SHAUGHNESSY, CONNACHT TRIBUNE) SEPTEMBER 2020 SEPTEMBER 2020 3 The The Skipper The Skipper News Skipper POWER lobster stocks as American Instead, the EU-US deal will SYSTEMS SERVING THE IRISH & UK lobster can potentially carry work to make live exports into the FISHING INDUSTRIES The tragedy of… a shell disease that European EU much more attractive, which lobster have little immunity will likely, as highlighted by to,” they said. “As tariffs are NIFA/NIFO, have a consequent reduced and imported volumes impact on the prices those fishing increase this is likely to become in Ireland get for their lobsters, EDITOR: Lia ní Aodha a more common occurrence.” with the knock-on implication that Mermaid Marine – one of the [email protected] American lobsters are usually their already difficult livelihoods world’s leading providers of Mob: 086 823 9608 olive green or greenish-brown are made more so. marine propulsion packages from and the underside of their Sadly for Irish fishermen, 11hp to 1600hp claws are orange-red. European with Golfgate raging on it is SALES: Sharon Boyle lobsters are blue to dark blue unlikely that the EU Trade [email protected] and the underside of their claws Commissioner is losing much Tel: 074 95 480 37 are generally a cream colour. sleep over their livelihoods. Mob: 086 840 1250 Sweden has previously One thing is for sure, no PRODUCTION /DESIGN: pushed for American lobsters to Minister is. And that is the 01202 677776 | mermaid-marine.co.uk Declan McGrath be regarded by the EU as a pest tragedy, not of the commons, or [email protected] species and potentially invasive, perhaps even the commodity, MANAGING DIRECTOR: Hugh Bonner which would mean a ban on the but simply of Ireland’s sea [email protected] import of live lobsters. fisheries. SUBSCRIPTIONS: [email protected] Tel: 074 95 62828 PRINTED BY: HIGH COURT RULES WG Baird, Antrim, N.I. www.wgbaird.com CONSULTATION PROCESS IN CONTRIBUTORS: C Fish specialises in converting fish by-products Lorna Siggins 6-MILE BAN DECISION FLAWED into pet food ingredients and bait Niall Duffy Craig Taylor, Fresh & Frozen Fishing Baits for the Commercial & Dick James, he High Court has These challenges were fully Gudjon Eirnarsson, ruled in favour of two contested by the Minister, who Angling Fisherman. Weekly Deliveries Nationwide Shetland News Lobster. (Credit: Cathal ó hUallach) Tfishermen who submitted as part of that highlighted that ENQUIRES WELCOME FROM THE UK an application for a judicial more than 900 submissions review into the decision were made and considered as Charlie Vial, Main St, Dunkineely, Co. Donegal, Ireland under a limited trade deal struck domestically, most is sold into taken by the then Minister part of the consultation process, Tel: 074 9737254 Mob: 087 2548208 By Lia ní Aodha by the EU and US tariffs on live European markets. Published monthly by Mara Media, for Agriculture, Food and with a wide variety of views Email: [email protected] Web: www.cfish.ie Annagry, Co Donegal. and frozen lobsters exported According to BIM’s Business the Marine, Michael Creed expressed. On the back of those, www.maramedia.ie nother month, and from the US into the EU would of Seafood report 2019, 100 concerning the ban on trawling the Minister’s assessment was no end in sight for be eliminated, with reductions tonnes of lobster were landed by vessels over 18 metres in that there was a compelling case In the compilation of The Skipper, every care the challenges facing retroactive to begin August 1st. by Irish boats last year, up 52 length inside Ireland’s six-mile for the exclusion of trawling by is taken to ensure accuracy. Where errors or A Ireland’s fishermen and women. In return, the EU would see per cent on 2018 and worth zone. large vessels in the zone. omissions are brought to the attention of Foilseachán na Mara Teo., future publications will No Minister, a no-deal Brexit tariffs slashed by half on a €2 million. As one fisherman The case was taken by Dingle In a judgement handed be amended accordingly. However, Foilseachán once again looking ever more series of items including certain pointed out to me, his few live fisherman Tom Kennedy and down on July 31st, Mr Justice na Mara Teo. does not accept liability to any likely, poor markets and trade- prepared meals, crystal glass, as lobster onboard pays for the LEADING SUPPLIERS OF MARINE SAFETY EQUIPMENT person for loss or damage arising from anything Castletownbere fisherman Neil Michael McGrath ruled that contained in this publication or for any error deals that only make those well as cigarette lighters. boat’s diesel for the day. Minihane, owners of The Celtic there was an unfairness in the or omission in it, even if such loss or damage is markets more difficult, and little Previously, EU tariffs on US Following the news, on Quest, The Fiona K III and the consultation process, which caused by negligence of Foilseachán na Mara recognition... lobster had been eight per cent. their social media page, the Teo., its servants or agents. Opinions and articles Ocean Venture II, whose vessels resulted in noncompliance featured are not necessarily the opinions of Following the fallout from In 2017, an EU-Canada deal— National Inshore Fishermen’s would be excluded from fishing by the Minister with his legal Foilseachán na Mara Teo. the Oireachtas Golf Society’s the Comprehensive Economic Organisation and Association in the six-mile zone on the back obligations. dinner event in Clifden last and Trade Agreement (CETA)— (NIFA/NIFO) said that the of the directive. The unfairness arose as the month, after just 37 days in similarly eliminated tariffs on EU Trade Commissioner’s PRODUCTS: SERVICES: INSIDE THE The ban, which came fishermen were not aware that •LIFERAFTS •LIFEJACKETS •LIFERAFT SERVICING post Dara Calleary resigned imported lobsters to the EU. welcoming of the deal was into effect on January 1st of a particular option, which was •RESCUE BOATS •H.R.U. ’s •LIFEJACKET SERVICING SEPTEMBER ISSUE •IMMERSION SUITS •IMMERSION SUIT SERVICING as Minister for Agriculture, Announcement of the being described by their this year following a public subsequently decided on (i.e. •PYROTECHNICS •HIRE LIFERAFTS •BOARDING LADDERS Dept of Transport & SOLAS approved service station P 4-5 Food and the Marine. At the deal was made by US Trade members “as another kick in the consultation on the matter, that trawling by vessels over time of writing it is still not Representative Robert teeth.” subject to a phasing out of sprat 18m in length inside the six- Tributes Paid by Galway CROAGHLIN, KILLYBEGS, CO. DONEGAL clear when a new Minister will Lighthizer and EU Trade The deal, they said, would fishing over a two year period mile zone be phased out), had T: 074 97 41760 F: 074 97 41763 E: [email protected] Paddleboarders after Epic be instated, leaving the Irish Commissioner Phil Hogan. likely depress Irish lobster from then, was challenged by already been recommended to Rescue fishing industry without even “As part of improving EU- prices further – worrying the fishermen who fish within the Minister by Department P 6 a semblance of a Minister as US relations, this mutually considering how depressed the zone for herring, bull officials. This preferred Supreme Court rules in favour they face into the very real beneficial agreement will prices are already due to mackerel and sprat for three option, he ruled, should have of fishermen in Porcupine case possibility that no deal will be bring positive results to the the havoc wreaked by the months of the year on a number been outlined to the affected reached between the UK and economies of both the United COVID-19 pandemic on P 24-25 of grounds. stakeholders before a final the EU before January 1st. States and the European Union. traditional markets. Claiming the directive decision was taken. This was not Boats, Gear As the latest round of talks We intend for this package of Biosecurity concerns was unlawful, the fishermen done. and Products concluded, Michel Barnier said tariff reductions to mark just the were raised also, given the sought a number of orders, Though the Court did not P 32 a post-Brexit trade deal “seems beginning of a process that will potentially invasive nature including the quashing of the rule that a second consultation unlikely” at this stage. Fisheries lead to additional agreements of American lobster, and the Risks and opportunities for directive, a declaration that would or should be undertaken, remains a contentious issue. that create more free, fair, and multiple instances where they the directive was made in it did rule that the fishermen, demersal fisheries in warming Meanwhile, as the global reciprocal transatlantic trade,” have already been caught in the seas breach of fair procedures, of as stakeholders, were entitled pandemic continues to impact said Ambassador Lighthizer and wild in European waters, having the Common Fisheries Policy to succeed on that ground, seafood markets, among Commissioner Hogan. been released (or maybe making and of their rights their rights. and invited parties to make Marine & General Insurance Brokers. “Insuring Your World Today” Ireland’s inshore fishermen, After brown crab and whelks, a break for it) after being As part of this, they argued the submissions by electronic trans-Atlantic trade deals are lobster is one of Ireland’s most imported.