media KELSEY KELSEY 18 March18 2021 Issue 5557 £3.30 media Nominations open now! Turn to page 9 KELSEY KELSEY TURN TO PAGE 2 FOR THE FULL CREWING BREAKTHROUGH REPORT Killybegs hosts international blue whiting fishery Local midwater trawlers, together with for being replaced by a new 62.6m Danish, Norwegian and Scottish vessels, vessel. The new Antarctic is currently are currently fishing blue whiting some nearing completion for owners Eamon 200 miles west of Ireland and landing into and Teresa McHugh at Karstensens Killybegs, where catches are going for shipyard, and is scheduled for delivery both human consumption and fishmeal in July. production, reports David Linkie. Following the succession of severe A Looking Back fishing feature, gales when the first Norwegian boats documenting a blue whiting trip started to fish blue whiting towards the west of St Kilda on the former Lunar end of last month, conditions improved Bow, starts on page 12 at the start of March to give a brief period of more consistent fishing. More severe gales last week, with wind speeds of up to 50 knots, again restricted fishing activity, apart from brief windows of more suitable conditions. By coincidence, vessels landing at Killybegs last week included three boats built as Lunar Bow PD 265, including the present 80m vessel and her 69m predecessor Endre Dyroy. The third was the 51m Killybegs-owned midwater trawler Antarctic D 97, which was derigging after making The local midwater trawler Father McKee waiting to land blue whiting, moored outside her last landing of fish, Beinur going alongside her fellow Danish trawler the Scottish vessel Pathway and the Norwegian midwater trawler Birkeland, and astern of having fished from Killybegs Gitte before landing blue whiting on the new pier at the Norwegian boat Brennholm. (Photos: Ryan Cordiner) for 15 years, in preparation Killybegs. 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It really it easier for skippers and vessel Occupation List – which specifies didn’t take the team there long to owners to employ foreign crews to which jobs have insufficient resident conclude that given the skill-sets help overcome crewing difficulties, workers – foreign fishermen deckhands must possess to pursue a reports Tim Oliver. working on vessels of over 9m career at sea, this was a profession The Home Office has accepted will become eligible for skilled that should be classified as skilled. the Migration Advisory Committee worker visas, which should make It really was a no-brainer. (MAC) recommendation that recruitment from abroad easier. “The industry’s historic deckhands on fishing vessels To qualify, they must be arguments on this issue have always of over 9m, with three or more sponsored by an employer, who been sound, and we were presented years’ experience using their skills, must offer a salary of at least with the ideal opportunity by should be included in the list of £25,600, in line with other government to repeat them again.” occupations eligible for skilled non-shortage occupations. worker visas. If the deckhand is a ‘new entrant’ Important step Kevin Foster, UK minister for – mainly those under the age of Alan McCulla, chief executive of future borders and immigration, 26 – a lower salary threshold of ANIFPO, said: “This classification confirmed the new arrangements, £20,480 will apply. In all cases, the is clearly a very important which reflect many years of pay must also be at least £10.10 per step in the right direction. Of lobbying by the industry, on hour. The changes take effect from course challenges remain, in not Thursday, 4 March. 6 April. only complying with the UK’s In November last year, the The NIFF and SWFPA have immigration rules, but in promoting Home Office said it would delay been leading on this important a career with the fishing fleet. making a decision on the MAC issue for some time, and last year “All our fishermen are valued, recommendations, announced last commissioned the consultancy Pye and we really want to see this October, until it had assessed the Tait to benchmark the skills needed decision result in a new approach effects of Covid-19 on the labour to serve as a deckhand. across government to support the market. With input from Seafish and training, recognised qualifications But renewed political lobbying Darren Stevenson at McGill & Co and welfare of all fishing crew.” from the Northern Ireland Solicitors, the Pye Tait submission Mike Park, chief executive of Fishermen’s Federation (NIFF – the was made to the MAC last the SWFPA, said: “Some of us “You can have a berth if you’re from anywhere but Anglo-North Irish and Northern summer, as part of its commission in the sector have been working Europe and have an HND in guttin’ wee haddies.” Ireland FPOs) and the Scottish into reviewing the UK’s Skills relentlessly on this issue for many, White Fish Producers’ Association Classification System and Shortage many years. There have been many (SWFPA), including meetings with Occupation List. frustrations, but this decision by the fishermen don’t always reach that NE Scotland, said the decision Home Office ministers, resulted Welcoming the decision, Harry Home Office comes at a crossroads quite high target,” he said. was good news for the Scottish in last week’s decision to classify Wick, chief executive of the NIFPO, for the sector that has felt let down “The government are willing, whitefish fleet and represented deckhands as skilled workers. who led the project with Pye by government over Brexit. There is but they haven’t quite got the grasp ‘the fruits of close co-operation The decision to accept the Tait on behalf of the fishermen’s an opportunity here for government of how this industry works, and I between government and industry’. recommendations means that organisations, said: “Pye Tait’s to do something positive for the think there will have to be some He said: “We have listened to although deckhands are not experience with other sectors fishing fleet at national and regional modification to the scheme.” concerns that crewing problems level. He said he was due to meet have been particularly acute “It’s a big issue for boats Scottish fisheries minister Fergus here, with some boats unable to operating out of Scotland’s western Ewing later in the week and would fish within 12 miles of the shore Carmichael: ‘Victory archipelago, some of which face be raising the matter with him. because of visa restrictions on issues with being forced to operate UK government minister for their vital deckhands. The new outside the 12-mile limit. It’s a big Scotland David Duguid, who arrangements should quickly ease for fishermen’ deal for them, and for getting crew is MP for Banff and Buchan in these difficulties.” Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair deckhands have been a vital part ashore for rest.” Carmichael said: “This change of of the industry for years and Simon Macdonald, chair of the course is a victory for fishermen, appreciated in our communities. Scottish West Coast Regional who have been let down by Home If we want the industry to Inshore Fisheries Group, welcomed Key points document ‘soon’ Office rules for too long. expand further in the coming the change, but expressed “The change should have been years, then demand for further reservations over the salary/wage The industry leaders said it has been a focus on fishing made months ago, but I am worker support will not be going requirements of the immigration is important that everyone being recognised as a skilled glad that we have finally made away.” rules. understands the requirements of occupation to help non-UK the government see sense. In He added: “This is also about He pointed out that most the new immigration rules, and on fishermen comply with the UK’s future, ministers need to listen protecting fair and equitable fishermen are paid on a share basis, behalf of the NIFF and SWFPA, complex immigration rules, being to skippers first, rather than working conditions for all fishing and said the salary levels specified solicitor Darren Stevenson is recognised as a skilled sector dictating to the industry on their workers. Creating a clear route in the rules were ‘pretty high’.