AN INDUSTRY ABANDONED Fishing Industry Unites in Criticism of Minister’S Tie-Up Scheme
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The 1964-2014 1964-2020 SkippLEADING JOURNAL OF THE IRISH & UK INDUSTRIES JUNEer 2020 €3.50/£3.00 AN INDUSTRY ABANDONED Fishing industry unites in criticism of Minister’s Tie-up Scheme. See pages 2-3 www.theskipper.ie/subscribe/ DIGITAL ISSUE SUBSCRIBE NOW SKIPPER AND CREW OF THE ASTHORE ON THE QUAY IN NEWLYN TAKING OFF THE NET FOR REPAIR AFTER A LONG NIGHT FISHING SARDINES. IMAGE: LARRY HARTWELL TIE-UP SCHEME JUNE 2020 The Skipper The Skipper JUNE 2020 TIE-UP SCHEME News 3 SkipperThe SERVING THE IRISH & UK An industry abandoned unites FISHING INDUSTRIES “Agriculture Minister Michael Creed was designed to fail, he said. By Lia ní Aodha MCM Insurance Brokers Limited - and his officials have effectively turned He said the industry had proposed their back on the sector,” said the Irish a scheme based on one of the Specialist broker to the Irish fishing sector. t the beginning of last month, Fish Producers’ Organisation (IFPO), templates used in other Member EDITOR: Lia ní Aodha after weeks of heel-dragging the Irish South and East Fish Producers’ States, namely the French model – [email protected] on the issue, the Minister for Organisation (ISEFPO), the Irish South which, he says, would have allowed Mob: 086 823 9608 A Agriculture Food and the Marine, and West Fish Producers’ Organisation strategic management of fisheries, Michael Creed, T.D. announced a (ISWFPO) and Killybegs Fishermen’s matching effort to market demand, with temporary voluntary tie-up scheme for Organisation (KFO). continuity of supply in the food sector. the Irish fleet. The announced scheme, said KFO Conversely, he says, “what Idle pots. Image: Cathal Ó hUallacháin SALES: Sharon Boyle Under the scheme, which will Chief Executive Seán O’Donoghue, “is the Minister has offered will be [email protected] be implemented under Ireland’s completely unfit for purpose.” counterproductive, resulting in a Tel: 074 95 480 37 European Maritime and Fisheries “Instead of achieving the key situation which will encourage vessels of doing that. Under the scheme, as satisfy available markets,” he says. Mob: 086 840 1250 Fund Operational Programme objective of matching current supply to continue fishing, using up valuable currently devised, vessels between 8 “It would be a positive sign if the Contact our experts: (EMFF) 2014-20 (unspent funds still and demand, the scheme will do the stocks while demand is at ‘rock bottom’ and 12 metres are being offered support take-up of this supplementary scheme Ballina office on - 096 72977 PRODUCTION /DESIGN: unknown), vessels would be supported reverse with very little voluntary uptake resulting in uneconomic returns for payment over a 1 month tie-up period is low and that the safety net provided Declan McGrath MCM Insurance Brokers Ltd. are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland [email protected] to voluntarily tie up for one or two as almost all vessels will continue those engaged in fishing.” of between €750-800 euro (see table). through the scheme is used only by MANAGING DIRECTOR: of the next three months, operational to fish thus making an already over “This is also contrary to good “As most boats will not be able to the minimum number of vessels that Hugh Bonner from June 1st, even though EU rules supplied market worse. planning and conservation of afford to tie up, they will have no option make a decision that it is not in their [email protected] allow for the payment of retrospective “Crucially, not one single cent of resources,” he said. but to fish even if solely to try and meet economic interest to put to sea. To assist SUBSCRIPTIONS: compensation since many vessels have new financial support is being made Echoing much of the above, the fixed costs. This will include some the continuation of fishing activity over [email protected] been tied up with months already. available to the industry. We have met IFPO’s CEO, John Ward highlighted, vessels that are already tied up. Fishing the coming period, generous vessel Tel: 074 95 62828 On announcing the scheme Minister with the Minister and his officials and “Despite the fact that we have seen effort is likely to increase which will quota allocations are being made for the PRINTED BY: Creed said it would “support the fixed set out clearly what we need to survive the prices for the main species landed only destabilise markets further and month of June.” WG Baird, Antrim, N.I. www.wgbaird.com costs incurred by owners of fishing this pandemic,” he said. by Irish vessels to have fallen by 50 to lead to lower prices or complete market Suit the market to the fish, not the vessels while tied up.” “Like many others, fishermen are 70% in the interim and many vessels collapse,” they say. fish to the market...? According to Bord CONTRIBUTORS: “The supports to fixed costs will struggling desperately, in the new have been forced to tie up since mid- According to a statement from the Bia’s May 12th Market Insights report C Fish specialises in converting fish by-products Lorna Siggins range from €6,000 per month for a ‘normal’ that we find ourselves in. March, the Department is only looking Minister in response to criticism from into COVID-19’s impact on trade, into pet food ingredients and bait Niall Duffy Craig Taylor, maximum of two months for the very Demand has fallen to such an extent a tie-up commencing from June 1st.” the industry, the supports on offer under Ireland’s whitefish sector continues Dick James, largest vessels over 24 metres, to €500 that some fishermen are actually Outlining that one of the main the scheme “are in line with the fixed to experience “challenging market Fresh & Frozen Fishing Baits for the Commercial & Gudjon Eirnarsson, per month for a maximum of two receiving no bids for the fish that they objections to the Minister’s tie-up costs reported by industry in the EU conditions.” With reports of large Angling Fisherman. Weekly Deliveries Nationwide Shetland News months for the very smallest vessels have risked life and limb, to catch.” scheme is with the length of the data collection exercise operated by volumes of stock in cold storage and under 6 metres in length,” he said. In contrast to the Minister’s scheme, scheme, he said, the scheme “will BIM.” continued low market demand, the ENQUIRES WELCOME FROM THE UK Available to 66% of the fleet, in the four POs had put forward a not have the desired effect of enticing Speaking to The Skipper, a situation regarding the frozen at sea different size categories, in any one joint position on what they consider vessels that have already been tied spokesperson for the National Inshore prawn sector “continues to be very Charlie Vial, Main St, Dunkineely, Co. Donegal, Ireland month, the scheme will operate over necessary to achieve a “workable and up for two months to consider the Fisheries Forum (NIFF) said a concerning,” it says. Tel: 074 9737254 Mob: 087 2548208 Published monthly by Mara Media, June, July and August, to coincide with effective temporary tie-up scheme that scheme.” proposal submitted by the NIFF to Though, according to the Minister, Email: [email protected] Web: www.cfish.ie Annagry, Co Donegal. “monthly fisheries quota management would try to match supply to demand.” “The tiered allocations outlined the Department on a tie-up scheme most Irish offshore fishing vessels www.maramedia.ie periods, in order to adjust the supply of Two key elements of their proposal are totally inadequate,” said Mr Ward, provided detailed analysis based on have continued fishing, the NIFF fish coming onto a currently depressed were an initial three months scheme stating that fishermen and women real figures from fishing businesses spokesperson highlights the majority market and protect quota availability for themselves of the type of costs a In the compilation of The Skipper, every care starting on April 1st with a review at “need an income and they need it now.” of the inshore fleet tied up in March ATLANTIC MARINE SUPPLIES LTD is taken to ensure accuracy. Where errors or later in the year.” the end of May, and that the financial Similarly, ISWFPO CEO, Patrick scheme needed to cover and the amount because their markets had already been DEPARTMENT OF MARINE APPROVED LIFERAFT SERVICE STATION omissions are brought to the attention of “In these unique and unprecedented support for a temporary tie-up would be Murphy said the Minister’s “botched” of aid that was required. “To give an hit. “Many vessel owners saw that to Foilseachán na Mara Teo., future publications will circumstances, it is useful to give the based on 30% of the full grossings of scheme would not succeed in reducing example of the difference between keep landing shellfish or fish would PRODUCTS SERVICES be amended accordingly. However, Foilseachán fishing fleet another option to help the vessel in the same period last year, the amount of product being placed on the two proposals, in the 8-10m and only cause more damage in the long • na Mara Teo. does not accept liability to any LIFERAFTS • LIFERAFT person for loss or damage arising from anything match supply with demand in the with an appropriate tie-up period of 7 to markets. On account of this, the PO 10-12m categories the government run as the product would only end up in • LIFEJACKETS SERVICING contained in this publication or for any error seafood markets,” said the Minister. 10 days to be further discussed. called on the Minister “to immediately has offered less than half of what the storage.” • RESCUE BOATS • LIFEJACKET or omission in it, even if such loss or damage is The level of supports being offered ISEFPO CEO, Hugo Boyle said that review the scheme.” NIFF proposed was required,” said the “Now a scheme that has been • IMMERSION SUITS SERVICING caused by negligence of Foilseachán na Mara as part of the scheme, which has since despite numerous requests for supports “The entire industry is united in spokesperson.