Inshore Ireland 15.3 Autumn 2019

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€2.50/£2.10 Autumn 2019 Vol 15 Issue 3

Brexit

Knowns and unknowns in early October in an ever-changing tapestry

PAGES 4-6

27 Year Tenure Leaves Justified Legacy

The Marine and Freshwater Environment Publication

Peter Heffernan signs off from Marine Institute

PAGE 21

Breaches of aquaculture licence conditions will not be overlooked - DAFM Gery Flynn

I

reland’s shellfish and finfish producers have called for better lines of communication with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine around the licensing backlog which has stymied growth for the past twelve years.

The backlog grew in the wake of a European Court of Justice finding that Ireland had breached EU environmental law by failing to put in place a system of environmental data collection, a definition of scientific interest and an adequate

assessment of aquaculture licensing applications in Natura 2000 areas.

The judgment ruled that DAFM could not issue new fin fish or shellfish licences and this hit the industry particularly hard because most production sites are located in Natura 2000 areas.

Existing licensed producers were however allowed to continue production under the 1997 Fisheries Amendment Act until a determination was made on their renewal application.

At its annual conference, Teresa Morrissey, IFA Aquaculture Executive, told Inshore Ireland that for more than a decade

since the ECJ finding, Irish aquaculture had found itself in a “hiatus” by not being able to function normally, and she criticised DAFM’s handling of the problem over the past decade: “Finfish and shellfish producers have been unable to plan ahead or avail of grant aid. Development has been hindered and the aquaculture industry has stagnated as a result. This has had a knock-on effect into local economies, and even into our own State agencies,” she claimed.

“Implementing EU directives is the government’s job and it’s the aquaculture industry’s role to comply with

the implementation of Directives. If [government] didn’t implement the Directive correctly it’s their fault, but the aquaculture industry has paid the highest price for the ECJ ruling.”

LACK OF STRATEGY

Morrissey is also critical of what she sees as the “slow implementation” of the recommendations of the Independent Licensing Review Group published in May 2017.

“There is no implementation strategy that I am aware of. I have never seen an actual strategy or a plan, nor have I been informed of a strategy or a plan.

“The Department told us they are working towards clearing the backlog, and that nothing else would be addressed until that backlog is cleared.

We’re advised that it will be cleared by the end of the year. There are 31 recommendations [in the report], some of which could have been easily addressed long before now,” she claims.

“At the moment it’s very difficult to get a clear answer to any question in fact. Communication has to improve. I’m working to try and achieve this but DAFM needs to proactively engage. I’m open to engaging with them; I want to talk with them. The

aquaculture industry has always wanted to engage,” Morrissey emphasised.

DEPARTMENT POSITION

Addressing the conference, DAFM’s John Quinlan said that clearing the licensing backlog was complex and time consuming.

“It includes data collection, setting conservation objectives by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, identifying the scientific interest being protected in the bays, carrying out Appropriate Assessments of the licence applications against those »» page 6

Baltimore RNLI Alan Massey (centre) approaches Cape Clear for the 40th commemoration of the 1979 Fastnet Race tragedy, accompanied by the Baltimore inshore lifeboat, seaangling boat Irish Mist and Baltimore 1979 RNLI ‘Robert’ (out of picture). See page 28.

Photo Michael Kingston

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

NEWS

Funding for Irish fisheries suspended for failure to introduce a penalty point system Gillian Mills

T

he European Commission suspended a €6m programme for Ireland’s fishing sector in July for failure to introduce a penalty point system for serious breaches of fishing regulations.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has advised Inshore Ireland that the Minister Creed is ‘currently considering with his legal advisors, the next steps’ following engagement with fisheries representatives and opposition spokespersons.

The 2009 EU Fisheries Control Regulation 1224//2009 and EU Commission Implementing Regulation 404/2011

introduced inter alia a points system for serious infringements of the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy committed by the licence holder of a fishing vessel.

Ireland signed into force a Statutory Instrument in March 2018, ‘which fully met the requirement of the relevant EU regulation insofar as the licence holders were concerned’, DAFM added. The SI however was annulled by Dáil Eireann in May 2018.

While precise details are not known, key issues for the fishing industry of right to appeal in the High Court, removal of penalty points from the licence in the event of a successful High Court challenge and a totally independent appeals process, are not expected to be included in any future legislation.

“If this is the case, it is totally unacceptable and will be vigorously opposed by the industry. We expect opposition parties will similarly oppose this new SI,” remarked Sean O’Donoghue, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation.

There are “real and genuine concerns amongst the fishing sector and equally major concerns right throughout the opposition parties,” deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher told Inshore Ireland.

“The SI as presented would effectively make second-class citizens of fishermen and vessel owners, and I could simply not accept that.”

In the intervening period, very little has been done in order to reach a consensus, deputy Gallagher added.

“In principle, we

Ag Méadú Eolas Muirí Ag Soláthair Seirbhísí Mara

appeal to a higher court other than on a point of law, and that the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority is still involved in the internal appeals process.

“But most of all, we will never accept that if a fisherman is cleared of all wrong doing by a court, that the points will remain on the licence.

“We live in a democracy and we have a constitutional right to be treated fairly like any other citizen,” he said.

“We are now at the enquiry stage as to who is insisting that an Irish citizen you can be penalised even though you may have been cleared by the courts. No legislation can be above the court system,” he told Inshore Ireland.

1224/2009 (objective 2).

By letter February 7, 2018, Ireland requested additional time to implement the necessary legislation on the grounds that enforcing the point system was ‘beyond their control’. The Commission reminded Ireland that the deadline for establishing the legislation was no later than 31 December 2016.

Reaching its Decision in mid-2018 that Ireland had six months to comply, the Commission said the Court of Justice of the European Union ‘has consistently held that a Member State cannot plead provisions prevailing in its domestic legal system, even its constitutional system, to justify failure to observe obligations FUNDING SUSPENSION arising under EU law’.

The Commission Interim payments considers the entire to Ireland have been EMFF budget allocation suspended for failure specific to objective to implement a 2 ‘is at risk of being control, inspection and improperly implemented’, enforcement system for as long as obligations compliance as provided remain unfulfilled. for in Regulation EC

Significant increase in 2020 mackerel catch

Building Ocean Knowledge Delivering Ocean Services

by including a specific written reference to this in the final document”, he added.

The KFO chief executive said he “fully agreed” with the criticism leveled by Irish pelagic fishermen have received the EU, Norway and the Faroes Islands a timely and welcome boost following at Iceland, Russia and Greenland for negotiations on the 2020 mackerel total their decision to increase its unilateral allowable catch (TAC), resulting in a quota for mackerel in 2019.

41% quota increase for Ireland’s fleet.

“In the case of Iceland, it increased Seán O’Donoghue, chief executive from 107,000 tonnes to 140,000 tonnes. of the Killybegs Fishermen’s As a result, the share of the Icelandic Organisation described the outcome unilateral quota has effectively as a “very satisfactory tripartite increased to 21.5% of the overall TAC. agreement” reached between EU, Since 2014, Iceland has had an Norway and the Faroes Islands. average unilateral TAC of 16.5%, “well Ireland’s quota of 78,054 tonnes in excess of the amount set aside for increases by 22,740 tonnes on the the three parties outside the agreement 2019 quota of 55,314 tonnes.

(Iceland, Russia and Greenland).

“Last year, I was extremely critical “It is not acceptable that Iceland, of the International Council for the Russia and Greenland act in such Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and its irresponsible manner and put the scientific advice. That criticism was sustainability of the healthy mackerel proven 100% accurate since an ICES stock in jeopardy. An appropriate review on May last provided for an set of actions must be put in place overall figure of 770,358 tonnes for to stop this continuing,” he said.

2019 instead of 318,403 tonnes.”

Mr O’Donoghue acknowledged the “pivotal role” played by Minister CONCERNS HEEDED Michael Creed and his officials in The deal sees a further increase delivering the “favourable outcome”. for the 2020 TAC to 922,064 tonnes, The Minister for Agriculture, Food representing a top up of 190% on said that in times of uncertainty, a the advice of September 2018. mackerel quota for Ireland of over “I’m extremely pleased that the 78,000 tonnes was “excellent news” Coastal States have taken on board the in Ireland’s most valuable fishery. concerns of the KFO and others, which “Irish fishermen will now have a I have expressed regularly in numerous quota worth over €80m directly to our fora regarding the lack of quality assurance in the ICES assessment process catching sector for 2020,” he said.

Gillian Mills

marine.ie

Editor Gillian Mills mills@inshore-ireland.com 01 235 4804

Inshore Ireland is published by IIPL Ltd

in Fianna Fail are in agreement with the points system for serious fishing infringements but such a system must be fair and balanced.

“It must afford the individual fish producer equality before the law, the rights of appeal and respect their rights in line with the common law values that underpin our laws and constitutional rights.”

Deputy Gallagher said he has presented a draft alternative SI to Minister Creed and has sent copies to every member of Dáil Eireann “but I have received no substantial reply to that correspondence since”.

Francis O’Donnell, CEO of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation, described the likely outcome of an unchanged position as Groundhog Day. “We have never had an issue with the penalty point system, other than the perverse way Ireland is trying to implement it.

We cannot accept that a fisherman has no right to

Features Editor Gery Flynn flynn@inshore-ireland.com 091 844822

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

COMMENT Ireland’s marine potential – a tale of two sectors

C

ontrasting pictures emerge in this issue of Inshore Ireland between the downbeat mood prevalent throughout our aquaculture industry compared to the altogether upbeat mood of our marine science community.

Our interview with IFA Aquaculture Executive, Teresa Morrissey, conveys her members’ anger and disappointment at the way government has handled the enormous aquaculture licensing backlog and has allowed it to drag on for more than a decade.

New to her role, Morrissey declares that eliminating the licensing backlog is top of her agenda if the stagnation that has enveloped the

industry and deterred investors is not to eventually strangle it.

In an industry that has been without a straightforward, streamlined and effective licensing apparatus for over a decade, she points to the slowness of government action and an urgent need for better communication between DAFM and IFA Aquaculture.

That said, the robust and confident performance by DAFM’s John Quinlan at IFA Aquaculture’s Galway conference whose crystalclear explanation for the licensing backlog left no doubt where the problems began for Ireland’s fish and shellfish producers.

At the heart of it, according to Quinlan, is the fact that the State itself is to blame for failing to have in place a system for environmental data collection, to define areas of

groups to work on particular issues such as control, brown crab and seabass. This year we added a marine plastics focus group and I put my name forward to join this group.

The first meeting took t the outset I must place via video conference stress that the in July; and the second views expressed meeting elected a here are my chairperson. I was flattered own and not necessarily to be nominated by an Irish those of the North producer organisation, Western Waters Advisory seconded by a UK PO. Council (NWWAC). Only I pointed out I was the chairperson of the an environmental executive committee can representative but would speak on behalf of the take the position if that NWWAC. was necessary. I have The NWWAC was previously turned down established in 2005 to offers to chair or vice-chair provide advice on fisheries groups so I felt it was time management matters to I contribute. I agreed to the EU on behalf of all stakeholders. It is weighted take on the position for a year as the ISS as a charity towards the commercial cannot be sure from year industry as they are the to year of its membership. major stakeholders in We then heard a positive our marine resources. talk from BIM about Environmental NGOs their ‘Fishing for Litter’ constitute ‘other interest’ campaign. But as a Spanish groups and meetings are open to observers, meaning representative said the meeting, “Fishermen members of the public can are not fishing for litter, get permission to attend they are fishing for fish and express their views. and catching litter.”

The council also collates I witnessed this myself views from other groups when I saw a plastic toilet such as ICES which means seat with lid fall out of that fishermen (through the cod-end of a trawl their representatives) can along with the catch. have an input into quota Participating boats bring setting and other issues that affect their livelihoods. ashore all litter they catch.

These days the general I am a member since 2006, representing the Irish public is aware of ‘ghost nets’ and fishing gear lost or Seal Sanctuary as a marine discarded at sea. Commercial environmental NGO. I do this in a voluntary capacity fishermen are ideally placed to bring ashore litter as we are a charity. caught in their nets and Despite what some along with volunteer diving might think, I believe we groups, are the only people are all there for the same capable of gathering this reason - to ensure a future type of waste material. for marine resources for Nets and ropes break the benefit of all the users: down into micro-plastics, commercial fishermen, then into nano-plastics anglers, seals, whales that can enter the food and all who use the sea. chain, so it must be removed For this reason, I have from the sea whenever stated on occasions we possible. While the fishing are not on opposite sides industry does contribute of the table as we have a to the problem (lost nets, similar goal and should work together towards this. longlines etc) however no-one can afford to lose fishing gear these days.

FOCUS GROUPS The nature of plastic The AC creates focus

Dear Editor

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scientific interest and adequate assessment of aquaculture licensing applications in Natura 2000 areas.

In other words, as regards our obligations under European environmental law, Ireland was found wanting, and not for the first time.

The European Court of Justice responded in a no-holds barred manner that effectively stymied expansion of a still fledgling aquaculture industry whose potential up to 2007 showed enormous potential.

Contrast this with the picture drawn by Dr Peter Heffernan in his final interview as Marine Institute chief executive as he reflects on his twenty-seven years during which Ireland’s marine science community flourished.

Heffernan is forthright and doesn’t gloss over the bureaucratic obstacles

unfortunately means that gear lost decades ago is still out there, which is only a part of the problem, but is a visible part if a whale shows up with a net around its flipper.

Of the many different types of plastic used to make fishing gear, only four or five can be recycled, which presents another problem.

As we drew up Terms of Reference for the focus group, it became clear that the task ahead was huge. Not all EU coastal countries run such a scheme, and difficulties can occur at ports when a

vessel tries to unload a bag of plastic waste: who sorts it, and who recycles it?

In my opinion there should be no barriers to vessels landing litter in any port. Indeed, the vessels should be recognised for their efforts to remove this waste from our oceans.

If possible, they should not incur any expense in doing humankind this service.

There is work involved onboard to sort this litter from the catch, and space is needed to store it.

The importance of the focus group was brought home to me recently when a guy told me he had caught

he encountered early in the job trying to persuade government of the need for a dedicated research vessel.

Nevertheless, he is generous in his praise of the many politicians who eventually saw the vision he was painting of the opportunities that marine science had to offer Ireland.

Fast forward to today where Ireland now has a world-renowned institute and a hard-earned reputation for excellence on both sides of the Atlantic.

With a highly skilled research team and two of the busiest research vessels in Europe (a replacement vessel is due in early 2022), Ireland is punching way above its weight in winning research contracts worldwide.

Now, try to picture an Ireland where the true potential of all of the marine sectors could be realised.

some fresh mackerel while fishing with his nine-year-old daughter.

“We’ll have these for dinner,” he said, to which she replied: “I’m not eating those, they are full of plastic.”

He told me that he had no idea she had an interest in such things or where she heard this. The implications for the industry could be huge. I don’t underestimate the work ahead, but it must be done.

On their own initiative, angling groups in the UK and Ireland have started a recycling service where bins are placed

comment

Gery Flynn

on charter boats and in tackle shops to receive old line and empty spools.

We all who use the sea have a responsibility to keep it as clean as possible.

I’m as guilty as anyone, as I used to throw teabags overboard after I made tea and cigarette butts too, until I learned of the plastics they contain.

The EU Commission is taking environmental issues in the oceans very seriously so it’s going to be a year of hard work ahead for all.

Johnny Woodlock Skerries Co Dublin

Remembering Kenneth King

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he nationwide reaction to the sad passing one of Ireland’s most renowned marine artists was a fitting tribute from the many - both at home and around the globe who appreciated the work of artist Kenneth King.

Kenenth King from Straid Gallery in Glencolmcille, Co, Donegal, and formerly of Dalkey, Co. Dublin, passed away (peacefully) on the 17th August 2019 in the wonderful care of the staff of Donegal Hospice, Letterkenny.

His loss will be immense, but a part of his legacy is documented in a book published by Marianne O’Kane Boal: Kenneth King – Life and Work (2013) which is the largest study to date on an Irish Marine Artist.

Terry Conlan, Skerries, wrote in the preface about ‘his magnificent and sustained first class contribution to recording the stunning coastal scenery and the lighthouses, lightships, harbours, tiny havens, merchant ships, naval ships and the endless variety of fishing craft from the smallest to the big ocean going trawlers of this sea girth island’.

The book records his formative beginnings, his time at sea and his significant artistic contribution which includes over one hundred illustrations of Ireland’s maritime history and heritage.

Many attended the funeral mass in Glencolmcille’s St Columba’s Church, and burial in the Church of Ireland graveyard where fond memories of Kenneth were lovingly recalled.

He enjoyed and got inspiration from the wild Atlantic coastline of Donegal where much of his work was created in his studio in Glencolmcille. He directed the Oideas Gael School of Marine Painting for many years, and taught in Colaiste na Carraige for a period where his introduction to the visual arts and artistic direction was very much valued by his many students.

Kenneth began his career with his religious vocation and was commissioned into the Royal Navy as a Chaplain where he served in the Arctic, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Far East waters.

He began painting full-time in 1976, specialising in the naval and merchant shipping

of Ireland, together with the country’s coastline and lighthouses. His work was commissioned by State and private sector shipping interests, by the RNLI, An Post, BIM and the Office of Public Works.

His works are also to be found in the collections of the Irish Navy, the Marine Institute, Shannon Estuary Ports, Killybegs’ Fishermen’s Organisation and the Maritime Institute of Ireland, as well as in numerous private collections home and abroad.

Kenneth was the first Irish artist to have his work accepted and exhibited at the 1985 Mystic International in Connecticut USA. He was from an artistic background;

his father was the late Richard J. King, stained-glass artist and designer. He was a member of the Maritime Institute of Ireland and Visual Artists Ireland.

Kenneth, beloved husband of Anne and adored dad of Caitríona and James, was predeceased by his brothers, artists Richard, Enda and David and will be deeply missed by sister Anne Marie, brother-in-law Derek, daughter-in-law Anita, Darren, sisters-in-law Mary and Jan, nieces, nephews and his wider family, neighbours and friends in Ireland and abroad.

Suaimhneas siorai na bhflaitheas dó.

Noel Carr, Carrick, Co Donegal

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

NEWS

Brexit tapestry of knowns and unknowns in an ever-changing seascape Gillian Mills

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rivate talks on October 10 between Taoiseach Leo

Varadkar and Prime Minister Borris Johnston were described as detailed and constructive but lacked any content as an agreed media blackout held fast.

us to come to an agreement, to have a treaty agreed to allow the UK to leave the EU in an orderly fashion, and to have that done before the end of October,” remarked Leo Varadkar.

The mood music playing both sides of the Irish Sea in the immediate aftermath was cautiously upbeat, suggesting a deal might inching forward.

“I think it is possible for

Access, control DAFM (October 10): and monitoring in a no-deal seascape On September 4, the European Commission adopted a proposal to extend the contingency regulation EU 2019-498 until the end of 2020. This sets a legal framework to allow EU vessels to continue to fish in UK waters and UK vessels to continue to fish in EU waters until the end of 2020 in a ‘no-deal’ Brexit situation.

Inshore Ireland asks DAFM if the UK has agreed to the proposal, and asks the SFPA to outline how it proposes to fulfil its remit of monitoring, surveillance and control of sea fisheries at sea.

Seafood export initiative to mitigate Brexit impact

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new scheme for seafood enterprises to help develop export markets also aims to mitigate potential effects of Brexit.

Implemented by the seafood development and export agencies, BIM and Bord Bia, the Seafood Scaling and New Market Development Plan was launched by marine minister Michael Creed at a ‘Brexit Preparedness’ workshop. The event in Cork targeted agri-food businesses and their logistics and transport companies to outline advisory and financial support for moving goods efficiently through ports after the UK’s departure from the EU. The scheme will also support enterprises to export worldwide through international trade shows and customer networking events.

“The largest support rates will be reserved for seafood enterprises who work together to develop export markets; these groups will be supported for additional activities such as overseas agents and office rental, and for formal participation in trade shows,” Minister Creed explained.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES Jim O’Toole, BIM

chief executive said diversifying into new markets “demands a deeper understanding of requirements so that Irish companies can best develop their offering to exploit new opportunities”.

Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia said that while the UK remained a “vital market” for the seafood industry, changing global circumstances had moved the diversification opportunity “centre stage”.

This scheme will support businesses to pursue potential growth opportunities in new regions and will ensure they are “fully equipped” to meet the market challenges ahead.

Minister Creed also reminded delegates that the UK’s departure from the EU will give rise to new requirements in relation to documentation, identity and physical checks on imports of animals, plants and products of animal and plant origin.

“With just five weeks to go until October 31, I am repeating my call to businesses trading in agri-food and fisheries products to familiarise themselves with the specific requirements for the commodities they trade in and [to] ensure they are registered with Revenue and my department.”

The proposal is being progressed through the EU legislative process and will be in place before the October 31.

This framework will only apply in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, provided the UK agree to reciprocal access.

In the absence of such agreement from the UK, EU vessels will be

excluded from UK waters and UK vessels will be excluded from EU waters.

[As of October 10] the European Commission has indicated there has been no communication from the UK as to whether or not they would agree to reciprocal access in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The purpose of these

But he warned, “There’s been many a slip twixt cup and lip” and that many issues were outside his control.

We talk to Irish and UK fishing representatives,

get some facts from the marine department and sea-fisheries control agency, and outline the Commission’s view if the UK becomes a ‘third country’ in a no-deal scenario.

regulations is to provide for the necessary legal framework which would allow the continuation of existing fishing activities, by enabling the EU and the UK to grant access for each other’s fleets. This would only apply if the UK withdraw from the EU on 1 November 2019 without a

Withdrawal Agreement in place and if the EU and the UK agree on continuation of access.

The Regulation does not provide a commitment of ongoing reciprocal access – it simply creates the necessary legal framework to allow for the possibility of such access.

SFPA (October 9): The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority working with the Department of Defence including the Naval Service in its sea-going and Fisheries Monitoring Centre role, is making preparations for a no-deal Brexit including in a situation where reciprocal access to waters is not granted.

The SFPA has been actively planning for the ramification of Brexit on both the catching sector and food sectors trading fishery products. Much of the explicit planning has been around the latter group where the SFPA has a clearer understanding of the regulatory overheads which arise when Ireland is the

entry or exit point of the EU. For the SFPA, this involves both seafood safety and anti-Illegal, Unreported & Unregulated (IUU) measures for fishery products imported from or exported to the UK. These requirements apply to both consignments from or to the UK as a third country and also landings by UK-flagged vessels to Irish ports or Irish vessel to UK ports.

The at-sea impact of Brexit on the fishing industry remains unclear; however, there are significant quantities of fish caught by Irish vessels in the UK Exclusive Fisheries Zone (EFZ) and by UK vessels in Irish

EFZ. Risks of displacement of other EU vessels into Irish EFZ from the UK EFZ also arise.

The Naval Service will have a key role in delivering effective controls at sea and monitoring fishing activity and compliance in our zone. Overall, the SFPA’s work to date has been in clarifying regulatory requirements and communicating those to seafood producers so that they may prepare in advance and avoid delays/ rejections; as well as developing internal preparedness to meet the regulatory controls which will be required for fishery product traded to or from UK when it becomes a Third country.

I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, TO HAVE A TREATY AGREED TO ALLOW THE UK TO LEAVE THE EU IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, AND TO HAVE THAT DONE BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER

No-deal Brexit aid package for fisheries receives lukewarm response

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s fishing representatives warn of “flash points” across Europe with scenes reminiscent of the cod wars of the ’40s, ’50’ and 70s if a no-deal Brexit prevails, the €14m fisheries aid package announced in Budget 2020 has brought little comfort.

While any funding directed into fisheries is welcome, “this is a horse of a different colour,” remarked Seán O’Donoghue, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation.

He described the fund as a “glorified redundancy

payment” for fishermen who have put “their hearts and souls into developing businesses in the most hazardous and challenging work environment on earth”.

The aid, he added, would only be available for a very limited time, “thereby ignoring the long-term, grim, commercial ramifications on our industry” if Britain leaves without a deal.

State aid rule would also require amending in order for the package to be drawn down, he stressed.

“We implore an orderly transition on November 1 in the event that a deal cannot be agreement

between Britain and the EU,” he said.

Announcing the details, marine minister Michael Creed, Minister said the priority was to support “sectoral vulnerabilities”. The fishing fleet will receive €14m to be activated “in tranches as the full impacts of Brexit emerge”.

If the UK leaves without a deal, “we will work our way through the necessary state aid provisions to deploy these resources in the most effective way possible,” he added.

“We will also want to support food companies wishing to re-orient production and marketing

towards non-UK markets.”

Adding that the support could not fully address the negative effects of a no-deal scenario, “this first tranche of supports will be used to ameliorate the immediate impact as the full impact crystallises… and to make some of the adjustments needed to improve resilience for businesses in the face of new market realities.”

An additional €5m (total €14m) is earmarked under the Seafood Programme for investment in Killybegs, Howth and Castletownbere and to progress the construction of a new €50m research vessel.

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

NEWS

Fisheries ramifications of a UK ‘third country’, no-deal scenario

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Kingdom. UK authorities will not be allowed to carry out inspections in Union waters.

Regarding inspections in international waters, the control and enforcement modalities applicable by the relevant fisheries organisations remain valid.

fisheries will have to be based on alternative legal frameworks and cooperation mechanisms, based on international law and UK national or EU law respectively.

Q: Will EU vessels be able to continue to fish in UK waters?

A: As of the withdrawal date, access to UK waters FISHING IN UNION FISHING IN UK will only be possible WATERS, THIRDWATERS if the United Kingdom COUNTRY WATERS Q: Will the fishing explicitly authorises opportunities regulation AND HIGH SEAS that, and if the flag State 2019 apply to the UK as of Q: Will the fishing authorises the vessel to the withdrawal date? opportunities regulation fish in UK waters.

Council Regulation (EU) A: No. As of the As set out in Regulation 2019/124 be applicable in withdrawal date, Union (EU) 2019/498, the EU the EU as of the withdrawal law – including the is ready to provide date? fishing opportunities continued access to A: Yes. The fishing regulation 2019 – no its waters until 31 opportunities regulation longer applies to the December 2019, if the 2019 will remain United Kingdom. The UK United Kingdom is going applicable to EU Member will have to define the to provide access to its States in waters other fishing opportunities for waters for the EU vessels, than the UK waters.

UK vessels in domestic and respects the terms of Q: Can UK control and legislation. the fishing opportunities enforcement authorities This also means that regulation 2019. demand that I allow them to Union vessels are allowed Regulation (EU) inspect my fishing vessel, to fish in UK waters 2019/498 sets out the even if I am not in UK according to EU law only procedure to be followed waters? Do my obligations up until the withdrawal by vessels in order to as master during control date. obtain authorisations (according to Regulations Q: Will the UK stick to the that will be required by (EC) No 1224/20096 and quotas agreed for 2019? the United Kingdom and (EU) 404/20117) still apply?

A: This is a decision from their flag State to A: No. As of the for the United Kingdom fish in UK waters. In withdrawal date, these to make. In the future, practice: the flag Member control regulations no co-operation with the State will have to provide longer apply to the United United Kingdom on the information required European Commission communique on fisheries (18/07/19) outlines the scenarios of the UK becoming a ‘third country’ without a ratified withdrawal agreement on November 1, 2019.

by the United Kingdom to the Commission, which will send the request for authorisation to the United Kingdom.

Q: What if there is a lag in obtaining such authorisations from the United Kingdom after the withdrawal of the UK? A: As long as Union vessels are not authorised to access UK waters, they cannot fish in these waters as of the withdrawal date.

In order to address the potential economic cost of a temporary disruption to access to UK waters for most affected operators, Regulation (EU) 2019/497 gives the possibility to Member States to use support under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund for temporary cessation of fishing activities for fishermen and operators that have significant dependence on access to UK waters.

Q: Will the EU fleet be allowed to continue to land in UK ports?

A: As of the withdrawal date, access to UK ports and landings in those ports are subject to UK rules.

Should a Union vessel

land in a UK port, the products will be subject to sanitary and customs checks by UK authorities, as well as any other fisheries-specific checks established in UK legislation.

Q: Will the UK fleet be allowed to continue to land in EU-27 ports as of the withdrawal date?

A: Yes, subject to the EU rules applicable to thirdcountry vessels, notably on designated ports and prior notice.

Q: Will Union vessels need an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number to fish in UK waters?

A: Should Union vessels be authorised to fish in UK waters, they will have to follow EU rules on the management of the EU fleet active in the waters of a third country and they will have to abide by the applicable UK legislation (incl. relevant rules on IMO numbers).

According to point (b) of the second sub-paragraph of Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 404/2011, the IMO number applies to all Union fishing vessels or fishing vessels controlled

by Union operators under a chartering arrangement, of 15

metres length overall and above, operating outside Union waters.

Q: Who communicates to the EU fishermen whether they are authorised or not to continue to fish in UK waters as of the withdrawal date?

It is the responsibility of fishermen themselves to know the rules and regulations in place and act in accordance with them. Vessels may continue fishing only on the basis of a valid authorisation.

As set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/498, the EU is ready to provide continued access to its waters until 31 December 2019, if the United Kingdom is going to provide access to its waters for the EU vessels, and respects the terms of the fishing opportunities regulation 2019.

Should there be, on this basis, continued access to UK waters for EU vessels, the Commission will inform the Member States. The flag Member State is then expected to inform its fishermen adequately about applicable rules and procedures. »» page 6

National Fisheries College of Ireland Schedule 2019

Navigation Control (Fishing) – 14-25 October, NFC Castletownbere Enhanced Safety Training (Under 15m) – 29 October, NFC Castletownbere – 02 October, NFC Greencastle – 30 October, Achill, Co. Mayo, contact 087 6837134 – 06 November, Cromane, Co. Kerry, contact 087 6837134 – 13 November, NFC Greencastle – 05 December, NFC Greencastle –10 December, NFC Castletownbere Safety Training (3-day) – 02-04 October, Howth, Co. Dublin, contact 087 2334620 – 08-10 October, Achill, Co. Mayo, contact 087 6837134 – 14-16 October, NFC Greencastle – 15-17 October, NFC Castletownbere – 22-24 October, Union Hall, Co. Cork, contact 087 2334620 – 29-31 October, Union Hall, Co. Cork, contact 087 2334620 Ireland’s EU Structural and Investment Funds Programmes 2014 - 2020 Co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union

– 04-06 November, NFC Greencastle – 12-14 November, Cromane, Co. Kerry, contact 087 6837134 – 19-21 November, NFC Castletownbere – 02-04 December, NFC Greencastle – 03-05 December, NFC Castletownbere

GMDSS Short Range Radio Proficiency (Modules 1 & 2) – 01-03 October, NFC Greencastle – 14-17 October, Union Hall, Co. Cork, contact 087 2334620 – 21-23 October, Achill, Co. Mayo, contact 087 6837134

Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (3-day) – 11-13 December, NFC Greencastle – 16-18 December, NFC Castletownbere

Surface Supplied Diver (3 weeks) – 04-29 November, NFC Castletownbere

Advanced Fire Fighting (5-day) – 07-11 October, NFC Castletownbere – 25-29 November, NFC Greencastle Medical First Aid Aboard Ship – 11-13 December, NFC Castletownbere – 16-18 December, NFC Greencastle GMDSS GOC Radio Proficiency – 29 October-08 November, NFC Castletownbere GMDSS Restricted Operators Certificate – 23-26 September, Rossaveal, Co. Galway, contact 087 6837134

Two Day Seafood HACCP Workshop – 09-10 October, Athlone, contact (01) 2144 185 – 23-24 October, Cork, contact (01) 2144 185 Passenger Boat Proficiency – 19-22 November, Cromane, Co. Kerry, contact 087 6837134 NFC Greencastle +353 74 938 1068/1099 NFC Castletownbere +353 27 71230 To confirm the mobile training schedule on the west coast please contact 087 6837134 and on the east coast call 087 2334620.

Funding for the course fee and subsistence costs may be available through BIM’s Seafood Training Scheme.

EUROPEAN UNION This measure is part-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

www.bim.ie

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

NEWS A: In general, where an EU vessel catches fish in OTHER ASPECTS the territorial waters of RELATING TO a Member State and then FISHING ACTIVITIES lands the fish in a port Q: Can a Union vessel in the same or in another continue to transit UK Member State without waters as of the withdrawal leaving the territorial date? waters (i.e. it is all the A: Yes, international time in the customs law establishes a right territory of the Union), of ‘innocent passage’ no customs formalities through the territorial will apply, as the fish will sea and freedom of be presumed to have the navigation in the customs status of Union exclusive economic zone. goods (Article 153(1) of In absence of an the Union Customs Code). authorisation to fish in However, customs may these waters, fishing check whether the vessel vessels in transit must has remained in the John Quinlan, DAFM Credit Kenneth O’Halloran / BIM have gear stowed and territorial waters all the secured so that it is not time. readily available for Nonetheless, in this fishing. specific situation of work which inevitably Q: If I fish near the »» from page 1 the UK withdrawal, slows down the overall exclusive economic zone if an EU vessel lands border and drift into UK scientific interests, and licensing process. fish caught in the UK “Controversial cases waters when I am gathering taking account among territorial waters before make all consultees my trawl, will that be other things of Natura the withdrawal date in wary of involvement regarded as fishing in UK 2000 requirements.” an EU port as of that in the process and waters?

He added that date, customs may ask slow to respond to the production of A: Yes. The hauling of for a proof of status of Appropriate Assessments Departmental requests active fishing gears is a that fish according to has been “hugely resource for observations.” fishing operation that Article 130 of Delegated intensive and very time requires authorisation Regulation (EU) consuming. Not least ACCOUNTABILITY in accordance with Art 2015/2446. because of tidal cycles He said there was a 3(2)(g) of Regulation Where an EU vessel and seasonality issues “clear role” for industry (EU) 2017/2403. It is catches fish in the relating to data gathering to communicate with also defined as a fishing territorial waters of on bird migrations and environmental NGOs and activity by Article 4(1) a Member State and other environmental the general public to the CUSTOM STATUS, of Regulation (EC) No crosses the high sea events involving a benefits of aquaculture CUSTOMS, 1224/2009. Therefore, before landing the fish in hundred-and-twentyfor coastal communities: and as it already happens FORMALITIES AND a port in the same or in three survey events.

“It’s essential that all CUSTOMS DUTIES with fishing activities another Member State, In addition, profiling operators respect the Q: What is the customs close to neighbouring the customs status of of aquaculture industry terms and conditions status of fish caught by third countries’ waters, Union goods of the fish activity had to be of the aquaculture and an EU vessel9 in the UK the hauling operation will have to be proven carried out for all bays foreshore licences that must take place in Union exclusive economic zone (Article 119(3)(a) of in order to define the apply to their sites.” when brought to the waters unless the Union Delegated Regulation likely interactions And he added that customs territory of the vessel is authorised to (EU) 2015/2446). Until with conservation breaches of licence Union? fish within UK waters. then it will remain under features of sites: conditions cannot simply Q: Will UK control and A: For the purpose of the customs supervision.

“Most of this data be “overlooked” by the enforcement authorities Q: What rules apply to fish customs status of Union collection, definition of relevant authorities: have access to Union fishing goods for products of caught by an EU vessel at scientific interest and the I don’t have to tell you vessel monitoring system high sea, transhipped and seafishing the exclusive appropriate assessment that shellfish and fin (VMS) data and logbook transported through the UK economic zone is treated process is now almost fish is marketed to the data from FLUX? and then brought to the EU in the same way as high fully complete, and the public as being of the A No. However, as set sea, therefore, the general as of the withdrawal date? department has received highest quality, which A: Where the fish is out in Regulation (EU) rules on the customs Appropriate Assessment it is, and it commands landed in the UK before 2019/498, the EU is ready status of products of seareports from the Marine premium price because to provide continued fishing apply, whether the the withdrawal date, but Institute in respect of of this,” he concluded. it cannot be excluded access to its waters until fish was caught there by 32 bays,” he revealed.

The foundation that it reaches the EU 31 December 2019, if the an EU vessel before or as Quinlan also noted stone for this excellent only as of that date, it United Kingdom is going of the withdrawal date. the lessons to be learnt reputation is public Q: What is the customs is advisable to provide to provide access to its from the process: confidence in the the truck driver with waters for the EU vessels, status of fish caught by “The controversy that regulatory system that documents proving the and respects the terms of an EU vessel as of the has surrounded fin fish underpins the industry. customs status of Union the fishing opportunities withdrawal date in UK licence applications is The Department is territorial waters? goods of the fish.12 regulation 2019. In this spreading to shellfish always very alert to A: Those products of Where the fish is case, consideration will licence applications protecting Ireland’s landed in the UK as of be given to the continued sea-fishing will have in key areas. reputation as a the customs status of the withdrawal date, exchange of VMS and “Controversial cases producer of the highest non-Union goods when the general rules for logbook data via FLUX. give rise to huge volumes quality food in the Q: If I spot a UK fishing brought to the customs transhipment and of correspondence and marine environment,” vessel in Union waters, who territory of the Union. transport through a other administration Quinlan concluded. should I contact?

When released for free country or territory A: Any sighting of a circulation, they shall which is not part of the third country vessel in be granted relief from customs territory of the Union waters and any import duty according Union apply. In the case IMPLEMENTING EU evidence of potential to Article 208(1)(a) of the of the UK, the fish can illegal fishing activities Union Customs Code10 also be placed under a DIRECTIVES IS THE by fishing vessels in (see also below, Q&A 4.6). transit procedure, as Q: What is the customs Union waters should be the UK will become a GOVERNMENT’S status of fish caught brought to the attention Contracting Party to the JOB AND IT’S THE of the control authorities by an EU vessel in UK Convention on a common territorial waters before the of the relevant coastal transit procedure as of AQUACULTURE withdrawal date, but landed the withdrawal date in Member State. in an EU port after the Q: What kind of reporting the no deal situation.

INDUSTRY’S ROLE TO COMPLY withdrawal of the UK? will be required upon entry Q: Do customs duties WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF into UK waters as of the apply to fish caught in UK A: In this case, the withdrawal date? territorial waters by an EU products of sea-fishing DIRECTIVES. IF [GOVERNMENT] vessel?

A: This will depend will keep the customs DIDN’T IMPLEMENT THE A: According to Article on the relevant UK status of Union goods requirements. subject to a proof thereof 208(1)(a) of the Union DIRECTIVE CORRECTLY Q: Will quota swaps Customs Code, fish taken (cf. Article 119(3)(a) of with the United Kingdom from the territorial sea Delegated Regulation IT’S THEIR FAULT, BUT THE still be possible as of the of a country or territory (EU) 2015/244611).

AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY withdrawal date?

Q: Do customs formalities outside the customs apply to an EU vessel A: No. However, as set territory of the Union by HAS PAID THE HIGHEST PRICE landing in an EU port after out in Regulation (EU) vessels solely registered 2019/498, the EU is ready the withdrawal of the UK, or recorded in a Member FOR THE ECJ RULING after having caught fish in to provide continued State and flying the flag access to its waters until UK territorial waters before of that State is exempted 31 December 2019, if the the withdrawal date? from duties. Hence, no »» from page 5

United Kingdom is going to provide access to its waters for the EU vessels, and respects the terms of the fishing opportunities regulation 2019. In this case, the possibility of quota swaps with the UK is maintained in 2019 and the Commission will execute the formal quota exchange with the United Kingdom in line with the specific procedure set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/498.

Q: What fisheries conservation and control rules apply to fishing by an EU vessel, before the withdrawal date, in UK waters, if the EU vessel lands in an EU port after the withdrawal of the UK? A: The EU rules of the Common Fisheries Policy will apply in this case.

Q: What fisheries conservation and control rules apply to fishing by an EU vessel, before the withdrawal date, in UK waters, if the EU vessel lands in a UK port after the withdrawal of the UK? A: As of the withdrawal date, the UK fisheries rules will apply to this case.

duties for fish caught

by EU vessels in UK territorial waters will be due, no matter if the vessel lands in an EU port before or after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom.

Evidence has to be provided that the conditions laid down in the Article 208(1) of the Union Customs Code are fulfilled.

Q: Do customs duties apply to fish caught in Union waters by an EU vessel (before or after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom), but landed in an UK port as of the withdrawal date?

A: As of the withdrawal date, UK rules will apply in this case.

Q: What customs tariffs apply in the EU as of the withdrawal date?

A: As of the withdrawal date, the EU’s WTO Tariff Schedule will apply.

Regarding the customs tariffs and the calculation of the customs debt, please refer to the ‘Notice to stakeholders withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules on customs debt and customs tariffs’.

Q: What customs tariffs apply in the United Kingdom as of the withdrawal date?

A: The United Kingdom submitted its proposed tariff schedule in July 2018, which is subject to the usual procedure under the WTO. On 13 March 2019 the United Kingdom has published temporary preferential and nonpreferential (MFN) tariffs that will apply for a period up to 12 months in the event of no deal and special arrangements regarding the border on the island of Ireland.14.

SANITARY CONTROLS (‘OFFICIAL CONTROLS’)

Q: What rules will apply to fish caught in UK waters (before or after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom) but landed in an EU port as of the withdrawal date?

A: The EU rules on official controls of fishery products apply to all fresh fish immediately landed from fishing vessels in EU ports, irrespectively of the flag of the vessel or where the fish was caught.

Q: What rules will apply to fish caught in EU waters (before or after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom) but landed in an UK port as of the withdrawal date? As of the withdrawal date, UK rules will apply.

A: As of the withdrawal date, UK rules will apply.

Given the number of Union fishing vessels that carry out fishing activities in waters of the United Kingdom, these conditions and procedures could lead to considerable delays and an increased administrative burden in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

FRESHWATER FOCUS

Adriatic ‘paradise’ aquarium bread was pressed onto the hook and dropped in and the small fish again hurried to the he angler gazed bait. over the pier The float wiggled, and then edge into the dipped down. The angler crystal-clear struck immediately but waters of the Adriatic Sea. the float and hook flew up The fresh green tint of the and into the air without a shallow water gradually fish. This performance was changed to a rich turquois, repeated a number of times, and further out to a but the fish skillfully avoided glorious azure blue. getting hooked.

He could clearly see fish The following evening the four to five metres deep; it angler changed to a lighter was like peering into a large float and a smaller No 16 aquarium. The balmy breeze hook. He also had different enveloped the angler like a bread this time: the crusty warm bath. variety that goes a bit rubbery This surely was paradise. the next day.

The little telescopic 1.4-m Using the crust, he carefully travel rod was stronger than worked a small bite-size he expected and it also cast a piece onto the hook tip. very respectable distance. He Within seconds of landing on saw many small fish around the water surface, the float the pier, and he had seen disappeared into the azure what looked like yellowfin depths. tuna leaping only a short He struck, and instantly felt distance from the shore. the resistance of a fish on A No14 hook and float the line. Reeling in he saw a were rigged up with sliced small handsome silver fish pan as bait. No sooner was it swing towards him. It was an dropped in, a crowd of small Annular Seabream (Diplodus fish instantly converged on it; annularis). silver flashes were evidence of He had found the winning a feeding frenzy. formula for hooking these The float bobbed and small fish despite their wiggled but after about delicate nibbling. With the a minute it remained next cast, he caught another motionless. The hook came small fish, a Mediterranean up clean. Once more some Rainbow Wrasse, (Coris julis).

Brendan Connolly

T

Adriatic Common Octopus

Adriatic Painted Comber

Adriatic Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse

Adriatic Annular Seabream

Again, he caught an Annular Seabream, and then he had a third species, a Sargo or White Seabream (Diplodus sargus). All these fish have quite small mouths, hence the clean hook of the previous evening.

To experiment, the angler put on the bigger flake of bread and cast the float further and into deeper water. The float was still for a minute or two, then it bobbed and plunged downwards. He struck and felt a fish.

This time it was a small Golden Grouper, (Epinephelus costae), a member of the perch family. The next cast produced another Annular Seabream. None of these fish were bigger than 12 cm yet not without their challenge if you want to hook one.

The following day the angler moved to a small inlet on the rocky shore. He used a bigger hook this time, with a small fish strip from one of the fish he had already caught.

Dropping this bait into the inlet attracted a number of small fish but all they did was nibble at the bait; the hook and bait were much too big for them.

Adjusting the hook he let the bait drop closer to the bottom as he saw other somewhat larger fish deeper down. This produced the desired result.

The float jerked downwards, he struck, and lifted an amazing fish out of the water.

It was a Painter Comber (Serranus scriba) which is a small grouper also of the perch family. The electric blue dot and the broad black bands on its sides make this a handsome little fish.

Next, the angler adjusted the float so that the fish strip was lying on the bottom.

Some fish followed it and pulled it around a bit.

Then, suddenly, he saw a small octopus quite close to the bait. The octopus moved tentatively around the bait, once or twice touching it with the tip of a tentacle. The octopus was being careful, but gradually it moved closer, and then covered the bait with the membrane between its tentacles.

The angler struck and lifted the octopus into the air, squirting water out of its siphon; it was a Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris).

Although octopus is edible, the angler returned it to the sea as there is something very cute about octopi. It shot back down to the exact spot where it was caught, leaving a cloud of black ink in its wake.

No fish over 15 cm was caught, but with light gear and small hooks, these small inshore fish in the beautiful waters of the Adriatic ‘aquarium’ are fun to catch.

Of course, the yellowfin tuna a couple of hundred meters offshore has not been forgotten. Next time maybe…

FISSTA enjoy Lá na Mara -in Cill Chiaráin Noel Carr

A

fter reading in a local publication that friends and enemies were welcome to attend Lá na Mara last month, I approached the scenic village of Cill Chiaráin with caution. I should not have worried as I was made very welcome and was glad to have paid a visit to their marine day organised by Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Billed as an information day with a Gaeltacht perspective, some media had promoted it as a debate on salmon farming, but our focus when we spoke was clearly to highlight the potential employment for Ireland’s wild Atlantic salmon and an angling tourism sector that supports over 12,000 jobs according to an Inland Fisheries Ireland study.

We impressed upon the audience that protecting wild salmon was paramount and to create clean and sustainable employment as the Icelanders and Norwegians have already done, and with good results to date. We emphasised that Gaeltacht shoreline companies from Donegal to Waterford should be encouraged to pursue a similar strategy.

We stated that FISSTA could not fault the principle of a marine park that would embrace the opportunities of our ocean potential - sustainably.

OUTDATED METHOD

For decades however, UnaG, in line with successive government policies, has promoted what we believe is the outdated method of open-net cage farmed salmon production which leading companies in Norway and the USA are abandoning now in favour of cleaner onshore technologies.

We suggested that the protection of Ireland’s wild salmon and sea trout seems to have been lost in the proposed plans for the marine park.

Salmon farming is being proposed and our Federation, along with sister organisation, Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages, will campaign for the withdrawal of plans that we believe will damage wild marine life.

Responding to my statement, Údarás na Gaeltachta Príomhfheidhmeannac, Micheál Ó hÉanaigh - for the first time - clarified that their research plans were

directed only towards onshore and not net-cage production as first envisaged.

Confirming that ÚnaG had received expressions of interest from twenty-four companies who wanted to establish an industry in the park, he estimated that 70% of these would be seaweed-based, employing around 200 people with a further 400 jobs possible.

To get the marine park up and running, he said roughly €50 million of private investment would be required and that there would be a strong emphasis on research and close links with scientists worldwide.

OYSTERS AND SEAWEED

Dr. Oliver Tully from the Marine Institute spoke on the history of native oysters, and former Údaras executive Jim Keogh gave an account of the seaweed industry and the work of Arramara Teoranta in Cill Chiaráin.

He said that Acadian Seaplants, the company that bought Arramara Teoranta, had four factories in Nova Scotia where they employed 400 people. Arramara currently has 24 employees, but numbers would increase in line with a good supply of seaweed.

Marine Day was not just a talking shop; chef JP McMahon gave a culinary demonstration that included farmed salmon and wild sea fish combined.

Presentations such as these by Bord Bia and BIM are common but are challenged

by FISSTA at every opportunity.

Overall, Lá na Mara helped us all to focus on how marine jobs will help small Gaeltacht areas to survive.

My own Gaeltacht in southwest Donegal is a good example where Errigal Bay Teo employs over 200 people in the crab and shellfish industry since 1964. Their state-of-the art factory near Carrick operates successfully on the banks of a wild Atlantic salmon fishery on the Glen River and defines what we mean by a sustainable seafood industry.

It proves that communities with mutual respect can achieve such job creation if the owners and management cooperate and work with nature.

Visiting buyers from around the world see and discuss the positive response from locals and are impressed, so it is good for their export business as well.

That is how Gaeltacht regions will survive in the future.

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

FISHERIES

More prawns with less environmental impacts Dr Ronán Cosgrove and Dr Matthew McHugh, Fisheries Conservation Section, BIM

A

s outlined in the government’s Draft Adaptation Plan, increases in extreme weather events and changes in the

distribution of fish stocks are among the key climate change challenges facing the Irish seafood sector.

Climate change is also driving green technologies and a

Trudy Mc Intyre

A

s Autumn draws in it has brought much unsettled weather around the coast for our inshore fleet.

Crab catches have been generally down everywhere and our French colleagues are reporting the same; however there’s been a slight improvement in the last week or two.

Prices are also well back on last year which was to be expected as the unusually high prices received last year were unprecedented. For fishers who invested heavily in Vivier tank systems to ensure care of the catch along with being members of the fisheries improvement plan (FIP) to produce good quality crab that is caught sustainably, it is disappointing.

And the shrimp season is well underway with reports of a slow start and lower prices but showing some improvement in the past few weeks.

OFFSHORE WIND FARMS

During the summer, two wind energy companies lodged planning applications for ground works in Cork, Waterford, Wexford and Co Louth.

This alarmed fishermen as the inshore sector had received no communication relating to the applications.

Fishermen have been and remain the main stakeholders in the waters around Ireland but almost always are the last to hear about anything that is happening around them.

I know from experience that clear communications and consultation result in good co-operation between industry and energy companies.

Is it asking too much to expect that fishers who have worked the grounds for generations are shown some respect?

Fishers and their representatives are available to sit at the table and communicate.

Industry knows that wind energy is the future, but not at the cost of their livelihoods!

WORLD MARITIME DAY

I was honoured to be asked to give a short presentation in Irish Lights HQ in Dún Laoghaire on World Maritime Day with this year’s focus on ‘women in the marine’. It was a fantastic conference and networking event that drew around 160 women from across the marine and maritime sectors.

To use my daughter’s words to describe the event, who herself is in her last year studying nautical science in the National Maritime College of Ireland and as a young cadet starting out: ‘Inspiring and motivating speeches from so many incredible ladies’.

Listening to these women gave her great excitement and encouragement for her own future in the marine industry.

Attending the event were marine engineers, captains, harbour masters, marine scientists and many more. Thank you and congratulations Yvonne Shields, chief executive of the Commissioners of Irish Lights, for such an historic event.

My presentation was about how I became involved in the fishing industry, what I do and who in the industry influences me.

These include the Women in Fisheries Network, Siobhan

Faulkner, Monica Buckley, Caitlin Ui Aodha, Caitlin Moore and Catherine Barrett.

Each of these women with their own truly amazing qualities and dedication to the marine industry and their communities, supporting each other in their endeavours and collectively with fishing for litter and LAST (Lost at sea Tragedies).

FISH PROVENANCE

I would love to see Ireland as an island nation eating more Irish-caught fish and asking the provenance of fish in restaurants, to raise awareness of our fishing industry.

Awareness and promotion create demand. I’m delighted to see Bord Bia is currently promoting whitefish on Virgin TV. As someone who is very involved in the fishing industry, I’m concerned and annoyed that the word ‘fishing’ is being replaced by the word ‘seafood’. Our identity as fishing families is one to be proud of; it has sustained coastal communities through many a recession.

Holding onto our identity is very important to us. Brexit and the reality of it fast approaching has brought very real concerns not only for larger vessels in our fleet that might be displaced but also the smaller vessels that fish outside the 6nm who may also be displaced.

Where will they go and how will they stay viable competing with vessels 30 metre-plus, fishing alongside them?

We are a small industry but we are very important to the coastal communities and the direct and indirect jobs it creates.

fisheries, crustacean trawling remains on the lower-end of the spectrum compared with terrestrial forms of animal protein production.

UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS

BIM recently tested a new sensor that addresses this issue.

Developed initially for shrimp trawl fisheries, the Notus Echo Sensor ENERGY EFFICIENCY is mounted on a rigid sorting grid close to the Nevertheless, every codend. renewed emphasis sector needs to improve The system uses on fuel efficiency as its energy efficiency. underwater acoustics a means of reducing Likely increases in and a wheelhouse carbon emissions. carbon tax on foot of display unit to track The 2018 BIM Business recommendations from catches as they strike of Seafood report the recent Oireachtas the grid and pass shows how our most Committee on Climate through the trawl. In commercially important Action will impact fuel addition to improved fisheries target small prices and fisheries energy efficiency, the pelagic species such profit margins. as mackerel and horse Ongoing improvements sensor incentivises use of the sorting grid – a mackerel. in vessel and engine Published in the design will undoubtedly permitted selective gear option in the Celtic and journal, Nature (2018), help. Optimising gear Irish Seas. a study entitled ‘Fuel configurations can also Matthew McHugh led use and greenhouse greatly assist. the trial, assisted by gas emissions of world In its 2018 report, Martin Oliver. Initial fisheries’ reveals how Impacts of climate testing on board MFV fisheries for small change on fisheries and Karen Mary in Galway pelagic species are aquaculture, the FAO focused on calibrating currently the most outlines how switching device sensitivity to carbon efficient form from single to multiwork for Nephrops. of animal protein rig trawls with two to Underwater cameras production globally. four nets in crustacean were used to groundA deeper dive trawl fisheries achieves truth sensor outputs and into the scientific substantial savings in literature suggests that fuel. Multi-rig trawls are identify elevated catch rates during tows. consumption of small the predominant gear Preliminary results are oily fish is on par with a type used in the Irish very encouraging and vegetarian diet in terms Nephrops fishery. further field testing is of the energy used in its The FAO report planned. production. also describes how BIM would like to Demersal fish and developments in Nephrops (prawns) are fisheries instrumentation thank Jim Hall (Notus) and Eoin Sweeny Ireland’s next most can improve fuel (CAMROC) for their important species. efficiency in welltechnical assistance.

Fisheries for demersal managed fisheries. Fish Thanks also to Padraic fish are more carbon detection equipment and Gerard McDonagh intensive than small and catch sensors help and the crew of MFV pelagics but are less so reduce fishing time Karen Mary for an compared with trawling and fuel consumption. excellent collaboration. for crustaceans such as Their use however A full report on work shrimp which are similar has been traditionally conducted to date is to Nephrops. restricted to fish rather available at www.bim.

The study indicates than crustacean species that while on the which are more difficult ie/our-publications/ fisheries higher-end for to discern.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALSO DRIVING GREEN TECHNOLOGIES AND A RENEWED EMPHASIS ON FUEL EFFICIENCY AS A MEANS OF REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS.

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

FISHERIES

BIM named Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) champion

I

reland’s seafood development agency has been appointed as a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) champion and is one of just 12 organisations in Ireland to be selected to the programme that aims to make the goals become better known and mainstream.

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton said actions must be taken across a broad range of policy areas to put Ireland on a more sustainable pathway: “The SDG draw those together in an integrated way; achieving them will be a challenge. We need everyone to get involved and play their part in whatever way they can. The champions chosen…will be beacons of best practice for the coming year. They

will lead the way with practical examples for how we can all contribute.”

Organisations across the public, private and not-forprofit sectors are among the champions, they include the GAA, An Post, the National Women’s Council of Ireland and Musgraves.

The champions were selected based on measures they have already put in place to incorporate the SDG into their work.

Jim O’Toole, BIM chief executive, praised the ambition and unified approach of this new programme: “The environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the Irish seafood sector is central to BIM’s strategy. It’s hugely promising to see 12 leading and quite diverse organisations in Ireland take on the role of SDG champions in the first year of

Catherine Barrett and Catherine Morrison, BIM with Richard Bruton, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

this exciting new programme to drive sustainability.”

Launched just three years ago, the UN Sustainable Development Goals are a ‘call to action’ for world leaders to address global issues to reduce hunger, poverty and climate change by 2030.

BIM is champion for Goal 2 (End Hunger); Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and Goal 14 (Life Below Water).

2019/2020 Champions: An Post BIM Carlow County Council ECO Unesco The GAA Irish Congress of Trade Unions Irish Men’s Sheds Musgrave National Women’s Council of Ireland Smart Farming - Irish Farmers Association Union of Students of Ireland Vodafone Each champion organisation will primarily focus on a select number of SDG resulting in all 17 SDGs being championed in total.

All twelve campaigns however will be built around the core message that the SDG are for everyone in society and that everyone can make a contribution, large or small, to their success.

Data-collection programme on bluefin tuna in Irish waters

F

ifteen authorised skippers from Cork, Clare, Galway, Sligo and Donegal participated in a pilot, catch, tag and release data-collection programme on bluefin tuna (midAugust to mid-October) Only these authorised skippers were legally permitted to advertise fishing/charter trips targeting bluefin, according to the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority and Inland Fisheries Ireland. All skippers and crew received training in fish handling,

welfare, tag and data recording.

Tuna CHART, developed

by IFI and the Marine Institute in partnership with SFPA and the departments of marine and environment, aims to increase knowledge of the behaviour and abundance of bluefin tuna in Irish waters.

The initiative will enable the collection of “valuable data” on their migratory patterns in Irish waters “in a tightly controlled environment”. It is a “wonderful example” of cooperation between the

Bluefin tuna in Donegal Bay. Photo David Morrissey, Marine Institute

Irish rope-grown mussels achieve blue label status

I

reland’s rope-grown mussel fishery has achieved Marine Stewardship Council certification. This recognition, along with the seabed cultured fishery in 2013, means that Ireland’s entire mussel fishery is certified under the management of the state’s seafood development agency, BIM. Chief executive, Jim O’Toole, said their collaborative, cross-industry approach, was behind this success: “The prestigious certification achieved allows for a unique national approach where all mussel growers operating in licensed harvest locations

in Ireland can now label their mussels with the MSC ecolabel. [This shows] they are MSC certified as sustainable and from a well-managed fishery.”

Ireland’s mussel industry is export focused and MSC certification “provides valuable evidence to the marketplace of the sustainable environment in which our seafood is produced,” he added.

Jo Pollett, MSC senior fisheries outreach officer (UK & Ireland) said the award was “great news” for Irish mussels: “BIM has shown ambition and leadership in pushing for the sustainability of Irish fisheries.”

Jim O’Toole, CEO BIM; Jo Pollett, MSC UK and Ireland and mussel farmer, Michael Mulloy, Blackshell Farm Ltd and chair of IFA Aquaculture

VOLUME & VALUE

In 2018, the Irish mussel industry was valued at €11.7m. The rope grown sector, which was introduced predominantly on the west coast in the 1980s, produces circa 9,000 tonnes annually.

Total mussel volume in the twelve months (rope and bottom-grown) was 13,800 tonnes.

ACCREDITATION

The MSC is an international non-profit organisation whose vision is for the world’s oceans to be teeming with life and for to safeguard seafood supplies for future generations.

Their ecolabel and certification programme recognises and rewards sustainable fishing to create a sustainable seafood market.

The ecolabel means that certified produce comes from a wild-catch fishery that has been independently certified to their science-based standard and is fully traceable to a sustainable source.

Over 370 fisheries in roughly 38 countries are certified to MSC standard and have combined annual seafood production of more than 11 million tonnes, representing 15% of global marine catch. Circa 38,000 seafood products worldwide carry the MSC label.

BREAKFAST INFORMATION EVENTS 2019

relevant departments and State agencies, remarked Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

SAFE SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

DATA COLLECTION

“Targeting bluefin tuna in Ireland remains illegal except under the new pilot scheme,” warned Susan Steele, SFPA chair. [We] are working closely with our partners to ensure the ongoing protection of bluefin tuna in our waters.”

The SFPA has ‘legally authorised’ IFI officers to perform the duties of the SFPA within this fishery ‘specifically in relation to monitoring compliance with the law within the bluefin tuna fishery’, a statement reads.

Any person engaging in this fishery on any vessel that is not appropriately authorised is in breach of the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction (Bluefin Tuna) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No 265 of 2019.

Join us at our special Information Breakfasts for fishermen, processors and shellfish producers. Get the latest news and help on matters from quota management to food safety and trade.

Learn more about the changes taking place and have your queries answered by experts from the relevant organisations.

Plus talks on risk analysis assessment and the implications on fishery regulatory compliance from Brexit. www.sfpa.ie

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS

DATES FOR BREAKFAST EVENTS 2019: • Galway: Clayton Hotel, Ballybrit, Co Galway, 4th September • Kerry: Brehon Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry, 23rd October • Cork City: Cork International Hotel, Cork, 27th November For information or to reserve a place email: events@sfpa.ie

10

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

FISHERIES

Retired end of gear in Castletownbere

Damien Turner, Chairman ISWFPO; Catherine Barrett, BIM; Patrick Murphy, CEO ISWFPO

Ireland champions ‘world first’ scheme to remove marine litter from fishing waters Gery Flynn

J

anuary 2019 marked the beginning of the ‘Clean Coasts initiative that set a target of achieving 100% participation of Irish fishing vessels by the year end in Ireland’s first coordinated scheme on land and sea to collect, reduce and reuse marine litter.

Funded jointly by the Irish exchequer and the EU under the European Maritime Fisheries Fund, the initiative builds on the voluntary ‘Fishing for Litter’ organised

by BIM which has hauled over 190 tonnes since 2015.

Ireland was setting a “world first” where fishing vessels would be cleaning and removing plastic daily, commented Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

“Coordinated action is required to address the serious issue of pollution of the oceans with plastics.”

Marine pollution threatens fish stocks, the wider marine environment and the future of the fishing industry.

Contamination of the marine environment comprises eighty per cent plastics and reached 335 million metric tons world-

wide in 2016. Plastics do not biodegrade but instead photo-degrade, breaking up from recognisable items of all sizes into tiny particles that pose risk to marine wildlife and the marine environmental in general.

THINK TANK

Members of the Irish fishing sector met with harbour masters, net producers and with representatives from recycling companies

and government officials in June to exchange ideas on the creation of a circular economy for fishing gear.

The new business model will consider the full ‘life-cycle’ of fishing gear in a bid to reduce its impact on the marine environment.

Two new EU directives, Impact of certain plastic products on the environment and The Port Reception Facilities focus on the use and management of plastic waste.

OPPOSITE PAGE Inshore Ireland spoke to BIM’s Catherine Morrison and Catherine Barrett about the initiative.

Rodney O’Sullivan, Swan Net Gundry; Catherine Barrett, BIM; Cormac McGinley, Castletownbere Harbour Master

The Clean Oceans Initiative

SDG 14: FFL helps prevent and reduce marine pollution for life below water

FOR WASTE CHECK LIST TER & MARINE LIT

SDG 12: Environmentally sound management of all waste through their life cycle

? harbour accept terial does the What waste ma are accepted? ries ego cat waste What special ts harbour contac bag from the Collect a FFL ste compound? access the wa you can ere When and wh ing w you’re com r master kno er Let the harbou and marine litt vessel waste ded lan of ord Make a rec tos pho e som Take

DO

SDG 17: Encourage, promote and build on the experience of partnerships to share knowledge and expertise

DON’T

Do put the following in the FFL bags Any marine litter found at sea which could be:

Ghost gear Beverage Containers Any or types of plastics Rubber

Don’t put the following in the FFL bags: Your galley waste Your clean net cut offs Your retired gear or end of life gear Don’t put Special Waste categories in that need to be handled carefully such as:

Textiles

Oily drums

Oily rags

Metal

Air/water filters

Batteries

Ask your harbour master about any of the above items for safe disposal.

#CleanOceans

#FishingForlitter

#LifeBelowWater

#ReadyToChange

Networking: Participants at a recent Net Management Meeting hosted by BIM and the ISWFPO in Castletownbere

11

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

FISHERIES

Catherine Morrison, Sustainability & Certification Manager:

F

ishing for Litter was a pilot scheme modelled on an initiative used in Holland, the UK and some other European countries.

The model is basically that fishermen can bring ashore any marine litter that gets caught in their nets which is then disposed of responsibly so that it’s not polluting the oceans. It’s a voluntary system, fishermen don’t get paid; BIM takes responsibility for disposing of the marine litter.

At the start of 2019, Minister Creed announced the launch of the Clean Oceans Initiative on marine plastics, a topic which we’ve all woken up to since David Attenborough’s documentary, Blue Planet, some 18 months ago. Plastic pollution is really high in the public consciousness and Minister Creed responded with this coordinated effort, and tasked BIM with trying to recruit all trawlers over 12 metres, as they are the most likely segment to find marine litter.

There are currently 237 vessels within this segment of the fleet register and we’re in an active recruitment phase just now. Fishing for litter up until then involved 12 ports and those ports were our main contact point. We give fishermen reusable, branded bags to store any plastic or marine waste they find on board. Marine waste varies extraordinarily and everything from washing machines, Christmas trees to other household plastics have ended up in nets, all kinds of stuff.

Previously, BIM didn’t ask fishing vessels to register, per se, they were involved on a voluntary basis and many of them had been collecting waste as a matter of course. So the change is that we now ask fishermen to formally sign up, to make a commitment to fishing for litter.

Minister Creed described this as “setting a world first”.

Yes, it is. It is the first concerted effort on land and at sea to reduce marine waste. It also includes fish farmers, aquaculturists doing shore cleans and pier cleans in their area.

We’re also looking at how

we’re going to progress so it’s more than just fishing for litter. It’s not just bringing the litter ashore, we’re looking at how we can make the industry more sustainable in its use of plastics.

For example, how we might use a fishing net once it’s reached end of life, and how we might recycle fishing nets and plastics generated on fish farms such as mussel barrels, oyster bags and salmon nets.

We’re also working on a European project, ‘Oceanwise’, which is looking for solutions to reduce the use of expanded polystyrene that is widely used in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and by seafood processors.

What do you hope to have achieved by the December 31st deadline?

Our target is to have 100% of trawlers signed up to Fishing For Litter.

We use the fleet register as our target list; any active fishing vessel can sign up - not just the trawlers - anybody who wants to can sign up to be part of this scheme.

What are the real dangers of plastics in the ocean, apart from a visual and point of view?

It must be said that plastic is extremely useful, it serves many purposes, is very flexible and lasts a long time. The downside is that it does not break down easily; it remains as plastic and doesn’t break down into its component parts. What begins as larger pieces eventually breaks down into smaller, micro plastic and smaller still nano plastic.

The potential is for fish to eat these tiny pieces and the plastic then enters the food chain.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is carrying out research into its effect on the food chain and whether it enters the human food chain and what effect it may have.

The industry is talking to recycling companies about a circular economy for fishing gear. What does this mean?

A circular economy

THE POTENTIAL IS FOR FISH TO EAT THESE TINY PIECES AND THE PLASTIC THEN ENTERS THE FOOD CHAIN

Catherine Barrett, BIM Fisheries Development Officer would extract all value possible from fishing nets, and the nets would be manufactured with a view to how they are going to be used - not just while they are nets but once they have reached the end of life.

Two new EU directives coming into force over the next few years will look at tracking, reuse and disposal of nets. However, these new nets will have to be technically suitable and designed to deal with the landing obligation.

More than 40 representatives attended an event in Cork city hosted by BIM and facilitated

by Whole Earth Futures - specialists in circular business model planning. What did you do there?

The event involved net manufacturers, fishermen, industry representatives and waste management companies. It was great to get everyone’s input and feedback on the problems they have and also to hear some innovative solutions.

It’s going to be a complex issue: fishing nets are a very complicated piece of gear, there’s a lot of different parts, they’re made up of many different types of plastics and it’s not a simple item to recycle.

Fishing nets are not like plastic water bottles that are made from a single plastic type; they have mixed types of plastic components that cannot be melted down to create another product, so this is the big challenge facing manufactures and the entire fishing and seafood sector.

F

ourteen EU countries are involved in the Fishing for Litter scheme in some shape or form. It can differ from country to country, for example, in the UK, they have one scheme in Scotland, and another in the southwest, whereas we’ve done it nationally because of the size of the industry and the size of the country.

We’ve taken a whole country approach and have developed from pilot ports to a network of twelve. We describe this as a network so that any boat can land into any port with the marine litter. And this includes foreign registered boats; if they land and have marine litter onboard, they can deposit the litter as part of their harbour dues.

For example, a few Northern registered boats land into Ros a Mhíl at various times of the year, and they’re very welcome to bring ashore their marine litter. The seas are a shared resource and it’s a shared objective to have a clean environment.

What makes it attractive to do this? Why should they bother?

Because it’s the right thing to do, and most fishermen will tell you they are already doing this when they find

litter on their prawn grounds or on nursery grounds. The fleet is highly dependent on Langoustine and Dublin Bay Prawn stocks so it’s in their own interest to have a healthy ecosystem.

Fishermen are also not immune to the ‘Blue Planet’ and they’re not immune to public conversation on plastics. They regularly ask what they should do and what can they do.

Some small boats have brought ashore huge ropes, as thick as snakes - the kind used to secure a cargo ship to a quay. These ropes are a major hazard to navigation and to shipping - especially for large boats that mightn’t see the rope until it fouls their propeller.

Awareness is growing.

We have anecdotal information from some of the harbour masters that as the Fishing for Litter concept grows, there is greater improvement with the waste management of the harbour.

For instance, fishermen applying zero tolerance to their own waste onboard because as they say: ‘Why would you pick out marine litter on one side of the boat and dump it on the other?’

We worked with the Scottish industry in 2014 to learn from their

THE SEAS ARE A SHARED RESOURCE AND IT’S A SHARED OBJECTIVE TO HAVE A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

experience on the best way to approach the sector, given it began as a voluntary scheme.

Fishing for Litter is also recognised as a national measure which is reported as part of Ireland’s requirements under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) by the Marine Policy Unit, in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

We have funding from the European Union for other related projects that help to minimise the impact of plastics on the environment.

These as well as Fishing For Litter are now under one umbrella - the Clean Oceans initiative. So, we can systematically report on the various pillars cohesively - not just to our government departments but to the public and other interested stakeholders.

We’re now also working on the Sustainable Development Goals especially SDG14 which looks to protect life below waster and SDG12 which aims for Environmentally sound management of all waste through their life cycle. However, a key goal is SDG 17 which promotes, partnership. We can’t achieve sustainability goals unless we have the harbours, the fishermen, the whole sector working with us in partnership.

Our job in BIM is to make this as frictionless as possible and to provide support.

The Clean Oceans Initiative

01 PET

REFERENCE

REDUCE

✸ Establish baselines to understand the volume and nature of marine litter, end of life gear and plastic waste streams from the sector ✸ Identify commercial pathways for end of life fishing gear with plastics

✸ Smart Net Management

REWARD ✸ Identify individual and community efforts ✸ Recognise and share the stories and achievements of the sector Develop “Green Ship” credentials

REACH ✸ Stakeholder/community engagement at local events ✸ Awareness training on marine plastics for the seafood sector ✸ Community Charters or “Green Deals” giving co-commitment between marine and land partnerships ✸ Working with stakeholders in the Clean Coast network

01 PET

✸ Onshore Waste & Resource Management ✸ On-board Initiatives/Eco Pact on farms ✸ Apply circular economy principles to achieve efficient use of plastic resources

RETRIEVE Local Awards

✸ Aquaculture area shore/pier clean ✸ Fishing For Litter

CA

(Cellulose Acetate)

✸ Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (CLAMS)

RECORD ✸ Establish recording methods so Vessels can log marine litter, waste returned and end of life gear management using geo-tagging technology to share activity and metrics

Smart Data

12

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

FISHERIES

First certified fishmonger qualification hopes to retain and attract talent

I

reland’s first accredited fishmonger qualification, developed by BIM, has received recognition

by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), responsible for promoting quality and accountability in education and training serviced in Ireland.

Ian Mannix, BIM (head of skills & training) explained that today’s consumer has come to expect their fishmonger to have a broad knowledge of seafood.

“This new programme will provide solid, fully certified training to anyone working in seafood retailing; practical skills they can then apply in the industry. Moreover, improved skills in the workplace will ultimately lead to better sales and better retention of staff.”

The new training combines practical and classroom learning and includes modules on seafood labelling, nutrition and food

safety. The programme also includes hands-on demonstrations in fish fileting and culinary skills and is aimed at existing staff in seafood retailing or anyone interested in pursuing a career in the industry.

Master fishmonger, Hal Dawson is one of the trainers and has worked in the seafood industry since 1972: “The new course will provide professionalism within the industry.

Having this qualification on your CV will give fishmongers a real advantage.”

RETAIL SALES

The value of seafood retail sales in 2018 was €297 million according to BIM’s Business of Seafood report. Sales of loose fish experienced the sharpest increase (+8%) in comparison to pre-packed (+1%).

Salmon remains the number one fish species bought by consumers in Ireland, however there has been a marked increase in demand for lesser-

known species owing to higher awareness of sustainability and provenance.

Laura Desmond, national sales manager at Oceanpath, completed the pilot fishmonger skills programme in 2018. She spoke of how the training has given her more experience in grading fish quality and food safety: “I started out in sales and engineering and made a switch to the fish business when my mother passed away in 2010. I now manage Reid’s Fish Market and Oceanpath. I love the freedom of my job. I’m in my car, and get to share my passion and knowledge of seafood to fishmongers working in the different stores. I can go into any of our stores now and ensure we’re selling the best quality fish.

The Certificate in Fishmonger Skills is taking place in Dublin and Cork early 2020.

Further details: contact seafoodskills.ie or go towww.bim.ie

Programme overview and aims Training includes the following: »» technical fish filleting skills »»culinary skills & fish quality demonstrations »»classroom learning including food hygiene & seafood labelling.

CERTIFICATION

Participants who successfully complete the programme including all assessments will »»receive a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Level 5, 15 credit, Special Purpose Award in Fishmonger Skills.

WHO IS THIS PROGRAMME FOR?

The programme is open to individuals who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in seafood retailing. It will be of particular interest to new entrants working with independent fishmongers or on a supermarket fresh fish counter.

The programme would also be of interest to existing staff who have not received any certified training in this area.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should have successfully completed a programme leading to a level 4 certificate on

the National Framework of Qualifications (or equivalent) e.g. Leaving Certificate or QQI Certificate. Applicants must be able to communicate efficiently in English and must be working in seafood retailing or currently seeking work in the sector.

ASSESSMENT

Written assignment (20%), Learner record (20%) and Skills demonstrations (60%).

Cost: €350 per participant.

This includes QQI certification costs, course material, tea/coffee and light lunch on course days.

Dates & Venues

T

he programme will be delivered over seven days in Dublin (January-March 2020) and Clonakilty, Co Cork, (April-June 2020).

Dublin: Most units will be delivered in BIM Head Office, Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Other practical units will take place in Howth, Co Dublin and there will also be a oneday seafood industry study trip.

Unit Dates - 2020 January 13: Hygiene and Food Safety in Seafood Retailing January 20&21*: Fish Filleting and Preparation

Skills February 10: Seafood Labelling February 11: Seafood Nutrition. Seafood industry study trip (transport will be provided from BIM) March 2: Seafood Quality and Freshness March 3: Seafood Culinary Skills February/March: Customer Service.Halfday mentoring in place of work (with one of the course trainers) Final Assessment (in place of work) March * Alternative dates: Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd January for this unit depending

on numbers attending the course; dates will be confirmed when application has been accepted.

Cork: The programme will also take place in BIM, Clonakilty, Co. Cork between April and June 2020. Please contact us for further details.

Further information/ Request an application form: Contact Eileen Soraghan or Darina Plunkett by email at seafoodskills@bim. ie or telephone 01 214 4100. Alternatively, application forms can be downloaded at www.bim.ie.

Annual v-notching of lobster reaches 35,000

E

ach year up to 35,000 adult female lobsters caught by Irish inshore fishermen have a v- shaped notch removed from their tail by trained

BIM staff. This ‘V-notch’ marking is supported by legislation and makes it illegal to land, hold or sell these lobsters.

If they are caught again, they must also be returned to the

THE LOBSTER LIFE CYCLE 8mm - 10mm*

0-7 DAYS

12mm - 15mm*

4-14 DAYS

9-22 DAYS

14-30 DAYS

5-7 WEEKS

5-7 YEARS

32mm*

50mm*

20mm*

300mm*

*Sizes are not to scale

sea. This enables the lobsters to reproduce on up to three more occasions before the notch is repaired, and helps to maintain Ireland’s lobster fishery.

Ireland was the first country to introduce this measure in Europe in 1994. It arose from concerns by members of the Irish fishing sector in the early 1990s about the sustainability of the Irish stock. The programme has grown in each year since that time.

Participating fishermen receive financial support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund administered through BIM for a proportion of the value of the v-notched lobsters returned to the sea.

They also make a contribution themselves towards the remaining proportion of the

Supporting and promoting safety at sea

S

ince its introduction in 2001, over 8,000 members of the Irish fishing sector have completed basic safety at sea training and have received safety cards from BIM who also administer funding for safety equipment.

Over 2,000 fishing vessels are registered in Ireland and more than 3,000 adults work in the fishing industry. Almost 2,000 BIM Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) have been issued to owners of Irish registered fishing vessels in the last five years.

“The fishing industry can be highly rewarding and for many it’s more than a job, it’s a way of life,” explains Ian Mannix, head of skills & training at BIM. “But fishing remains the most dangerous occupation in Ireland. Having appropriate safety training and equipment is essential.”

DIVERSE TRAINING

BIM offers a range of practical training courses designed to provide skills to those working in the sector in the areas of personal safety and survival techniques.

Since the BIM Enhanced Safety Training (EST) was launched in 2013, almost 2,000 Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) with integrated Personal Locater Beacons (PLBs) have been issued to owners of Irish registered fishing vessels.

All persons operating or working on board fishing vessels of 15m or less are eligible to apply and will receive a PFD fitted with a PLB on completion of this training.

Practical training designed to increase knowledge of personal safety and survival techniques is also available.

These include a short course delivered over one day, the Standards of Training and Certification of Watchkeeping

for Seafarers (STWC) Personal Survival Techniques Certificate, issued by BIM on behalf of the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport (DTTAS).

This course involves a mix of practical and classroom-based learning by trained BIM staff.

THEORY ELEMENT

The theory element covers personal survival techniques, onboard safety equipment, use of Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), maintenance of safety equipment, musters and drills, abandon ship, life raft equipment, survival techniques onboard the raft and the role of the Emergency and Rescue Services.

The practical exercise takes place in a swimming pool and includes launching a life raft, boarding a raft in dry and wet conditions, taking injured casualties on-board the life raft and the procedure for righting an up-turned life raft.

“These are the essential skills required to demonstrate proficiency in how to survive at sea in the event of having to abandon ship or an accident. Further onboard training and industry experience may be needed to maintain the required standard of competence at sea,” Ian Mannix added.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Whelk fishermen Gerry Copeland, James Byrne and David Massey remember a fateful day in 2015 when their boat MFV Lavicca capsized off the Wicklow coast on April 15.

13

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

FISHERIES

value of the lobsters.

Additional protection is provided for the lobster stock through a Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) of 87mm carapace length. This is measured from the back of the eye socket to the back of the carapace, and aims to protect lobsters that are not yet sufficiently mature to reproduce and contribute to the lobster stock. A Maximum Landing Size (MLS) of 127mm also forms part of the conservation.

By v-notching larger lobsters which produce much higher numbers of eggs, the lobsters are afforded the chance to grow large enough to exceed the maximum landing size and gain permanent protection. Lobsters under the MCRS and over the MLS cannot be landed and must be returned to the sea.

Further details: Caroline Curraoin, BIM curraoin@ bim.ie | + 353 1 214 418 | www.bim.ie

Getting to grips with deep-water crabs in Irish waters

including Galicia (northwest Spain), Biscay, Porcupine Bank, Rockall Bank, Shetland Islands, Rockall Bank, Viking Bank, and uring early August southeast Iceland, the 2019, MFV species’ apparent rarity Realt an Oileann may be due to either skippered by David the use of inappropriate Heaney, Co Galway captured fishing techniques or two unusual species of crabs misidentification in (Toothed Rock Crab Cancer commercial landings bellianus and Northern of Deep-Sea Red Crab Stone Crab Lithodes maja) (Chaceon affinis) and Brown while potting at a depth Crab (Cancer pagurus) of 120m northwest of [maximum CW 300 mm] Inishbofin, Co Galway. whose depth ranges partially Both of these essentially overlap with C. bellianus. deep-water species have For example, between rarely been recorded from 1978 and 1980, 72 Irish inshore waters (depths specimens of C. bellianus <200 m). were taken in deep-water The economic exploitation pots on the eastern slope of deep-water crab species of the Rockall Bank at in Irish waters needs to be depths ranging from based on prior and on-going 300-583 metres. During biologically sustainable stock August 2005, a total of assessments supported 864 kg of marketable-size by proper marketing and C. bellianus was recovered David recalls how the protected by adequate from discarded gill nets at seemingly normal, flat calm practical management depths of 417-424 metres day, changed very suddenly: resources. southeast of Rockall. ‘‘We were hauling a string The potential sustainable It is interesting to note of pots and suddenly the commercial exploitation of that significant quantities boat took a jolt. Gerry had these and other deep-water of C. affinis (271 kg) reached for the VHF radio crab species in Irish waters is and Box Crab (Paromola but didn’t have time to make briefly reviewed. cuvieri) [2257 kg] were also the call before we went over recovered from discarded gill TOOTHED ROCK CRAB nets in the same area (see and he was trapped inside the (CANCER BELLIANUS) wheelhouse. Gerry managed below).

C. bellianus is widely to find an air pocket, took a NORTHERN STONE distributed in the gulp of air and dived out of CRAB (LITHODES MAJA) northeast Atlantic, ranging the door and up the side.

L. maja is a cold-water from southeast Iceland “As soon as James asked amphiboreal species ranging southwards to northwest where the life raft was, from Spitzbergen (80°N) Africa (Morocco/Spanish it popped up too. The southwards to the south of emergency position indicating Sahara; c.27oN), including the Azores, Madeira, Ireland (North West Bank, radio beacon (EPIRB) in the S Celtic Sea; 50.11°N, wheelhouse also floated free.” Selvagens and Canary Islands, but only rarely from 08.59°W) in the northeast The boat sank within a few Atlantic, and from SE minutes but as a result of the the western Mediterranean (Alboran Sea).

Greenland southwards to safety equipment onboard It is found on varied Maryland, USA (Baltimore and on their person, rescue substrata at depths ranging Canyon 38.16°N, 73.86°W) services were soon on the from 37-750 metres, with in the northwest Atlantic. scene and they were airlifted The species has rarely to safety, Ian Mannix explains. maximum abundance between 200 and 450 been recorded in inshore ‘‘Only for the lifejackets metres. The maximum (depths <200 m) European we had on us, I wouldn’t be reported carapace length Atlantic waters southwards standing here today,’’ recalls (CL), width (CW) and weight of 55oN. Although L. maja Gerry. has occasionally been for the species is 136 mm, It is an ongoing campaign reported from depths of only with BIM to change the culture 221 mm, and 1920 g four metres, the species respectively. in the sector to the belief that is usually found on mud, Although relatively few ‘a well-trained crew is a safe muddy sand and gravel specimens have been crew’,” Ian adds. substrates at depths ranging recorded from Irish inshore Further information: http:// from 65-790 metres. The waters (depths <200 m), it www.bim.ie or contact is probably not uncommon in maximum recorded CW for John Connaughton at the species is 145 mm. connaughton@bim.ie or + 353 offshore waters.

It is possible that L. maja C. bellianus is taken as a 1 2144 262. may be more abundant by-catch by Portuguese and Spanish vessels off northwest and widely distributed in Irish waters than the Africa (including the current paucity of records Canary Islands) and off the would suggest. The species Portuguese coast. Although apparent rarity southwards both whole crab and claws of latitude 55°N may simply are marketed in mainland Grant aid of up to 50% reflect limited recording Spain and Portugal, there of course fees and learner are no specific FAO statistics effort in suitable habitats, support costs are available available regarding quantities the use of inappropriate for individuals working in fishing methods, the species landed. the sector. cryptic behaviour, or a Although C. bellianus has Financial assistance is genuinely low abundance been recorded infrequently also available under the and/or patchy distribution. from a wide range of Fleet Safety Scheme which Exploratory pot surveys locations in northwest provides grant aid of up to of L. maja stocks off European Atlantic waters, 60% for the purchase and installation of a full range THE ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION of safety items including OF DEEP-WATER CRAB statutory life-saving, SPECIES IN IRISH WATERS fire-fighting, navigation NEEDS TO BE BASED ON and radio communication PRIOR AND ON-GOING BIOLOGICALLY equipment.

Declan T.G. Quigley Dingle Oceanworld (Mara Beo Teo)

D

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

SUSTAINABLE STOCK ASSESSMENTS

Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (northwest Atlantic) at depths of 200400 met concluded that although the species was widely distributed across a variety of bottom types and produced good yields of very acceptable crab meat, the species was not abundant enough to sustain a viable commercial fishery.

1

DEEP-SEA RED CRAB (CHACEON AFFINIS)

C. affinis (maximum CL 155 mm) is widely distributed in the northeast Atlantic, ranging from southern Iceland southwards to northwest Africa (Iles du Cap-Vert), including the Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands.

Although relatively few specimens have been recorded from Irish inshore waters (depths <200 m), it is not uncommon in offshore waters.

The species has been commercially exploited in offshore northwest European waters by UK, German and Irish registered vessels since the early to mid-1990s. Following a peak of 1,477 tonnes reported during 1996 however, annual landings declined dramatically during 2007 with only 175 tonnes reported during 2017 (Fig. 4).

Toothed Rock Crab (Cancer bellianus) NW Inishbofin, Co Galway, August 2019

2

BOX CRAB (PAROMOLA Northern Stone Crab (Lithodes maja) NW Inishbofin, Co Galway early August 2019 CUVIERI)

P. cuvieri (Fig. 5) is widely distributed in the Eastern Atlantic, ranging from southern Iceland southwards to South Africa, at depths ranging from 130-2,047 metres.

Although relatively few specimens have been recorded from Irish inshore waters (depths <200 m), it is not uncommon in offshore waters. P. cuvieri it is a relatively large crab (maximum CL 215 mm), but its potential value as a sustainable commercially exploitable species in northwest European waters (and elsewhere) has not been assessed.

PORCUPINE KING CRAB (NEOLITHODES GRIMALDII)

N. grimaldii (Fig. 6) is widely distributed in the northeast Atlantic, ranging from western Iceland southwards to western Madeira, at depths ranging from 664-5,380 metres. It is also found off Greenland and Canada in the northwest Atlantic.

Although this relatively large species (maximum CL 180 mm) is probably not uncommon in deep water (1,000-3,000 m) off the southwest, west and northwest coasts of Ireland, little is known about either its biology or potential value as a sustainable commercially exploitable species.

3

Deep-sea Red Crab (Chaceon affinis)

5

Box Crab (Paromola cuiveri) male, Achill Island, Co Mayo June 2007

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

AQUACULTURE

Restructuring aquaculture sectors into consolidated group to revitalise sector Gery Flynn

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ppointed earlier this year as IFA Aquaculture Executive, Teresa Morrissey takes on the role after several years with the Marine Institute where she was involved mainly in the area of fish health, disease diagnostics and scientific research - a role that also saw her liaising with the wider aquaculture industry.

“I hope to bring this experience with me to this new role”, she told delegates to the

aquaculture’s annual conference where she noted that the representative organisation had been going through a process of change over the past few months.

Change sees the formation of a single consolidated group to represent all sectors of Irish aquaculture: finfish; shellfish and seaweeds.

“We’ve also restructured the levy payments system which is now based on a per cent of annual turnover as opposed to hectarage as in the past.

And we’re looking at an innovative approach to representing our interests

and concerns in Ireland’s aquaculture industry.”

Focusing on the highly sensitive issue of licensing and the twelve-year backlog that built up following the 2007 European Court of Justice finding, she said that IFA Aquaculture would be looking to the recommendations of the Independent Licensing Review Group: “The Aquaculture Licensing Review Group has called for a streamlined aquaculture licensing system, and we’re now looking for a clear commitment from the Minister and his department with

The operators and businesses that did survive have shown themselves to be extremely resilient despite little or no State support or aid in the meantime, and they remain extremely important for coastal communities and for the remote local economies where many of them operate. The oyster sector, for example, has even succeeded to develop new global markets by finding ways to navigate through these problems. That begs the question what might the aquaculture industry as a whole have achieved had they enjoyed a 10-year licence.

regard to having an implementation plan for these recommendations.

“This should be an implementation plan that prioritises and gives clear time lines for each recommendation outlined in the review,” she said.

As for the sometimespoor public image that the aquaculture industry has suffered from over the past twenty years, she said that this had to change: “IFA Aquaculture members are aware of the mistruths and misinformation in the public domain. We want to help the public to understand what aquaculture actually is by

of the Review of the Aquaculture Licensing Process to clear the backlog of six hundred licence applications - all of which were shellfish. Determination means grant or refuse; it doesn’t mean you have been granted a licence by the fact it has been determined.

This is correct because criteria will attach to an application and must be fulfilled.

Teresa Morrissey Kenneth O’Halloran / BIM So naturally not everyone will be granted a licence, What’s your key message Quite simply, without and this has not been an aquaculture licence to this conference? correctly communicated you can’t operate or Licensing is the main when we talk about issue, unfortunately still, progress. You don’t have determinations. Many after ten-plus years. By the security of business determinations in for ten years and you the end of this year we 2018 were refused on can’t plan ahead. The hope the department what I assume was on industry has been in a will have cleared the legitimate grounds, some hiatus for the last teninfamous licensing Is the licence backlog in of which are now being backlog for shellfish, and plus years as a result the finfish farming sector appealed before ALAB of not been able to plan then the focus will shift being dealt with too?

(Aquaculture Licensing towards finfish licensing ahead - or avail of grant We have been assured Appeals Board) which is aid - all the things you and how that’s going to that by the end of 2019, under-resourced. ALAB enjoy with the security progress. the shellfish licence needs to be properly Environmental Impact of having a licence and backlog will be cleared, resourced and supported having the surety of Statements (EIS) have and thereby, all 600+ knowing you’re going to licence determinations will in order to progress been requested from those appeals. have a licence. the finfish sector and have been made. DAFM Without your licence the deadline has been have requested finfish The Independent you cannot progress, you farmers to submit their EIS Aquaculture Licensing extended by six months can’t plan. Our industry to March 31st 2020. We by the end of March 2020. Review Group made thirtyhas stagnated as a result, The original deadline was in IFA are looking for one recommendations with knock-on effects more clarity on how Sept 30 but a six-month that would lead to into many other areas that process is going extension was granted. a comprehensive such as local economies to develop. Nobody is We have sought clarity implementation strategy. and even some State saying this can be dealt from DAFM as to why Are these recommendations agencies. with easily, but we are there is a deadline and being implemented? looking for clarity from what the Department’s Since the ECJ ruling in No. There is no the Department. plan is for assessing implementation strategy 2007, Ireland’s aquaculture While the aquaculture these EIS, which are that I am aware of, and I industry has lost industry faces many quite complex and have never seen an actual momentum, investment challenges, it is a require a lot of work to strategy or a plan, nor and markets. In effect, progressive and resilient the industry overall has compile. The industry have I been informed of industry, with a big role stagnated in the past twelve wants to know how the a strategy or a plan. The to play in sustainable Department proposes Department told us they years? food production. Of to assess these in a are working towards Yes, but despite the course, you need a timely manner. We’ve clearing the backlog, and ruling, our industry has licence to operate, and that nothing else would still managed to survive. yet to receive clarity on IFA Aquaculture looks that and until they’re be addressed until that We had a situation forward to playing its assessed, no new backlog is cleared. We’re where we had to part in engaging with establish baseline data as licences or renewals will advised that the backlog industry and DAFM to will be cleared by the end a result of the European be granted. achieve the potential for Court of Justice ruling. of the year. There are 31 In 2018, Minister Creed aquaculture in Ireland. recommendations, some We now have that data said the Department was of which could have been and we are aware of working towards achieving IFA Aquaculture regards easily addressed long what’s required of the 300 determinations. What the backlog as the biggest before now. aquaculture industry do you understand by the issue holding back the So, what happens then to comply with the word determination? industry. Why is it so is the next question. I Habitat’s Directive, so important to clear the The Department would assume that all we move on. backlog? set a target as part

Michael Mulloy, Chairman, Irish Shellfish Association (ISA); Teresa Morrissey, IFA Aquaculture Executive and Joe Healy, IFA Kenneth O’Halloran / BIM highlighting the positive aspects, the products produced and by increasing the overall understanding through social media platforms. We also need to

progress this further with local and national media.

Teresa Morrissey spoke to Inshore Ireland about the challenges and the changes she hopes to deliver.

of the recommendations will be implemented, until I’m told otherwise.

So, until then we will assume the government intends to implement these recommendations - or at least to engage with the industry. I understand that clearing the backlog is the only measure actively being implemented, so we need to discuss the other recommendations.

that it is an environmentally unfriendly industry. Is enough being done by IFA Aquaculture to get a more positive message across to the general public?

There are many mistruths and misinformation about the aquaculture industry in the public domain.

Aquaculture is not that different from agriculture where you are basically farming a particular species, be it Some IFA Aquaculture salmon, oysters, mussels members have suggested or trout, in water not on that some officials in the land.

Department of Agriculture In the same way as Food and Marine (DAFM) agriculture, you mimic might have an antithe conditions in which aquaculture mentality? the animal naturally I would like to think grows and thrives, this isn’t the case. It and aquaculture is no would be ironic if there was an anti-aquaculture different. That’s not generally understood mentality within the by the public; we need section of DAFM that is to better communicate ultimately responsible that there’s nothing for the aquaculture untoward about industry. aquaculture practices.

Likewise, State It’s relatively agencies like BIM and straightforward, it is the Marine Institute simply food production are hugely involved in supporting aquaculture. in the aquatic environment.

Without an aquaculture Shellfish production is industry there would be extremely sustainable, knock-on ramifications it’s almost carbon for these agencies, neutral. It removes as well as for some carbon, and what most of the officials in the people don’t understand Department.

Is there a lethargy in DAFM is that like all farming, it depends on a really clean in dealing with aquaculture and healthy environment issues, the finfish sector in in order to produce. You particular? simply can’t produce Some of the changes top-class product unless required in how the you’re in clean waters.

Department deals with Shellfish are filterour industry are very feeders, they’re actually simple. At the moment taking material out of it’s very difficult to the water rather than get a clear answer to putting it in. Salmon any question in fact. farming also has a Communication has to improve. I’m working to negative image in some quarters but is try and achieve this but the Department needs to moving towards more sustainable ways of proactively engage. I’m sourcing feed from open to engaging with them, I want to talk with algal oils and insectbased sources. Salmon them. The aquaculture farming is one of the industry has always most sustainable sources wanted to engage. of protein with feed The perception of conversion ratios as low aquaculture in the media as 1:1. finfish especially - is often

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

AQUACULTURE

Mowi Ireland defines sustainable seafood for 40 years Catherine McManus

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n the Spring of 1979, a group of brave investors established a small trout farm in the Fanad peninsula, Co Donegal and named it Fanad Fisheries. One of these investors, Tony Fox, relinquished his secure teaching job in Dublin to manage the farm while relocating his pregnant wife and toddler son from the relative comfort of suburbia to a mobile home with no electricity or running water.

Twelve years later the Fanad farm became part of the Norwegian Mowi farming company, changing production from trout to salmon, and in 1985 formed a partnership with the Norwegian Norsk Hydro Group.

Subsequent sustained investment in the following years through several mergers and acquisitions which included Nutreco, Pan Fish ASA and Fjord Seafoods, allowed the company to acquire additional farms in Donegal, Mayo, Kerry and Cork under the Marine Harvest banner.

Earlier this year, the company was renamed Mowi

Ireland and is now part of the Mowi ASA Group - a global force in salmon aquaculture with a workforce of 14,537 employees operating across 25 countries worldwide and servicing 70 markets.

Today, Mowi Ireland is the only producer of organic salmon in the family and employs between 250 and 300 people - depending on the time of year – and has an annual turnover of approximately €67 million.

LEADING THE BLUE REVOLUTION

Sustainability for Mowi Ireland means increasing the world supply of healthy, sustainable food from the ocean to feed a burgeoning world population in a way that respects the ocean’s assimilative capacity while allowing local communities to flourish.

Our sustainability strategy is centred around the guiding principles of planet and people and underpins our

commitments across our social and environmental performance at all stages of the farming and processing chain.

Today, 73% of our employees hail from the coastal counties in which we farm - many of whom are second generation fish farmers, with three staff members representing the third generation.

Mowi Ireland staff have an average of 12 years’ service with 24% clocking up more than 20 years of service. The very first local employee of Fanad Fisheries has worked in Mulroy Bay, Co Donegal since since 1981.

Not accounted for in these figures are the many people employed by Irish suppliers of goods and services to Mowi Ireland. A conservative estimate is around 595 people with a spending power of roughly €20 million spent per annum on Irish goods and services.

ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARD

This year, Mowi topped the new Coller FAIRR (Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return) Protein Producer Index for the second consecutive year. The index represents a comprehensive assessment of how some of the world’s biggest farmers of meat and fish are managing their sustainability risks. (see page 16) In August, Mowi Ireland attained the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) salmon standard which is one

of the highest international environmental and social sustainability standards in the fish farming sector for five of its Irish sites.

These achievements represent an overwhelming endorsement of the Mowi brand and its rich history on the Irish Atlantic seaboard where we rely on our local communities and a clean ocean to produce the healthiest and most sustainable seafood.

The Irish aquaculture sector currently finds itself at a critical juncture as it

remains significantly short of product to allow it to grow with its customers and secure continuous full-time employment for its employees working in salmon processing.

Mowi Ireland is committed to playing its part in unlocking the full potential of the sector and to keeping local people employed in rich and meaningful jobs on our coast and Island communities.

Keeping young people in remote communities is a social benefit that cannot be overstated.

TODAY, 73% OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAIL FROM THE COASTAL COUNTIES IN WHICH WE FARM - MANY OF WHOM ARE SECOND GENERATION FISH FARMERS, WITH THREE STAFF MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE THIRD GENERATION

IFA President, Joe Healy

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ddressing delegates, IFA President Joe Healy outlined the changes within IFA Aquaculture that have seen the amalgamation of the shellfish and finfish groups into a consolidated group to represent the aquaculture industry as a single entity: “IFA Aquaculture will focus on providing strong industry representation nationally and internationally, support the improvement and development of the aquaculture industry and promote positive aspects of industry of which there are many.

The aquaculture sector is a valuable member of our organisation and plays an

IFA President, Joe Healey

active and very, important role. IFA Aquaculture is fully supported by the IFA along with the benefits and supports provided by the organisation to aid with efficient service provision.

IFA regards the aquaculture sector on a par with every other primary food production sector – and an extremely important sector for rural Ireland, for the economy and for the future of our food industry.

Aquaculture provides employment for rural coastal communities with almost 2,000 people in employed directly, and a further 14,000 indirect jobs.

The value of aquaculture is estimated at €176m: €120m (finfish) and

Kenneth O’Halloran / BIM

€56m (shellfish). Over 80% of this are exports to the value of a €140m.

And it’s a sector with tremendous potential for further development.

My message to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine representatives is to focus on how we can develop that potential and avoid large levels of bureaucracy. The potential social and economic benefit, both locally and nationally, must be realised.

Policy documents, Food Wise 2025 and the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development along with the current programme for partnership government, all established the objective of achieving sustainable development of the aquaculture sector.

This must also be met with advocacy from the department and relevant government agencies to allow for innovation in the industry.

Further engagement between government departments and industry stakeholders is absolutely necessary if we’re all to work towards ensuring the economic potential and sustainable future of the Irish aquaculture industry.”

MOWI IRELAND IS IRELAND’S LEADING PRODUCER OF ORGANIC ATLANTIC SALMON AND HAS OPERATED SUCCESSFULLY IN IRELAND FOR 40 YEARS, EMPLOYING OVER 290 PEOPLE BETWEEN ITS SALMON FARMS, HATCHERIES AND PACKING PLANT IN DONEGAL, MAYO, CORK AND KERRY.

16

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

AQUACULTURE

Seafood business course established at Wexford Campus Dick Bates

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he southeast is a region frequently overlooked. From the point of view of seafood, the waters are among the most productive in Ireland, with very valuable catches of fish and shellfish, oyster and mussel cultivations in particular. This is the first region to have a dedicated post-graduate course on the business aspects of seafood.

The course is now in its third year at the Wexford Campus of Institute of Technology Carlow, which is a prize-winner in terms of its lifelong learning programmes.

Students attend every second Friday and Saturday over the academic year and can combine their studies with work.

Developed in partnership with BIM, the Higher Diploma in Business in Aquabusiness offers modules

in business environment (economics), strategic and innovation management, finance, marketing and law, all with a focus on the seafood sector.

The diploma also involves a work-based project or placement. This year, for the first time, the five modules are also available as individual Certificates at level 8.

Although the HDip got underway in mid-September, interested candidates can sign up for the four modules on an ongoing basis.

Strategic and innovation management runs for six days starting November 22; financial management and planning from January 10; law and regulation from February 14 and business environment from March 20.

Candidates are eligible for an EMFF grant administered

by BIM of 50% of course fee and a daily attendance allowance.

Five modules and the

project/placement taken over more than one academic year will lead to the award of the Higher Diploma when completed.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The original idea for the course came from John Doyle, a Kilmore man with family connections in fishing who is now farming near Ferns.

John had been part of the group that successfully lobbied for an agriculture degree course at Wexford Campus a few years ago.

John felt that Wexford should continue to play to its strengths and also have a local course dealing with the seafood industry.

The 12-month, part-time Higher Diploma at level 8 (honours degree level) is the result of his labours in conjunction with a steering committee comprising Wexford Campus, BIM and the IFA. Richie Flynn did great work on behalf of IFA

‘MOWI tops world table of managing sustainability risks in fish farming’

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Catrina Martins, chief sustainability officer, says the ranking recognises their commitment to sustainability and animal welfare: “I am extremely proud of the work my colleagues do every day FAIRR is a to reduce our footprint collaborative network that raises awareness of and continue improving the way we operate.” how some the world’s Investor support biggest farmers of fish The primary purpose and meat are managing their sustainability risks. of the Index is to inform investor decision-making The assessment examined environmental about the protein sector.

It is the world’s only awareness, climate benchmark dedicated change, food safety and worker safety, and found to profiling animal protein producers, that while more than and showcases critical half of the companies gaps and areas of best surveyed were failing practice in the sector. to properly document The report encourages their impact, ‘salmon investors to integrate farming companies the data and analysis rank as among the about performance into most sustainable and their stewardship and compliant’. investment decisions.

According to MOWI, The Index is also the company is ranked as ‘overall best performer’; a benchmark to help animal protein three salmon producers companies self assess are among the top five. reland’s leading organic salmon producer MOWI has topped the FAIRR (Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return) Protein Producer Index for the second consecutive year.

against their peers and to improve their management and risk reporting.

According to Catrina Martins, aquaculture and salmon farming makes a responsible investment case and is “highly necessary” to reduce climate gas emissions: “We simply must produce and eat more seafood,” she contends.

BACKGROUND

In Ireland for more than 40 years, MOWI contributes over €20m annually to the domestic economy and employs 300 people at farms and hatcheries in Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Cork and Kerry. Around 800 Irish suppliers are associated with the company.

MOWI also holds the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) salmon standard at four of its Irish sites. This standard is one of the highest international environmental and social sustainability recognitions in the fish farming sector.

MOWI is a subsidiary of the MOWI Group headquartered in Norway which employs 14,537 across 25 countries and services 70 markets around the globe.

Aquaculture prior to his untimely death last year.

He has been replaced on the steering committee by IFA Aquaculture Executive, Teresa Morrissey.

I retired in mid-2016 following a career in fisheries development and administration with BIM and later the European Commission and became involved with the steering committee in a voluntary capacity.

We were delighted that the course received the endorsement of the South and East Fish Producers Organisation and the South and West Fish Producers Organisation, and the Women in Fisheries Network in 2018.

The course aims to upskill individuals working in the fishing, aquaculture, seafood processing and marine bioproducts sectors so that they have the education and skills essential to realise a strong and sustainable seafood sector that can meet whatever challenges lie ahead. It aims to have a cadre of people who can speak up for the seafood sector.

While agriculture and agribusiness is well catered for in Ireland at third level, this is not the case with the seafood sector, which up to now has not had a

Back Row; Dick Bates, John Hickey (BIM); Carol O’Kelly, John Doyle, Dr Janette Davies (Deputy Head of Wexford Campus and HDip coordinator); John Connaughton (BIM), Dr Karin Hennessey (Head of Wexford Campus). Front Row; Aquabusiness graduates (l-r): Myles Mulligan (BIM Waterford); Andrew Torrie (Waterford); Brian O’Loan (BIM Wexford; Mary Meyler (Wexford); Kate Dempsey (Wicklow); Padraig O’Lorcain (Galway) and Joseph Gibbons (Donegal) (Missing from the photo - Naomi Barlow (Waterford).

dedicated course dealing with business aspects or indeed any other aspects.

Wexford Campus is a pioneer in supporting the new Higher Diploma and the five individual Certificates in Aquabusiness.

Small classes and a student-centred learning environment help and support students returning to third level.

THE FIRST GRADUATES

The first graduation took place at the National Opera House in Wexford in November 2018. One third of the graduates were women. Mary Meyler from south Wexford received the Joey Murrin Memorial Medal for high performance on the course.

Kate Dempsey from

Arklow came in the top ten of the 2018 young entrepreneur award for her Irish Mussel Seed Company and was BIM Student of the Year.

Naomi Barlow who is responsible for marketing the family-owned oyster business in Waterford Harbour also graduated last year.

Other graduates came from Wexford, Waterford, Galway and Donegal. Brian O’Loan, BIM, came top of the class and was presented with the Brendan O’Kelly Memorial Medal by daughter Carol O’Kelly.

Further information: Brian O’Loan: aquabus@ bim.ie | 087 2626578 or Dr Janette Davies, Deputy Head, Wexford Campus of Institute of Technology Carlow: janette.davies@ itcarlow.ie’ | 053 9185808.

Trial begins of smartphone app to respond to invasive alien species

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Gittenberger, GiMaRIS exchange information new a specialist in ecological on any potential invasive smartphone risk assessments alien species they app to help the demonstrated the app encounter to help with aquaculture to father and son, Hugh sector in Ireland identify their management,” and Johnny Wilhare, explained Catherine invasive alien species Mulroy Bay mussels, in Morrison, BIM was trialled in Mulroy Donegal. The Wilhare sustainability and Bay, Co Donegal, where family are among the certification manager. rope-grown mussels first members of the Irish The app works by the have been produced aquaculture sector to test user taking a photo of for more than 30 years. out the new app during a suspected invasive Developed by BIM, the its initial pilot phase. alien species they app helps users identify “The aim of the and learn about invasive discover. The location new app is to help the and other coordinates alien species. aquaculture sector are captured by the app An alien species is in Ireland undertake and the information defined as any living more comprehensive is then sent to BIM to specimen introduced risk assessments and to investigate further and outside its natural range help strengthen their if confirmed, catalogue. whose introduction or biosecurity plans,” Grainne Devine, spread may threaten or explained Grainne Devine.

BIM and Arjan adversely impact on the biodiversity and related ecosystem of a given area.

Invasive alien species present a major threat to biodiversity loss. An important part of BIM’s role in developing the Irish aquaculture sector is to work with operators to minimise the environmental impact and improve overall environmental performance of their operations.

“This app will help (l-r): Grainne Devine, BIM, Johnny and Hugh Wilhare, the aquaculture sector Mulroy Bay Mussels, Arjan Gittenberger, GiMaRIS

17

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

MARINE

Forum to help restore native oyster stocks in Irish waters

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n Irish Native Oyster Forum has been established to help restore native oysters (Ostrea edulis) populations in Irish waters.

It is hoped that the Forum will “better influence” policies that may affect native stocks which “remain of high environmental and socio-economic importance to fishing communities,” remarked Patricia Daly, BIM, secretariat to the Forum.

Earlier this year the Tralee Oyster Fisheries Society invested in a purpose-built barge to deploy coupelles (spat collectors) in large frames during the summer months.

Juveniles are then stripped from the collectors and held in

a designated nursery area until they are large enough to resist predation when restocked in the fishery.

Denis O’Shea and members of the Society visited France last year to learn the techniques of this method of spat collection and brought back this knowledge to forum members who hope to adopt similar technologies within their own fisheries.

STATUS AND MANAGEMENT

During a reference period 2010-2012, the results of fourteen oyster surveys in six bays on Ireland’s west coast prior to and following annual late autumn fisheries were published by the Marine Institute in ‘The Status and Management of Oyster (Ostrea edulis) in Ireland’,

compiled by Oliver Tully & Sarah Clarke.

Surveys based on local knowledge of bed distribution took place in Tralee Bay, Galway Bay, Kilkeran Bay, Clew Bay, Blacksod Bay and Lough Swilly, focusing on density, biomass, size composition, growth and mortality.

The majority of national oyster biomass occurred in inner Tralee Bay where it varied from 980-1,1330 tonnes. The biomass in outer Tralee Bay and Lough Swilly was approximately 100 and 1124 tonnes respectively.

Estimates in inner Galway Bay, Kilkieran Bay, Clew Bay and Blacksod Bay were all less than 50 tonnes.

Documented history of oyster fishing in Irish waters dates back to the 1500s although records of national

production are incomplete.

Peak output was in the mid and late 19th century, due significantly to the short-lived offshore fishery in the Irish Sea and the Galway fishery which was important up to the early 20th century.

Overall, long-term trends in national production is of fluctuation with local extinctions or severe declines and various restoration attempts. By 1870, half of Irish production was from Arklow to Wexford where UK boats also fished large quantities.

Production from these beds peaked at 34-38 million tonnes in 1863 and 1864 but had declined dramatically by 1888.

Licencing regimes - from open public access to private licences – were introduced in an attempt to manage

Members and advisors of the Irish Native Oyster Fisheries Forum visit Tralee Oyster Fisheries Society at Fenit Harbour (L-R): Denis O’Shea (Tralee Oyster Fisheries Society, Francis King (Tralee Oyster Fisheries Society), Brian O’Malley (North Mayo Oyster Development Co-Op), Seamus Breathnach (BIM) Sean Coady (Inland Fisheries Ireland), Alex Blackwell (Clew Bay Oyster Co-op), Mary Hannan (BIM), Martin Murphy (Achill Native Oyster Fisheries Group), Trish Daly (BIM), Pete Donlon (BIM), Catherine Butler (BIM) Dara Flaherty (Comharcumann Sliogeisc Chonamara Teo), James Linnane (Clarenbridge Oyster Co-op), Eoin Nee (Comharcumann Sliogeisc Chonamara Teo),

Court closes razor shell dredge fishery in Waterford harbour pending full hearing in 2020

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azor shell dredging in Waterford harbour is closed

by High court injunction for the foreseeable future. The injunction will be in place until the determination of a challenge by Coastwatch into the process of opening the fishery.

The case will next be mentioned in the High Court on March 30, 2020, when a date may be set for its hearing. The injunction will stay in place until a decision has been made by the Court.

BACKGROUND

During August, Coastwatch became aware of the imminent opening of Waterford estuary razor shell beds to hydraulic dredging.

There had been no public consultation, and the beds extend into the Waterford

estuary Special Area of Conservation (SAC) which is home to a range of protected species and habitats including Waterford’s famous honeycomb reef which may be the longest of its type in Europe.

Coastwatch contacted the relevant authorities requesting that an Appropriate Assessment study be carried out in accordance with the EU Habitats Directive and for open public consultation, but the fishery opened without these steps.

Coastwatch applied to the High Court on an emergency basis seeking leave to challenge the process that led to the decision to open the fishery, and requested an interim injunction to halt the dredging until the judicial review had been decided.

The application was heard over three days in the High Court. Coastwatch was

represented by Cork based solicitor Brian Harrington and barristers James Devlin SC and Margaret Heavey BL with input from John Wilde Crosbie BL. The proceedings are against the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

After hearing the legal argument and input from the parties, Judge Richard Humphreys granted an injunction on September 18 with immediate effect.

On September 25 when the matter returned to Court, Judge Humphreys granted Coastwatch leave to bring a full judicial review against the SFPA and the Minister.

The proceedings will not be heard until Spring 2020 and the injunction will remain in place until a judgment has issued from the High Court.

the falling stocks. In Arklow, heavy fishing pressure decimated the offshore beds which despite being extensive in area were not highly productive, with sporadic larval retention and settlement.

In coastal bays and estuaries, overfishing or unregulated fishing also played a strong role in the stock decline, along with poor compliance with bye-laws as the fishery authorities were debarred from direct enforcement.

The authors suggest however it is difficult to separate the effects of fishing from environmental effects on recruitment and productivity over longer periods of time.

‘Cold winters of the 1940s and early 1960s, probably contributed to mortality of spawning stock in shallow water areas and more recently, Bonamiosis infection, first detected in Ireland in 1987, has had a significant deleterious effect on stocks.’

Managing threats to native oyster beds is important to optimising recovery potential, say Tully & Clarke.

This would include drainage to potentially increase freshwater volume flow through estuaries, urban development, associated changes in microbiological and viral status of water,

and the introduction or management of non-native species such as the Slipper limpet and Pacific oyster, the latter of which is a major threat to the native oyster stock in Lough Swilly.

The authors conclude that from a national perspective, commercial viability of the fishery and prospects for maintaining the populations is ‘at significant risk,’ due to a concentration of biomass in inner Tralee Bay along with low and widely dispersed biomass in other sites, low catch rates irregular recruitment.

‘Managing the recovery of native oyster populations is a more feasible project than restoration of stocks that have gone extinct as has occurred in many areas of the UK. Fishery management plans have a vital role to play in this recovery.’

The Forum includes two representatives from Tralee Oyster Fisheries Society; Clarinbridge Oyser Co-Op; Comharchumann Sliogeisc Chonamara; Clew Bay Oyster Co-Op; Achill Native Oyster Fishermen’s Group; North Mayo Oyster Development Co-Op and Lough Swilly Wild Oyster Society Ltd. The Forum will meet four times per year with advisors from BIM and the Marine Institute and is funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

Reflection by Karin Dubsky

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oastwatch considers legal action to be a last resort. In this case we first made every effort to try and ensure that the authorities did not open the fishery in the absence of the public consultation and habitats assessments that we believe are necessary under EU law.

The success in being granted the interim injunction illustrates the role of the High Court in upholding EU law and the power of the Courts to shut down fisheries in cases where there is a risk to habitats and species protected by the EU. Over the past decade, more than 70 boats have been retrofitted to carry out hydraulic dredging of the seafloor, penetrating 250 mm (10 inches) into the sediment, causing destruction of habitats and species that get in the path of dredging.

Bottom trawling and razor shell and mussel seed dredging in and around other Marine protected areas (MPAs) is going on right around our coast, damaging fragile seafloor ecosystems that are already grappling with climate change.

Unless all stakeholders make a serious joint effort to properly protect enough real MPAs where nature can be safe and be restored, we are going to destroy our own base.

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MARINE R&D

Atlantic Ocean youth ambassadors inspired to spark change at summer school The summer school included presentations from Fionn Ferreira, winner of the Google IRISH Science Fair 2018-2019 who REPRESENTATION developed a method for Ireland’s first youth extracting microplastics from ambassadors are water. Writer and reporter Eimear Manning and John Lorna Siggins shared her wentydevelop their skills to become Armstrong who were considerable experience in three youth actors for change in 2019 and selected by the National journalism, particularly on ambassadors Youth Council of Ireland on beyond. marine issues and provided from countries behalf of the Marine Institute. valuable feedback.

They learnt from experts connected to the Atlantic Eimear completed a Masters on how to develop Máire Geoghegan Ocean participated in a communication campaigns on in Marine Sustainability Quinn, former European summer school held at ocean issues, to reach out and and is currently working in Commissioner for DG the Marine Institute in engage local communities and environmental education, Research, Innovation August. The inaugural presenting workshops to experience the challenges & Science, shared her event equipped youth nationwide on marine of those living by the ocean. experience and wisdom An anemone hangs from a ledge ambassadors with the sustainability, plastic pollution on how science diplomacy The summer school also knowledge and skills to and water consumption. introduced the power of influences policy. become actors for change science diplomacy and the John Armstrong completed Dr Margaret Rae, Director for the Atlantic Ocean. a degree in ecology and works of Atlantic Ocean Research work of AORA. Youth ambassadors from as an Educational Assistant “With the Atlantic Ocean Alliance Co-ordination and Ireland, Iceland, Canada, USA, facing significant challenges at Fota Wildlife Park and Support Action (AORAGermany, Belgium, Portugal, volunteers with the Nature posed by climate change CSA) said that the summer Spain, UK, South Africa, Brazil, and marine pollution due Network. school will help young people Argentina and Cape Verde Dr Peter Heffernan CEO of to plastics in particular, the strengthen their voices and took part in the programme the Marine Institute said to health of our ocean relies skillsets for the challenges developed by the Atlantic ensure a healthy ocean now on the voices of the next facing us today in the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance and for future generations, generation to continue the Ocean.

(AORA) and led by the Marine current momentum for everyone needs to be better “We are at a crossroads, Institute. informed about how the change,” remarked Minister and we know we must change Minister Seán Kyne, ocean affects us and how we our behaviour. With the Kyne.

Government Chief Whip affect the ocean.

“I welcome our Youth assistance of the National and Minister of State with “This summer school will Ambassadors to Galway, Youth Council of Ireland we responsibility for Gaelic, equip our youth ambassadors have developed an intense and congratulate them for Gaeltacht and the Islands, met taking part in this initiative. with the skills to become training programme focusing with the group on August 24. ocean leaders and marine This summer school will on advocacy, activism The summer school provided encourage our young champions, inspire them to and amplifying messages the Youth Ambassadors with work together and strive for ambassadors to raise to positively influence the opportunity to engage awareness of the crucial value a protected, nurtured and communities and our A coral garden with stony coral species with political, social, economic of our oceans in their own sustainably harnessed ocean.” collective behaviour. and scientific leaders to communities and contribute “Thanks to all the presenters for contributing to this programme and creating an exemplary youth ambassador boot camp,” Dr Rae said. to the global momentum for change.”

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CAMPAIGNS & ACTIONS

Eimear Manning and John Armstrong, with Dr Peter Heffernan CEO Marine Institute, Minister Seán Kyne, TD Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands and Dr Margaret Rae Director of Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Co-ordination and Support Action (AORA-CSA).

After completing the summer school, the youth ambassadors were assigned a project partner and will develop campaigns and actions to address the sustainability challenges faced by the Atlantic Ocean, and pitch their achievements at the All Atlantic Forum in 2020.

The All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassador Programme was developed under the framework of the Galway and Belém Statements on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation to promote All-Atlantic research and innovation cooperation.

The summer school included contributions from the National University of Ireland Galway, BIM, Enterprise Ireland, Camden Education Trust, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ireland, Global Ireland Initiative, Irish Coast Guard, Leave No Trace Ireland, Met Éireann, National Youth Council of Ireland, The Irish Times, Saildrone, Saoirse McHugh - Green Party, Western Development Commission and YMCA Ireland.

Octopus 1,000m below the surface

AFTER THREE YEARS, THE SURVEY TEAM HAS CREATED AN EXTENSIVE DATA SET WHICH REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENTS OF IRELAND’S MARINE BIODIVERSITY. THE SUCCESS OF THESE SURVEYS IS THANKS TO THE COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION ACROSS MANY ORGANISATIONS AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

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MARINE R&D

New mapping application for Ireland’s Shellfish Monitoring Programme

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new mapping application is now available on the Irish Shellfish Biotoxin and Phytoplankton website. Managed by the Marine Institute, the website provides the latest information on shellfish safety data for shellfish producers, food business operators and consumers.

The Marine Institute monitors Irish coastal waters for the presence of toxinproducing phytoplankton and to assess and ensure the safety of shellfish for consumer markets. The programme is designed to detect toxicity before shellfish are harvested from the water to ensure only the highest quality shellfish reach the market.

BIOTOXIN STATUS

ROV-ing Ireland’s offshore reef habitats

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team of Irish-led international scientists on board RV Celtic Explorer have completed the third and final leg of a three-year offshore reef study.

The 21-day expedition investigated sensitive deep-sea habitats at the outer extent of the continental shelf off the southwest of Ireland.

The survey team mapped 154 separate locations within Ireland’s marine territory in one of the most significant deepwater benthic habitat assessments undertaken.

The data and findings will contribute to good fisheries practice and the sustainable management of Ireland’s marine biodiversity.

The Marine Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV Holland 1 captured high-definition footage of reef habitats up to 3,000m deep, and recovered biological and sediment samples from 52 locations along the continental margin.

“Sensitive reef habitats form fragile ecosystems and attract a variety of marine species such as sea pens, sponges, fish and crustaceans. Surveying these habitats enables us to better understand Ireland’s deep-sea territory so that we can protect and monitor our marine biodiversity and sustainably manage Ireland’s marine resources

effectively,” remarked Yvonne Leahy, National Parks and Wildlife Service and survey chief scientist.

BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Scientists from NUI Galway and University of Plymouth also joined the expedition to gather biological samples to enable further research into population genetics studies, ecological modelling. They also harvested sponges to check for potential novel compounds for use in biomedical applications.

Sediment samples will also be utilised for microplastics studies by NUI Galway and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).

The three SeaRover surveys (2017-2019) involved a combined 63 days at sea, recorded 332 hours of high-definition video from the seafloor, almost 14 days of footage, and enabled detailed studies of 350 km of seabed along a shelf extent of nearly 2500 km.

The surveys explored 154 different locations along Ireland’s continental margin, including the Rockall and Porcupine Banks, the Goban Spur and the Whittard Canyon.

The first SeaRover Survey (2017) included the discovery of the deepest known occurrence of the cold-water coral Solenosmilia variabilis, that form reefs in Irish waters at depths of 1,600m.

CORAL SPECIES

In 2018, the team discovered a rare shark nursery 200 miles west of Ireland. A large number of egg cases were filmed on the seafloor at depths reaching 750m and a large school of blackmouth catshark (Galeus melastomus) were present at the site. There were also numerous recordings of different coral species observed in Irish waters for the first time.

“After three years, the survey team has created an extensive data set which represents one of the most comprehensive assessments of Ireland’s marine biodiversity. The success of these surveys is thanks to the coordination and collaboration across many organisations and government departments, and will benefit national policy development as well as researchers and scientists exploring our marine territory in the future,” said Leonie O’Dowd, Marine Institute Section Manager and EMFF programme Co-ordinator.

“It is fantastic to see the underlying INFOMAR seabed mapping data being used to strategically identify and target such vulnerable marine ecosystems for detailed studies in support of future marine management plans.

“In funding INFOMAR, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment are supporting key evidence-based

The application visualises the biotoxin status of all classified production areas by shellfish species. Users can view which production areas are ‘Open’ or ‘Closed’ and zoom in to the map to receive more information on the species and the date the status was applied.

From the map, users can also click and view a webpage for each production area which includes more details on the latest status, samples currently being analysed, and a graph of the toxin and phytoplankton results over the past 20-week period.

“Our shellfish safety programme relies on providing immediate results to the industry to allow them to harvest their product and place it on the market without delay. This new website service improves the efficiency of our monitoring services and facilitates our role in assuring seafood safety more effectively and in a shorter timeframe,” explained Joe Silke, Director of Marine Environment and Food Safety Services.

CONTINUOUS MONITORING

The Marine Institute provides a weekly monitoring service year-round, which assesses over 100 inshore shellfish production sites and offshore fishing grounds as part of these programmes. The work is carried out in close cooperation with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) with strong industry collaboration as part of national official controls on seafood safety.

In 2018, around 3,400 shellfish samples were collected and 15,900 analyses completed. In addition, some 3,500 seawater samples were analysed for toxic and harmful phytoplankton species in 2018.

The application is based on Ireland’s Digital Ocean platform which provides access to a range of data services including online maps, dashboards, search functions and publications.

The Irish Shellfish Biotoxin and Phytoplankton website can be accessed at http://webapps.marine.ie/HABs/ or via the Marine Institute website at www.marine.ie.

investigations of our ever-changing marine environment,” added Thomas Furey, Marine Institute’s joint INFOMAR programme manager.

The SeaRover project was commissioned and jointly-funded by the Irish Government and the EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The cross-government initiative

was supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht, and Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment as part of the Marine Institute’s implementation of the EMFF Marine Biodiversity scheme.

Survey operations

were led by the Marine Institute, INFOMAR and National Parks & Wildlife Service, accompanied by scientists from NUI Galway and Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, University of Plymouth, supported by scientists in Geological Survey Ireland and the Norwegian Marine Institute.

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

MARINE R&D

Google global recognition for project that removes microplastics from water

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rish teenager, Fionn Ferreira from Ballydehob, west Cork, has won an international science award for his project that removes microplastics from water.

The project, which secured the grand prize of $50,000, investigated a new method to extract microplastics of less than 5mm diameter from water. Microplastics are mostly used in shower gels, facial

scrubs, soaps, toothpaste and abrasive cleaners.

At present, no screening or filtering for microplastics takes place in any European wastewater treatment centre.

Microplastics enter the oceans and are mistaken by fish for food and enter the food chain.

INSPIRATION

His method was inspired by an article about physicist, Arden Warner (Fermilab)

‘Accelerator physicist invents new way to clear up oil spills’.

‘I used this method [to extract] microplastics, by adding oil to a suspension containing a known concentration of microplastics.

These then migrated into the oil phase. Magnetite power was added and the resulting microplastic containing ferro-fluid was removed using strong magnets,’ the eighteenyear-old explained in his submission.

His hypothesis was that the extraction method would remove 85% or higher of microplastics in samples.

MARINE POLLUTION

Living near the coast, Fionn was alarmed to find out how many microplastics enter wastewater systems and consequently the oceans.

‘This inspired me to try and find a way to try and remove microplastics from waters before they even reached the sea,’ he explains.

His first challenge was to measure the concentration of microplastics in water, and to build a spectrometer to measure the levels.

In his chemistry class he learned that like-charges attract like-charges, and having read Dr Warner’s method

Puffins in the Irish Sea go with the flow

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study by MaREI researchers and the Zoological Society of London, published in The Royal Society Biology Letters (July 2019) shows for the first time that a colony of puffins off Ireland’s southeast coast has adapted their behaviour to use the strong tidal currents in the Irish Sea when searching for food.

The research reveals that puffins can drastically reduce effort and save up to 46% of their usual energy usage.

The two-year study between MaREI, the SFI research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine (UCC) and the conservation charity, ZSL, concentrated on puffins from Little Saltee, Co Wexford.

Using GPS, the findings reveal that the puffins use strong tidal currents for a ‘free ride’ across feeding areas.

ENDANGERED SPECIES

Previous seabird tracking studies have shown that birds often travel large distances to find food, requiring considerable effort particularly for puffins whose wings are short and more adapted for swimming underwater to chase down their preferred food, sandeels.

Lead study author, Ashley Bennison, MaREI, believes these Saltee puffins have “completely dispensed” with the need to fly between feed areas.

Alison Debney, ZSL’s senior conservation manager (UK & Europe) added that puffins are listed as an endangered species in Europe and that enough is known about their behaviour.

“This is the first time anyone has GPS tracked puffins in Ireland.”

Energy saving of up to 46%” is considerable”, added Dr Mark Jessopp, study coordinator.

“It’s easy to see how this behaviour is advantageous, but it’s unclear exactly how the behaviour [has] spread through the local population – whether through social cues or individual learning independently.”

The study concludes that this behaviour is likely to be found elsewhere, and in other animal groups, now that it’s known what to look for: “We have long suspected that animals are able to adapt their foraging behaviour to the local environment, and this is an excellent example of how animals can surprise us with their ingenuity,” said Bennison.

of using magnetite power to clean up oil spills, the budding scientist had an idea: ‘This made me think that a combination of oil and magnetite would allow me to remove plastics from water.”

RESULTS

Ten different types of microplastic suspensions were tested and three extractions were carried out for each of

the four different volumes of oil used in each extraction. A total 120 captures were taken for every extraction.

‘I am 95% confident that the mean reduction of microplastic will lie between 86.6% and 88.7%.’

But he adds that the most effective way to reduce microplastic pollution is to use less plastics in the first place.

‘The reality is that more and more of the products we use contain plastics and potentially degrade into microplastics before entering our wastewater.

‘It is therefore essential that we find efficient and effective ways of extracting microplastics from wastewaters before they reach our watercourses and ultimately our oceans.’

The potential of seaweed as a major global carbon sink Ann Ruddy, Redrose Developments

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hinking back to the dim and distant past of my school days, I remember my science teacher explaining that the health of the planet depended on trees.

Being informed that as trees grow, they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, I also remember being told that the rain forests were the lungs of the planet which took hundreds of years to grow. As a child I was horrified when a few years later hearing about the deforestation of those very rain forests, for commercial use, threatening this delicate balance and the health of the planet.

As an adult I now realise that since the industrial revolution carbon has been pumped into the atmosphere at an everincreasing rate; fossil fuels being burned as we consumers drive more cars, take more flights, buses and trains.

We purchase goods from all over the planet as we embrace a life-style that provides the best of fresh fruits, bigger and fancier homes and utilities, travelling smarter and shiner. As consumers we are driving the need to burn ever more carbon releasing fuels, and emerging economies are growing at an alarming rate, placing more stress on the already overstretched carbon absorbing mechanisms.

OXYGEN QUOTA

Population growth is excess of 7.7 billion and the forecast is to reach 9 billion people by 2037.

As individuals we are all ‘children of the universe and have a right to be here’ and the readership will already have been born into privilege being able to read, most likely have access to mobile

phones and internet, so who are we to say the emerging markets should not share in the quality of life that we enjoy?

Can we honestly say that person born in Asia, India or Africa or indeed anywhere that has less developed regions should cease in their development because the richer parts of the world have already consumed more than their quota of oxygen?

There is collective agreement, from most right-thinking people, that the planet needs to address the current imbalance between carbon and oxygen. Reducing carbon through raising awareness of individual responsibility, focusing on alternative forms of energy and considering mitigation are now a matter of high priority for global consideration.

Reforestation, the planting of trees, is a slow process and land demands to feed and house the growing population places more stress on less than 30% of the earth’s surface. Demands for accessible fresh water is ever-increasing and our oceans have succumbed to the demands for everincreasing large-scale fishing as global fish stocks are in crisis.

It is clear that we urgently need some fresh thinking.

CARBON SINK

In recent years there has been much discussion about the value and properties of seaweed for its proteins and minerals as a food source for humans and animals.

Other applications from medicinal and cosmeceutical to plant bio-stimulants promoting growth of terrestrial plants while also acting as a soil conditioner and requiring less water - are already good reasons to value this commodity.

But another more urgent consideration for seaweed cultivation is that it has the potential to absorb carbon.

A World Bank report indicates that in terms of ecosystem services, ‘seaweeds achieving a global production of 500 million fresh tons of seaweed by 2050 (~20 fold current world production) would absorb 10 million tons of nitrogen, which is 30 percent of the nitrogen estimated to enter the ocean, and 15 million tons of phosphorus, which is 33 percent of the total phosphorus produced through fertilizers, from the ocean.

It also notes: ‘Rising carbon dioxide levels, the leading cause of ocean acidification, can also be mitigated through seaweed.

Seaweed has an amazing carbon dioxide uptake and storage; kelp takes in five times more carbon than most land-based plants.

‘That same seaweed production of 500 million tons would consume 135 million tons of carbon, which is 3.2 percent of the carbon added to seawater each year from greenhouse gas emissions.’

To quantify this more clearly, if we were to use 9% of the ocean for farming this valued crop, we could absorb our daily output of CO2.

The scale of this is a significant challenge but one that could offer a solution to many of the global challenges.

There would need to be a global concerted effort combining the talent and skills of multi-disciplinary actors, investors and policy-makers, and engaging marine scientists, engineers, biochemists, marketeers and innovators to promote a new seaweed -based economy.

It is time; seaweed has come of age as George Washington Carver stated: “A weed is flower growing in the wrong place”.

We need to harness the humble weed, acknowledge its value and grow as much as possible for so many reasons - not least to promote a healthier planet.

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INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

MARINE R&D

Peter Heffernan retires from the Marine Institute with a justified legacy spanning almost thirty years Gery Flynn

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ver his 27 years at the helm of the Marine Institute, Peter Our Ocean Wealth seven years later, what’s your assessment?

At the macro level, a plan prepared during the worst fiscal crisis in living memory has served the country well. We set out a wholeof-government initiative to achieve three things on the socio-economic front by 2020: to double the turnover of the ocean economy, which is pretty much achieved as reported at Our Ocean Wealth 2019; to have arrived at the median point of the GDP in Europe from the oceans and to really engage the Irish public, expressed by Seafest which has attracted around 100,000 per annum.

Sustainability is at the heart of all of our endeavours; we have made progress but much work remains to be done to develop a fitfor-purpose foreshore licensing, consenting and authorisation process that balances all the legitimate demands and pressures and requirements for respecting the environment.

You’ve said we need to understand the oceans; that they are the life support of the planet.

What do you mean?

Absolutely. Humans, perhaps more than most terrestrial life forms on this planet, rely enormously on the ocean for supplies of oxygen and for the mediation of the impacts of climate change.

The levels of manproduced carbon from burning fossil fuels which the oceans absorb is protecting us greatly in ameliorating the extremes predicted under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections.

It is highly likely however that the upcoming IPCC report will point to very severe impacts on the ocean.

The ability of the ocean to continue to ameliorate man’s impact will weaken with time. The double negative is the impact on the very ocean itself, on its circulation patterns and on its food chain.

And acidification is a potential threat to the very fabric of the oceans’ ecology as we know it.

As a youth ambassador, Alicia O’Sullivan, said at the June Summit: “The house is on fire.” Now is the time for real action.

In the early days at the Institute you had to ‘sell’ the marine to the politicians; was that a struggle?

Heffernan witnessed the semi-state agency grow from a single member of staff to over two hundred personnel based at the headquarters in Co Galway, the Newport

catchment facilities in Co Mayo and the Irish Maritime Development Office in Dublin.

His tenure saw the arrival of two purposebuilt marine research vessels that provided a

platform for scientists to undertake fisheries research, environmental monitoring, seabed mapping, oceanographic work, data buoy maintenance and student training.

In 2009 Dr Heffernan instigated the development of the Inter-departmental Marine Coordination Group that went on to produce Ireland’s first integrated marine plan for

Ireland, ‘Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth’ in 2012.

Seven years on from this launch and a glance back over the horizon, Peter spoke to Inshore Ireland on the eve of his departure from the Marine Institute:

It was. The marine, maritime interests, and maritime science interests were very low on the totem pole, if on the totem pole at all. But progressively, over time, this started to change. I’d contrast the challenge to get funding for RV Voyager and RV Explorer. While the Voyager was one-tenth of the cost of the Explorer, it required ten times the effort.

The question asked of me at the time was “Why would we need a research vessel?” But thankfully, we have moved on. The Real Map of Ireland appeared, the understanding of being out-invested had been sown in government, and that made the path - while not easy - an awful lot easier for the Explorer.

I think the outstanding performance of the two research vessels, their cost effectiveness, the fact that they’re the busiest in Europe, and now that we’re funded by Europe to be the coordinators of all the European and many other partnering research vessel operators in the world, shows the journey we have come.

And now we’re looking forward to the Voyager’s replacement, which will be operational in early 2022.

the actuality of the severity of the challenges we face.

The urgency for action and the realism that the necessary societal and political actions tend not to be front-ended yet.

Even the former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK government, Sir David King, has said that the situation is scary, and in his opinion, attention and action are needed now.

map of Ireland’. This had a meaningful and enduring beneficial impact that could be visualised by government.

The light switch went on and they got it.

If we could turn the light switch on for the whole planet, I think that would make an enormous difference to how the oceans are treated and understood for the benefit of Mankind.

The oceans are a reservoir for 87% of all of the water on this planet. All the freshwater is but on a journey back to the sea and is recycled back to us from the sea.

So, if it gets messed up, it’s not rocket science to understand that it’s going to hurt globally, to hurt in areas of phenomenal population growth, to hurt in areas impacted by climate and desertification, to impact on food chains and food security pressures. It’s all interlinked.

and more severe and extreme weather events.

Our marine researchers are winning multiples of juste retour. Where we might be expected to win about 1.2% of EU funding, we’re actually doing much higher than that - several times higher in fact.

Of the €1.2bn from all of Europe’s research programmes Ireland targeted €8m of that but we already exceeded that figure earlier this year, and there’s still quite a lot of money to be won. Ireland is on course to achieve all of its targets across all the sectors, we’re punching way above our weight.

The point is that we had to set very high standards and targets beyond what was reasonable to expect to achieve. One of the things we can do better than anybody else is the ability to work across all of the monitoring programmes and real cutting-edge science.

These programmes give scientific input an enormous stage to operate on because they have policy impact; they have economic impact and they have societal relevance.

So, you’re really informing the kind of decisions that have to be made with the benefit of really good and accurate forecasting capabilities drawn from science that serves society.

Despite these struggles, was there understanding among any politicians for what you were trying to achieve?

It would be wrong perhaps to single out individuals but ministers from different parties were supportive at particularly important junctures: Eamon Gilmore, Michael Woods; Hugh Coveney; Simon Coveney, for example.

And we were very lucky also to have Taoisigh like Enda Kenny and the support now of Leo Varadkar. EU Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and the current marine minister, Michael Creed have had a pivotal role in our first integrated marine plan, along with the establishment of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance between the EU, Canada and the USA. Ireland and the Marine Institute were at the heart of these initiatives.

More and more we’re hearing the warnings from powerful international voices like David Attenborough, Mary Robinson, John Kerry, Greta Thunberg.

Are you an optimist?

I’m an optimist who is increasingly confronting

Reliance on science – marine science in particular – is growing to find workable long-term solutions to the impact of climate change. What’s the immediate need?

One of the tragedies of the ‘fake news’ world is the attempt to position the sciences - the messenger as the problem. A deeper, more fit-for-purpose ability to understand the ocean, to observe it in real-time in a manner that we take for granted with satellites in the terrestrial world, along with a deep mapping of the actual seafloor are absolutely essential ingredients to truly getting a handle on the functioning of the ocean system.

We need to fully understand the oceans, to forecast the likely changes associated with maninduced climate change and other factors so that the appropriate mitigation and appropriate policy and action can be informed.

In Ireland there is a knowledge and appreciation of the marine deficit. What’s the best way to get the marine message across?

There’s an enormous blind spot associated with the oceans and their place within the planetary system, and that they make up 70% of the entire earth.

Humans, as terrestrial beings cannot see through water. Very few people ever experience being in or on the water, so educating about the blind spot in the oceans is a huge challenge.

We realised this in the early days of the Institute; that to advocate for marine science and the oceans would not be by scientists talking to scientists but by engaging with the public.

We are a land people, we understand the land, it’s in our DNA. Every person knows the size of a 1/4- or a 1/2-acre site and we can internalise this mentally.

So, to break this perception we wanted to take the water away and to show the land beneath the water, the concept of the ‘real

That message was really brought home by the delegates from the island States who spoke about the impacts of climate change at this year’s Summit in Cork.

It was a wonderful experience to meet the ambassadors from more than thirty island nations - first in the UN and then to invite them to Ireland for an Irish audience to hear their voices and their very real issues associated with sea level rise.

We’ve just seen the Bahamas get truly devastated by a slowmoving category 5 hurricane. These are different experiences, and while not immediately linkable to climate change itself, they would represent the trend of predicted higher intensity

The Marine Institute has always fostered interest from the youth, why?

This is where I do have optimism. Pre-teens and early teens get it; they get the environment issues; they get the climate issues; they don’t need to be convinced about it; they’re actually the loudest advocates. It’s really important that their voices are heard, to get their voices into the important debates - not just as a ‘nice thing to do’ but so they’re really listened to and heard.

I know from Senator Kerry and Minister Coveney that they did really connect with their messages. They had a dedicated meeting with half a dozen Youth Ambassadors which was important and a statement in itself.

Equally, this Summer as a pilot with the EU, Canada and the US for the North Atlantic and then Cape Verde, Brazil, Argentina and South Africa in an all-Atlantic dimension, there was a phenomenal gathering of 23 ambassadors from around the whole Atlantic.

It was a privilege to work with them and with the Youth Council of Ireland. They made an enormous contribution to the success of the Atlantic Youth Ambassadors Summer School.

Where does Ireland rank today in marine science?

Ireland is respected now; we’re at the heart of the transatlantic relationships and we’re hugely successful in European funding programmes and we have earned that respect.

You will shortly retire as CEO of the Marine Institute, what are your immediate plans?

I have been appointed as vice-chair of the Mission Board for Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters which is chaired

by Pascal Lamy, former EU Trade Commissioner and Director General of the World Trade Organization.

The team at Inshore Ireland wish Dr Heffernan every good wish in his future career and we look forward to carrying news of his new role and pursuits.

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MARINE R&D

Figure 1: The 2013 survey of the 1986 wreck of the Kowloon Bridge by the R.V. Celtic Voyager

Figure 3: Shaded relief imagery of the 2009 survey of the SS Manchester Merchant during survey leg CV09_02 of Dingle Bay

A race against time: the impact of climate change on Ireland’s shipwrecks

Charise McKeon, GSI

Connie Kelleher and Karl Brady

UAU

with contributions from James Barry, Kieran Craven, CHERISH

and Nigel Kelleher,

(CFT Accredited Moniteur)

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reland’s Atlantic waters are rich in maritime heritage.

Of the approximate 18,000 records listed in the National Monuments Service’s Wreck Inventory of Ireland Database (WIID), c. 4,000 have precise locations, leaving some 14,000 wrecks to be confirmed.

several opportunities to re-target and re-survey significant shipwreck sites in Irish waters.

This has proved extremely valuable not only in delivering current hydrographic information to the UKHO for navigational safety - but also to the Underwater Archaeology Unit (UAU) of the National Monuments Service for its wreck records.

Multibeam sonar imagery is used by the UAU to locate and assess the condition of particular shipwrecks and to monitor changes over time. This has become even more critical as a management tool in light of increased frequency and magnitude of recent storms affecting the coast of Ireland and in line with identified risks associated with climate change which can be clearly seen from changes to our coastline.

These changes, however, are also being detected on the seafloor in both coastal and subtidal environments; underwater cultural heritage is particularly vulnerable to impacts, leading in most cases to damage, dispersal and loss.

UNDERWATER HERITAGE

Other climatic changes too are affecting the underwater heritage, including the rise in water temperature that in turn is leading to an increase in UNIQUE DATABASE biological organisms, such One of the key as marine borers that target applications of INFOMAR data is the development of a wooden wrecks. These unique database of mapped are now being identified in places like the Baltic shipwrecks in Irish waters.

To date there are more than Sea and North Atlantic waters where previously 400 recorded shipwrecks, it was too cold for such each with its own most invasive species to survive. up-to-date detailed Bacterial formation imagery of the wreck. is also on the rise on Over the past 20 years iron and steel-hulled of seabed mapping, wrecks at greater depths INFOMAR, and the Irish than before, such as the National Seabed Survey ‘rusticles’ identified on (INSS) before it, has had

of detailed surveys carried is one of the world’s largest sections of the wreck are still clearly visible: the out since 2002 and this shipwrecks by tonnage. At imagery has provided a the time of its sinking it was bow and midships sections are most prominent while unique time series dataset on route from Quebec to to monitor the wreck, the River Clyde in Scotland, the stern is broken open and collapsed. Due to the assess slow collapse and carrying a cargo of iron sheer size of the vessel, the acquire evidence of any ore and oil and had sought depth of the wreck when natural or cultural impacts shelter in Bantry Bay to it sank originally ranged while also availing of the repair damage to its deck from 6m at its shallowest opportunity to map the but was forced to continue to 35m to the seabed. extent of the debris field its voyage eastwards.

With the collapse of the surrounding the wreck site.

With the loss of its superstructure over time, Survey of a shipwreck steering, the crew of 24 however, the full wreck is conducted in line with abandoned the ship. The now lies at a depth of UKHO guidance which vessel was heading out to between 30m–35m. Sheets advises that a minimum sea when stormy weather of metal plating are broken of four survey lines be turned it around; it made outwards, cast around the acquired, along with its way back toward seabed in an ever-widening information within the the Irish coast where it debris field and the most water column, the latter grounded on The Stags, recent imagery clearly which can reveal structures split into three sections indicates this dispersal or natural features and sank in deep water. of wreck material. that are potentially a Almost 2,000 tonnes of Diver reports also show hazard to navigation. fuel oil leaked and caused the ongoing collapse of the Survey speed is reduced significant damage to MANAGEMENT remaining wreckage with significantly to ensure local beaches, fisheries STRATEGIES the once intact bow section that a high-density and wildlife. The wreck of In collaboration with breaking up and dispersing, dataset is achieved. The Kowloon Bridge was first colleagues carrying out and the line of the hull data is then processed in surveyed for INFOMAR ongoing archaeological collapsing outwards. the usual manner, and by the Marine Institute’s assessments as well as Location of the wreck hydrographic software is RV Celtic Voyager in 2013 focused research into the on The Stags means it is used to visualise the wreck. (CV13_02) (Figure 1). effects of climate change open to the full force of The image shows the on underwater archaeology, The high-resolution MBES data enables the creation remains of the badly broken the sea; in the thirty-three such as that being done by years since its loss, Kowloon wreck lying in a WNWthe Discovery Programme’s of 2D and 3D surface Bridge has experienced grids of the soundings ESE direction across the CHERISH Project in which extreme storm and sea data at resolutions ENE-WSW rock outcrop the Geological Survey conditions, the majority often as high as 10cm. of The Stags. A distinct Ireland (GSI) is a partner, of these over the course of debris field is also visible this considered approach is the last five to six years. surrounding the wreck. proving to be a very useful KOWLOON How much longer it can GSI’s survey vessel RV mechanism to inform BRIDGE (MV) sustain such battering Geo (GEO19_04) recently management strategies On November 22, 1986, before it breaks up fully resurveyed the wreck as for protecting this fragile twenty-eight people is a concern and is why a part of its 2019 inshore cultural resource. were rescued from the programme of resurvey operations off the coast of INFOMAR uses a range Kowloon Bridge after it mapping is so beneficial West Cork (Figure 2). The of hydrographic and was abandoned by its as a monitoring tool. images produced reveal geophysical instruments to crew, having run aground changes to the wreck site visualise and describe the during a severe storm on in just a six-year period physical features on the The Stags rocks off the SS MANCHESTER since it was last surveyed. seabed. Wreck detection is coast of southwest Cork.

MERCHANT The three different primarily carried out using At 294m, Kowloon Bridge After its construction Multibeam Sonar Systems (MBES), occasionally in ONE OF THE KEY APPLICATIONS OF conjunction with side-scan sonar systems. The MBES INFOMAR DATA IS THE DEVELOPMENT sonar systems now used OF A UNIQUE DATABASE OF MAPPED on all INFOMAR vessels are capable of extremely SHIPWRECKS IN IRISH WATERS. TO DATE high-resolution mapping THERE ARE MORE THAN 400 RECORDED SHIPWRECKS, to meet the required IHO hydrographic standards.

EACH WITH ITS OWN MOST UP-TO-DATE DETAILED The 1915 wreck of RMS IMAGERY OF THE WRECK. Lusitania, for example, has been the focus of a number

the wreck of Titanic, and corrosion of wreck structures are thus being accelerated (UNESCO.org).

Not all is negative, however, as some effects of climate change are leading to new discoveries. Melting ice in the Artic, for example, is allowing researchers to carry out seabed mapping in new areas where several previously unrecorded 19th Century wrecks are being identified as a result (NOAA Report 2016).

Seabed mapping, and particularly the resurvey of previously mapped sites, is proving a very effective way of identifying changes to the seabed and shipwreck sites in particular.

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IRELAND’S ATLANTIC WATERS ARE RICH IN MARITIME HERITAGE. OF THE APPROXIMATE 18,000 RECORDS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL MONUMENTS SERVICE’S WRECK INVENTORY OF IRELAND DATABASE (WIID), C. 4,000 HAVE PRECISE LOCATIONS, LEAVING SOME 14,000 WRECKS TO BE CONFIRMED. in 1900, SS Manchester Merchant was requisitioned by the British Government to transport troops, supplies, ammunition and horses to South Africa during the Boer War. In January 1903 while en route from New Orleans to Manchester with a cargo of 13,000 bales of cotton and 100 barrels of turpentine, soap, pitch pine and grain, the cargo is thought to have spontaneously ignited.

The vessel sought refuge in Dingle Bay and dropped anchor near the entrance to Castlemaine Harbour.

As the fire intensified, the fore segment of the vessel was totally ablaze, forcing the crew to throw the turpentine overboard.

Failing to fight the fire, most of the crew took to the lifeboats, leaving the master and a handful of crew to scuttle the ship in shallow water on the January 15, 1903. There was no loss of life when the ship sank (Brady, et al 2012).

The 157m long wreck was surveyed in 2009 while the RV Celtic Voyager (Figure 3) was mapping Dingle Bay as part of INFOMAR survey operations and is in a water depth of between 11m-15m. It shows the wreck well embedded in the seabed with some upper hull plating fallen outwards, particularly to starboard, and the bow clearly outlined. The ship’s three boilers are also visualised, still within their centre-ship location.

CHERISH

In 2019 as part of the CHERISH project that is investigating the impacts of climate change on coastal environments and shipwrecks, GSI’s survey vessel RV Keary resurveyed SS Manchester Merchant.

This survey forms part of an integrated approach to understanding storminess in Dingle Bay. It includes extending bathymetric survey onshore using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to map sites of cultural significance on the coast, including the national monument site of Dunbeg Promontory Fort and Medieval Settlement and recorded monument of Ferriter’s Castle.

The survey imagery of SS Manchester Merchant reveals how storm impact on the southwest coast of Ireland has affected not only our coastline but also structures and features on the seafloor; many of them wreck sites previously thought to be unaffected.

This new image (figure 4) shows the wreck in far more detail, but what is obvious it that the wreck now appears to be prouder

of the seabed, with hull plating collapsed outwards on both port and starboard sides. One of the three boilers has also dislodged and has fallen toward the port side of the wreck.

Seabed-level differentiation between the two surveys (2009 and 2019) of SS Manchester Merchant from elevation data reveal further how the impact of storms has affected this wreck (Figure 5).

Looking at the difference in elevation, we see up to 0.5m change at the bow and stern of the vessel where underwater current velocities are most likely to be altered as they interact with the remains of the wreck. We also see up to 2m elevation change in the centre of the wreck (boilers) as these break down in response to wave and storm action.

The new mapping information is supported by diver assessment. Following Storm Darwin (2014), diver survey results showed that between 1.5m–2m of sand was removed from around the wreck site.

Where previously it had been buried in the seabed, the forward section and bow is now more prominently proud and in one area it is actually possible to dive under the forward section of the hull from port to starboard.

The 2009 survey results clearly define the bow section, but no trace of it is visible in the most recent imagery. The differentiation analysis as seen in figure 5 is again backed up by the diver survey report.

Further diver assessment is required to determine whether the full bow has been compromised, possibly buried or lost and to update the record on the wreck site. The scale of sand removal now means the wreck of the Manchester Merchant is far more vulnerable and susceptible to ongoing erosion, abrasion and impact.

The effect of Storm Darwin destabilised the wreck as the most recent image indicates, supported by diver survey; it is almost certain that the site will deteriorate further over time unless it again begins to rebury itself.

An investigation carried out by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in the Gulf of Mexico following the impact in 2005 of two major hurricanes (Katrina and Rita) produced interesting results.

Focusing on known wreck sites, it compared pre-impact seabed mapping data to post-hurricane results, combined with underwater archaeological diver assessment. Results for the natural effects on the seabed by the two weather events showed that they generated significant forces on the seafloor at most of the sites, leading to exposure of and damaging impacts to some wreck sites but also burial and protection at others (Gearhart II et al, 2011).

Similar studies need to be carried out in Irish waters, particularly postextreme weather events, with the results presented here for just two wreck sites confirming the value of this approach. What is critical is that a programme of mapping like that being carried out by INFOMAR that looks to resurvey wreck sites, in collaboration with underwater archaeological colleagues, continues to inform our existing record.

Ultimately, this will lead to a greater understanding of the impacts, positive or negative, of climate change on the shipwreck resource in Irish waters and will permit management strategies to be adapted by the National Monuments Service to address protection needs at these wreck sites for the future.

SOURCES REFERENCED: CHERISH http://www.cherishproject.eu Gearhart II, R., Jones, D., Borgens, A, Laurence, S., DeMunda, T. & Shipp, J. 2011. Impacts of Recent Hurricane Activity on Historic Shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (BOEMRE OCS Study Report; US Department of the Interior).

INFOMAR www.infomar.ie NOAA Report 2016: https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/remains-of-lost-1800s-whaling-fleetdiscovered-off-alaska-s-arctic-coast WIID (Wreck Inventory of Ireland Database) & Wreck Viewer, National Monuments Service: www.archaeology.ie UNESCO: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/underwater-cultural-heritage/protection/threats/environmental-impact-and-climate-change/ K. Brady, C. McKeon, J. Lyttleton, I. Lawler, 2012. Warships, U-Boats and Liners (Government Publications)

Figure 2: The detailed 2019 survey of the Kowloon Bridge by the R.V. Geo showing more extensive changes to the wreck site

Figure 4: 2019 survey of the Manchester Merchant by the R.V. Keary. This shaded relief imagery is at a resolution of 10cm revealing significant changes to the wreck and surrounding seabed

ONGOING PROCEDURES

With a succession of extreme storms since 2014 occurring in Ireland (Storm Darwin 2014, Storm Orphelia 2017 and Storm Emma 2018), the immediate and cumulative impact of these weather events on our historic shipwreck resource is only beginning to be studied.

Figure 5: Elevation difference between 2009 and 2019 surveys (colour scale = 0-1 m)

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Lough Hyne: first Marine Nature Reserve in Europe through The Rapids at Barloge Creek, making this part of the Atlantic Ocean a highly sheltered seawater nce a holiday basin. home location At high tide the depth is for the great no deeper than 5m at The O’Driscoll Clan, Rapids, and this sill results a place with a unique in an asymmetrical tide geological and local history, with water flowing in from Lough Hyne is a real gem the Atlantic for only four on the Wild Atlantic Way hours but ebbing out for of Cork.

8.5 hours. The sill acts like Lough Hyne (Loch a dam, the shore on the Oighinn) is a semi-enclosed seaward side is deeper so fully marine lake located that low water is reached three miles west of the sooner here and the tide town of Skibereen. The continues to ebb out over lake measures 0.8 Km by the sill from the lake for 0.6km, and studies show another 2.5hours. that the lake transitioned During this time the tide from a fresh water to a outside has been rising for marine lake about 4,000 2.5hrs, resulting in a short years ago when sea levels 4hr flood tide in Lough rose and poured through Hyne. There is a brief Barloge Creek for the first moment - for a few minutes time. just before the turn of the Ever since, the sea has tide at The Rapids - when been ebbing and flowing everything is still. A serene

Macdara Ó Cuaig, Marine Institute

O

space where the seaweed stands tall, free from any current. It’s a moment of reflection for all before it starts all over again.

On the tide, the water flow at The Rapids can reach speeds of 3ms¹ and provide a highly dynamic and oxygenated environment for the flora and fauna residing there.

The deepest part of the Lough is in the Western Trough with a depth of 52m. The lake itself hosts a rich diversity of marine habitats and environmental conditions - from cliffs, to boulders, sand, beaches to salt marshes with water speeds ranging from very still to the quickness of The Rapids - 0.05ms¹ to 3ms¹.

MNR STATUS

In 1981, the Irish State recognised this rich biodiversity of Lough Hyne

Photos courtesy of TG4

and declared it a Marine Nature Reserve, making the lough the first statutory Marine Nature Reserve in Europe.

Marine scientists have been coming here for well over 100 years. The first biological study (Rev. William Spottswood Green, 1886), looked at the Purple Sea Urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) - a species that has become one of the most studied in the Lough.

The start of more regular biological studies began in 1923 when Prof. Luois Renouf of UCC began his work here. In 1928 an ex-army hut was assembled close to The Rapids and became the first on-site research laboratory.

Despite having to cope with tidal surges and requiring reassembly a few times, this hut was the starting point for regular

marine research and led to the construction of two further huts in the 1930s.

Establishment of a research station in such a unique environment drew attention from overseas scientists. Among the first were J.A. Kitching and F.J. Ebling who along with their group of undergraduate students would become regular visitors to Lough Hyne, camping out in large tents on the shore for the summer months.

Many scientists from Ireland, the UK and elsewhere have studied the flora and fauna of Lough Hyne. University College Cork continues this long tradition with a field station at the Lough where students and visiting researchers study under the supervision of UCC. The fact that Lough Hyne is a fully marine,

highly-sheltered and diverse sea basin, allows the researchers carry out studies in relative comfort as they assess and monitor the possible effects of climate change on a variety marine habitats and species.

The collection of scientific papers on studies from Lough Hyne over the last 100 years is a testament to the nature of this wonderful place.

Lough Hyne with its unique biodiversity and tidal phenomena featured in the recently broadcast TG4 series Taoide. A highly acclaimed series showcasing the beauty, power and influence of the tide around the world.

Taoide is available to view on TG4 Player. https://www. tg4.ie/en/player/ home/?srchTxt=taoide

DR PAUL CONNOLLY has been appointed chief executive officer of the Marine Institute, Ireland’s state agency for marine research, technology development and innovation. The appointment follows the retirement of Dr Peter Heffernan after 27 years in the post.

Dr Connolly is the current Director of Fisheries and Ecosystems Advisory Services (FEAS) at the Marine Institute, leading a team of more than 80 scientists and staff to provide scientific advice on the sustainable exploitation of Ireland’s fisheries resource and marine ecosystems.

“Our marine resource offers significant opportunities for Ireland in areas of research and innovation, the sustainable development of our blue economy, and ocean observation to prepare

for the impacts of climate change.

“With Dr Connolly’s extensive experience in sustainable fisheries management, leading innovative and integrated research programmes and driving strategic collaborations nationally and internationally, the Marine Institute will continue to deliver excellent science, advice and technical support to government and industry,” remarked Minister Creed.

Dr Connolly said over the coming five

years he would be “deeply committed to supporting a culture of high performance driven by our people, whose skills, experiences and passion for the marine are central to the work of the Marine Institute.

“These are very exciting times for ocean science, with the UN Decade of the Ocean beginning in 2021, the anticipated delivery of a new research vessel in 2022 and the need to address the challenges posed by a changing climate.”

BACKGROUND Dr Connolly is a former president of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) – a network of 20 countries that aims to advance scientific understanding of marine ecosystems. It provides impartial scientific advice for meeting conservation, management, and sustainability goals.

He has chaired the quarterly meetings of the Irish Fisheries Science Research Partnership (IFSRP) since it was established by the Minister in 2008.

Dr Connolly led the development of the ICES Strategic Plan (2014-2018) which was adopted by 20 member countries, and worked closely with government, agencies and the Marine Institute team to develop Ireland’s integrated marine plan, Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth.

He also led the executive in developing the Marine Institute’s Strategic Plan, Building Ocean Knowledge Delivering Ocean Services (2018 – 2022).

Dr Connolly has a PhD from UCD (1986), an MBA from NUI Galway (2006) and completed the Timoney Advanced Leadership programme in 2016.

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Lá Mara took place on the site of Údarás na Gaeltachta’s proposed Páirc na Mara development

Lá Mara showcases the resources and opportunities to come from Pairc na Mara development

S

He pointed to employment and future career opportunities at Páirc na Mara, including a range of careers including but not limited to general operatives, researchers, engineers, SEAFOOD SHOWCASE accountants, project managers and scientists The seafood industry of all kinds. was showcased by Restoring the native Organised by Údarás na local companies oyster fishery and the Gaeltachta, Lá Mara was MOWI, Connemara potential of Cill Chiaráin Seaweed Company, Bia part of Lá Chiaráin - a Bay was discussed Farraige Árainn and decades-old festival to in detail by Dr. Ollie in all, 23 companies celebrate the feast day Tully, Marine Institute, of Saint Ciarán, the local and organisations while Jim Keogh and participated in the patron saint. Schools, Mícheál Mac Monagail day to raise awareness companies, agencies, of Arramara Teo of the services and community groups and explained the use of new opportunities available organisations all took in the marine sector and technology and drone part in the event that mapping of the seaweed to highlight the benefits showcased the varied of the sector to the area. resource as part of marine activities and innovative research, The marine industry resources that exist John Breslin of and ancillary activities along Ireland’s western SmartBay Ireland are the main source of seaboard and the highlighted the employment in the Cill opportunities in this significant advances Chiaráin area and is a sector. significant contributor to and opportunities It was fitting therefore total industry output on available in marine that the event took research especially a regional and national place on the site of using SmartBay’s level. the proposed Páirc na marine and renewable Údarás na Gaeltachta Mara development - a energy test site at An chief executive Mícheál strategic initiative of Spidéal which can be Ó hÉanaigh outlined Údarás na Gaeltachta accessed by researchers the Páirc na Mara to develop a state-ofto collect continuous development proposal the-art, low carbon, oceanographic and that will provide Marine Innovation environmental data in significant direct socioPark where productive economic benefits for the near-real time. sector enterprises, region and will generate public bodies, State other stimuli to further development agencies MULTIMEDIA integrate development and the research PRESENTATIONS and growth in an area community will work The day was also enjoyed that has long suffered together to add value by the hundreds of national high unemployment and and secondary school to their products and services and to maximise emigration. children who immersed The marine park the development themselves in all things concept places a strong potential of the marine marine - from shellfish emphasis on innovation sector in the region. to scuba diving to marine and research which Local co-operatives research to enjoying O’ includes building and companies worked Flaherty’s Connemara close collaborative side-by-side with State Seafood Chowder or having relationships with agencies and Higher fresh scallops prepared for Education Institutes such research institutions them by Michelin Star Chef as BIM, Marine Institute, around the world.

JP McMahon. ome early wintry showers could not quell the enthusiasm displayed by young and old for all things marine at the wonderful Lá Mara event held in the heart of the Galway Gaeltacht in early September.

Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), NUI Galway, Roscommon Educational Training Board (GRETB), and the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA).

The BIM Arc bus delivered a cutting-edge multimedia experience for students who were given the opportunity to engage in hands-on interactive challenges that gave an insight into aquaculture.

Researchers from NUI Galway & GMIT discussed the types of fish on display and outlined the educational courses and training programmes available.

The GRETB explained the upcoming QQI level 5 course in aquaculture that will be taking place in Carna later this year as one of the initiatives under the Páirc na Mara umbrella.

Successful completion of the course will enable applicants to source employment in the aquaculture sector and apply business skills and technical ability in a range of varied and specific aquaculture contexts.

The rich tapestry of the Atlantic coastline was displayed emphatically and served to outlin the importance of the marine sector to local communities and businesses as well as having the potential of having an effect on the ‘blue economy’ at national and international level.

O’ Flaherty’s Connemara seafood showder provided attendees with a range of deliciously cooked, locally sourced seafood

Michelin Star Chef JP McMahon captured the attention of local school children with his seafood cooking demonstration

Among those exhibiting were a mix of companies, agencies, community groups and craftspeople

Michelin Star Chef JP McMahon launches the newly established Heritage & Scallop Festival

THE MARINE INDUSTRY AND ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES ARE THE MAIN SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE CILL CHIARÁIN AREA AND IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO TOTAL INDUSTRY OUTPUT ON A REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL.

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Marine Protected Areas: restoring Ireland’s ocean wildlife Regina Classen Irish Wildlife Trust

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rish Wildlife Trust and Coastwatch are working on a Marine Protected Area (MPA) campaign with the aim to increase public awareness of MPAs, push for better management inside our MPAs and to designate more MPAs.

WHY DO WE NEED MPAS?

Commercial fishing in Europe began around 1,000 years ago when the capacity of cargo ships increased from 20t to 60t during 1000 and 1025 AD. This period marked the beginning of trade of marine fish.

In the past 1,000 years, we have moved from traditional angling and

hand picking of shellfish to small vessels fishing in sheltered coastal zones to ever-larger vessels with more efficient gear fishing far out in the open ocean.

Most of the currently used industrialscale fishing gear is associated with some environmental concerns; however, bottom trawls and scallop dredgers are the main culprits in the decline of bottom-dwelling fish and the main cause of the unprecedented changes to benthic habitats, especially since the beginning of industrialised fishing began in the nineteenth century.

Scientists estimate that predatory fish biomass has declined by 90% compared to pre-industrial levels,

which has caused no-go zones that ban all immense shifts in benthic activities inside the site. ecosystem structure and Globally, 94% of MPAs, function. including all Irish MPAs, follow the model of a multi-use site with MANAGEMENT very little management NETWORK of extractive activities Scientists worldwide and wide-spread use of agree that a coherent bottom-contact fishing network of MPAs under gear. strict management No-take-zones offer by can be a helpful tool to far the most profound combat environmental conservation benefits degradation caused because any form of by fishing and other biomass extraction extractive activities, can have an effect on as well as increase the ecosystem function resilience of marine through modification in habitats to deal with fish assemblages. No-take other stressors that zones can lead to changes may lie beyond MPA in population structure boundaries. in ways that promote There are many replenishment. different types of MPA; As the animals within some are multi-use sites the zone grow larger over where extractive and time, they also produce recreational activities more eggs, are more are allowed to take successful at reproduction place, while others are and produce fitter young. strictly no-take or even As the ecosystem recovers and fish density increases, species will eventually move out of the MPA and into nearby fishing grounds.

MPAs provide a

multitude of benefits not just in relation to fisheries - when benthic ecosystems are allowed to restore themselves - they sequester carbon and enhance overall marine biodiversity which attracts dive tourism.

MPAS AND IRELAND

Several pieces of legislation are of particular importance to MPAs in Europe: the Habitats Directive, Birds Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).

All Directives state the significance of protected areas to conserve threatened or rare habitats and species as well as for the continuous supply of valuable ecosystem services.

Designated under the Habitats and Birds Directives, Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protected Areas (SPAs), respectively, build a network of protected areas across Europe

Biomass trend over time of some high-trophic fish stocks in the North Atlantic. Figures taken from Christensen et. al (2003)

called Natura 2000 sites.

In order to ensure proper management of N2000 sites and to avoid the creation of so-called ‘paper-parks’ (protected area designations with little or no enforcement), the Habitats Directive clearly defines how protected areas should be managed. Among other things, appropriate conservation measures should be taken to ‘maintain and restore the habitats and species for which the site has been designated to a favourable conservation status’.

Ireland has ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) including the Aichi Target 11, which calls for 10% of a country’s marine region to be designated as MPAs by 2020. The newest international target is 30% of MPA coverage by 2030. As of September 2019, Ireland’s MPAs only cover 2.3% of our 426,442km2 Exclusive Economic Zone.

Of concern however is that most of the marine habitats within these 2.3% are far from reaching a favourable conservation status; in fact, the health of many habitats is declining despite N2000 designation, as the NPWS showed in their 2019 report: The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. This is due to the management of these areas which is significantly lacking in concrete and site-specific conservation measures.

We need more MPAs in

Status of EU-protected habitats in Ireland ‘unfavourable’

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he latest summary report by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) on the status of EU-listed habitats and species highlights challenges to conserve biodiversity in Ireland and calls on all sectors of society to work together to address the problem.

Eight-five per cent of habitats are reported as The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland | 2019

ected EU Prot Ireland atus of ecies in The St s and Sp at it ab H TS SMEN S ASSES SPECIE Volum 2019

e3

being in Unfavourable status (46% Unfavourable inadequate and 39% Unfavourable bad) with 46% demonstrating ongoing declines.

The status of EU listed species records 57% assessed as Favourable and 30% as being in Unfavourable status (i.e. Inadequate and Bad), with 72% demonstrating stable or improving trends while 15% demonstrating on-going declining trends.

The St at Habitat us of EU Prot The Status of EU Protected ecte s and Sp Habitats and Species in Ireland ecies in d Ireland HABIT 2019 AT ASS Volum ESSMEN e2 TS 2019

the EU Habitats Directive”.

Ireland has 59 habitats and 68 species listed on the Directive. The species listed include all whale and dolphin species, all bat species, other mammals such as otter, hare and pine marten; eight plant species, seven invertebrate species, seven fish species and three amphibian and reptile species.

These species are a small subset of Ireland’s full species complement, but many are important indicators of wider ecosystem health. Birds are not listed on this Directive.

Ireland is a European GOVERNMENT ACTION stronghold for many of the Minister for Culture, listed species (e.g. otter Heritage and the Gaeltacht, (Lutra lutra) and petalwort Josepha Madigan, (Petalophyllum ralfsii)). said government has The assessments follow a programmes in place to rules-based approach agreed implement measures to at EU level. Habitats and “maintain or restore natural species can be assessed as habitats and wild species Favourable, Unfavourable considered vulnerable at inadequate or Unfavourable European level and listed on bad.

Dr Deirdre Lynn of the NPWS said the unfavourable status of many of the habitats was not surprising and was the reason they are listed on the Directive: “It is, however, the ongoing declines that are of concern, particularly in our peatland, grassland, woodland and marine habitats.

“The main drivers of the habitat decline are agricultural practices which are negatively impacting over 70% of habitats, particularly ecologically unsuitable grazing, abandonment and pollution.”

Actions in place: The National Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) Management Plan 2017-2022 sets out a roadmap for the restoration and conservation of raised bog SACs in Ireland. The Plan sets an overall target of achieving 3,747 ha of active raised bog within the network of SACs and Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs). 12 raised bogs are being restored as part of the LIFE funded Living Bog programme 23 European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs), many of which are focussed on ‘restoring, preserving and enhancing biodiversity’; these have the potential to positively impact on habitats and species listed on the Habitats Directive The Native Woodland Scheme supports the restoration of existing native woodland and the targeted conversion of conifer stands into native woodland An EU deep-sea trawling ban applies below 800m for rolling gears to protect deep sea corals. A ban on inshore trawling by large boats will be put in place and protect nursery grounds A catchment approach has been adopted under the EU Water Framework Directive to ensure consideration of both water and flooding issues within land use planning and a total of 726 waterbodies have been identified within 190 Priority Areas for Action. This will ensure improved targeting of measures for freshwater and transitional waters including lagoons, for example through advice to farmers and through financial support for urban wastewater treatment and for improved domestic treatment systems.

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Empowering women in the maritime community: Ireland embraces World Maritime Day

Ireland, and much more importantly, we need them to be managed in ways that lead to restoration of precious habitats and much needed replenishment of fish stocks in order to safeguard the livelihood of traditional low-impact fishermen in rural Ireland.

Without strict zonation of sites with Gillian Mills management measures and enforcement, MPAs cannot fulfil their ver 150 women conservation purpose, across Ireland’s and ecosystem health marine, will continue to decline. maritime and

FUTURE OUTLOOK

MPAs in Ireland are currently all designated under the Habitats and Birds Directives as part of the N2000 network. To designate MPAs under the MSFD, we are waiting for the necessary legislation, the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill.

Until that legislation is through, any further designations will be through more SACs in the offshore regions to protect reef habitat and some large offshore SPAs, which will protect seabird foraging grounds.

You can find the full report with the same title by Regina Classen on the Irish Wildlife Trust website https:// iwt.ie/

MPAs in Ireland Irish marine area protected: 2.3% International target: 10% by 2020 and 30% by 2030 Type and level of protection: N2000 sites are protected under EU Habitats and Birds Directives. All N2000 sites in Ireland are multi-use sites with little to no management.

SHIFTING BASELINE SYNDROME Given the longterm human impact on our oceans, it is safe to assume that there is no such thing as ‘pristine habitat’ anymore. The oceans have changed slowly but radically over generations, while each new generation redefines the ‘natural’ state of their environment, unaware of the previous state in which their parents encountered it. This loss of perception of change is called a shifting baseline. We are unaware of what a truly pristine habitat actually looks like, but MPAs ensure that we get back part of what we lost.

You can follow the campaign on Twitter @BiggerBetterMPA

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seafood sectors attended a one-day conference and networking event organised by the Commissioners of Irish Lights to mark World Maritime Day (September 29) and theme: ‘Empowering Women in the Maritime Community’.

World Maritime Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and to highlight the contribution of women within the maritime sector, noted the International Maritime Organization.

‘Empowering women fuels thriving economies across the world, spurs growth and development, and benefits everyone working in the global maritime community in the drive towards safe, secure, clean and sustainable shipping.’

Secretary-General Kitack Lim said that empowering women wasn’t “an idea or concept” but was “a necessity” that required strong, positive action to address “deep-seated structural, institutional and cultural barriers” where jobs and professions across the maritime community have been male-dominated.

“But it is changing; and there are many reasons why,” he said.

TALENT POOL

General equality is recognised as a “key platform” on which people can build a sustainable future and the maritime community “is missing out on a huge talent pool if it fails to properly empower women in the workplace”.

He described genderdiverse teams as more productive than maledominated teams and said that gender-diverse workplaces promoted better job satisfaction, employee engagement and retention: “Having more women in the workplace is beneficial for organisations as a whole, for men and for women.”

For over thirty years the IMO has been successfully promoting women in the maritime community.

It is not just about the numbers, research shows that companies with a higher percentage of women in senior management positions “significantly outperform

those that do not”, the Secretary-General added.

“Of course, much more work remains, and it needs the whole of the maritime community, including IMO’s member states and the maritime industries, to come together and commit to ensuring that women truly are empowered.”

IRELAND CONFERENCE

Speakers at the Dublin event presented on various aspects of marine business and spoke of personal experiences and delivered thought-provoking views on planning for success.

Irish Lights chief executive Yvonne Shields opened the day with an overview of the ‘blue economy’, described by the World Bank as the ‘sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.’

“The plant’s oceans and seas cover 71% of the earth’s surface. This is a highly-structured diverse and complex ecosystem and the wellbeing and prosperity of billions of people depend on it.”

She said what while the target of net zero emissions by 2050 [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] was “challenging”, the clarity of purpose in terms of saving the planet, was “liberating” for both society and for business.

“It’s clear that we have to act now – business as usual on any front is no longer an option.”

She added that every country, organisation, business and individual would have to take on the transformation agenda “in a visible and tangible way.

“For the sector that we operate in, the marine sector, there are big challenges coupled with big opportunities.”

COASTAL ZONE CLASSIFICATION

Approximately 40% of Ireland’s population lives within 5km of the coast.

“If we were to use the EU classification, over 90% of the island would be considered a ‘coastal zone’.

We are really influenced by our marine resources and the bottom line is that the indirect benefit of the seas is unquantifiable.”

Over the past thirty years, the marine sector has evolved from traditional roots of fishing and shipping to a sector that spans “a multitude of diverse and inter-related activities”, generated €6.2bn in turnover in 2018 and contributed over €4bn in GVA,

representing 2% of GDP. The sector comprises established industries in transport, shipping, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, seafood, manufacturing and engineering. There are also a “whole suite of emerging marine industries” such as renewable energy, technology products and services, biotechnology and specialised professional services, she added.

Noting these emerging sectors only represented 7% of the value of Ireland’s ocean economy, the Irish Lights CEO said this “new activity”, with its heavy emphasis on science and technology, digitisation and decarbonisation potentially held “the solutions to addressing the challenges of sustainability” in an Irish and global context.

“It’s not clear if we will be leaders or followers but it is clear we will have to position ourselves in the marine sector to adapt to change.

“Success will depend on our ability to attract talent.

As a sector and industry, we must be attractive to the very best women, as well as men,” she emphasised.

28

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

COASTLINE NEWS

European Small islands have potential to capitalise on their unique natural and cultural assets Rhoda Twombly

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amille Dressler, Vice-Chair of the European Small Islands Federation, addressed the 2019 AGM which took place on Hver, Sweden, attended by delegates from Sweden, Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Denmark and Estonia.

The distillery and accommodation ‘Spirit of Hven’, which showcases the enterprising island spirit, was the venue for the islanders’ exchange experiences and best practices on smart islands strategies.

A visit to the excellent Tycho Brahe museum and renaissance garden also showcased how

high-quality EU-funded heritage projects can be used to boost an island’s economy.

Farming also plays a large part in the island’s economy as it has some of the richest farmland in Sweden, with sugar beet and grains the main crops.

“Delegates were impressed by the size of the historical steadings which are maintained by the Swedish government!

It was also great to see locally grown potatoes and island poultry sold in the island shop,” Camille Dressler said.

Cycling, golf-cart hire and local buses are part of the mobility on Hven; no visitors are allowed to take their cars across.

“This is just as well as the numbers of bikes for hire is

pretty impressive; there can be as many as 1,000 cyclists on the road in the high season!”

Sustainable tourism is very much part of the Smart Island strategies which the islanders contemplated as part of their reflection on how to engage in the forthcoming Framework Programme of the European Union for 2021-2027.

Camille Dressler concluded: “The Small islands of Europe have the potential to capitalise on their unique natural and cultural assets and contribute to a more sustainable future for Europe. Green Deal and climate action, sustainable energy, community-led tourism and the circular economy in particular can untap the small islands’ potential to create local

BACKGROUND

growth, achieve population retention and make a substantial contribution to the EU goals at the same time.

“In order to achieve these, ESIN is now asking for the respective national legislation in our Member-States to better incorporate appropriate provisions to compensate for the severe and permanent natural and/or demographic handicaps that we face, as highlighted by Article 174 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU. ‘The Small Islands of Europe are also asking their respective MEPs to support the formation of a renewed SEARICA intergroup in the EU parliament to ensure that their particular issues are understood and supported.

Cork Islander elected Chairperson of ESIN

Ireland is a founder member of ESIN, which was initially created as a network comprising federations of small islands from six European countries. From this grouping in 2001, ESIN became a recognised Federation in 2005 and now has members from 11 countries.

ESIN is the voice of 359,357 islanders on 1,640 small islands, helping them to increase sustainability. To this end, ESIN acts at both local and European levels, informing relevant EU institutions, influencing policies and rules by increasing their awareness and understanding of small islands.

Ireland’s off-shore communities are represented strongly in the organisation. John Walsh (Bere Island) was elected as their chair at this AGM and Ireland continues to hold the secretariat. A delegation of eight Irish Islanders attended with two giving presentations.

J

ohn Walsh, Bere Island, was elected chairman of ESIN at their AGM on Hven Island, Sweden. Camille Dressler, Isle of Eigg, Scotland, former chairperson and long-serving member was named vice-chairperson.

John Walsh is well known for his work in community development with the Bere Island Projects Group and as board member on the national island organisations, Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann and Comhar na Oileáin.

Delighted and honoured to accepted the position, he is keen to help give islands a voice in Ireland at the European Commission as well as relevant European agencies.

ESIN is the voice of 359,357 islanders on 1,640 small islands, helping them and improve and develop their sustainability. To this end, ESIN acts at both local and European levels, informing relevant EU institutions, influencing EU policies and rules by increasing their awareness and understanding of small islands. Ireland holds the secretariat of ESIN.

Baltimore RNLI names new inshore lifeboat 100 years on from the arrival of the first lifeboat

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new Atlantic 85 lifeboat for Baltimore RNLI (Rita Daphne Smyth) was officially named during a ceremony in September as part of the station’s centenary celebrations that marked the arrival of The Shamrock, the first lifeboat to the West Cork village.

Tom Bushe, Baltimore RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said to receive and name a new lifeboat during the station’s 100th year celebrations was “something special”.

“Our volunteers and the Baltimore community are delighted and excited to name our new inshore lifeboat exactly 100 years on from the day

the very first lifeboat arrived at our station.

“We are most grateful to the late Rita Daphne Smyth for her generous legacy which has funded our lifeboat.

Volunteers from the local community have been crewing a lifesaving service here for 100 years and we will be proud custodians of this new lifeboat, which will go on to rescue and save many more lives in the years ahead.”

predecessor. The added radar allows the crew to operate more effectively in poor visibility; the boat also has VHF direction-finding equipment.

The vessel has a manually-operated self-righting mechanism which combined with inversion-proofed engines, keeps the lifeboat operational even after capsize. The lifeboat can also be beached in an emergency without causing damage to its engines or steering PROFILE gear.

The Atlantic 85 is the The Atlantic 85 latest version of the carries a full suite of B-class, introduced communication and into the fleet in 2005. electronic navigation Powered by two 115 aids, as well as a horsepower engines, Rita Daphne Smyth has a searchlight, night-vision stronger hull and greater equipment and flares for night-time operations. top speed than her

BACKGROUND

I

n 1919, the RNLI installed the fourth lifeboat for Cork county, in Baltimore.

Since then, Baltimore RNLI lifeboats have launched more than 940 times and their crews have rescued 867 people including 280 lives saved. The Shamrock remained in service until 1950 when a new Watson class lifeboat Sarah Tilson was placed on service.

In 1978, Sarah Tilson was replaced by another Watson class lifeboat, The Robert. In 1984, The Robert was replaced by an Oakley class lifeboat, Charles Henry and in February 1988, a new Tyne class lifeboat Hilda Jarett was placed on service.

In April 2008, a second lifeboat, an inshore Atlantic 75, Bessie, was placed on service at the station to complement the existing all-weather lifeboat.

In February 2012, a new Tamar class lifeboat Alan Massey replaced the Hilda Jarrett. During 2013, a complete refurbishment of the lifeboat house was completed in the July, leaving the station with state-of-the-art facilities.

The new lifeboat was funded by a generous legacy from the late Rita Daphne Smyth and replaces the station’s Atlantic 75 class lifeboat Alice and Charles.

29

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

COASTLINE NEWS

No stakeholders on government committee for island development schools has decreased in the past five years.

Teachers no longer receive the Gaeltacht ailure of Allowance of €3,063 successive (removed for new governments to entrants 1/2/2012) or formulate and the Island Allowance implement a strategic of €1,842 for all islandplan or policies for COUNTERbased teachers, (removed Ireland’s offshore PRODUCTIVE islands was at the The first meeting of the from new entrants from core of a Motion on committee took place on 1/2/2012).

This is a huge Offshore Islands tabled September 24, attended disincentive when trying

by Catherine Connolly, by representatives from to attract teachers Independent TD for twelve key government to island schools.

Galway West. departments.

Additionally, the Irish When queried on Deputy Connolly’s and Bilingual Grant the lack of island Motion, debated in the representation, Minister of €103/pupil for postDáil on September 17, primary schools teaching highlighted that offshore Kyne said that inclusion through Irish, is not paid would be “counterislands were a valuable to island schools (or any productive” as officials resource to the nation ETB schools). may feel they could not in terms of language, Deputy Collins said speak freely if island culture, heritage and it was “incredible and representatives were economics. discriminatory that present. the special DEIS grant The Minister is, CHALLENGES for pupils learning however, “willing to The Motion noted through Irish was meet with islanders” the serious population denied to all five before, during and after decline, reduction of future interdepartmental island post-primary, the daily use of the meetings, and feels Irish language, lack of multidenominational this will allow a any island policies and schools. “comprehensive failure to implement “In contrast, that grant consultation process”. recommendations made is paid to voluntary Deputy Joan Collins in four highly respected all-Irish schools run by (Independent) stated reports - including the Catholic religious orders, most recently-published she believed that lack often in quite affluent of island representation government report on areas. That is a stark - those who are island development, reality for the islands knowledgeable on the published in 1996. and it is a disgrace.” issues and needs of It also called on islands and are deeply government to ensure INADEQUATE PLANS invested in their future the sustainability and While the deputies - was behind the lack of vitality of the islands recognised the implementation of the by developing an action significant investment in 1996 report in other than island infrastructure and plan for development, an ad hoc manner. creating an islands’ access, they noted that She opined there must policy, and inclusion of lack of a development be a way to adapt the island representation plan or island-specific committee’s formation on the newly-formed policies was a hindrance to enable islanders to be to island sustainability Interdepartmental included.

Islands committee. and growth.

Conversely, Deputy Connolly noted that RESPONSE INNOVATIVE Scotland, through its LEARNING In reply, government Islands Act and Highland submitted an Addressing education and Islands Department, amendment to the on islands, Minister Motion by replacing all McHugh highlighted the has seen a 4% increase in island population of the proposals with a example of Arranmore, over the last ten years review of island works Co Donegal, where while Ireland’s island since the 1990s, a list 50 pupils travel to population has decreased of the departments in the island daily for by 5.4% between 2011 the Interdepartmental secondary school. It and 2016.

Islands committee, is hoped that other In 2014, the alternative development innovative programmes, HSE carried out a proposals and an ‘action such as the partnership comprehensive primary plan’ that would go to between Sherkin Island health care review of the Cabinet. (see sidebar) and the Technological Deputy Connolly University of Dublin and islands and published noted that while it the local community, can a reported in 2014.

Comdháil Oileáin na was encouraging be introduced to more hÉireann was included Minister Sean Kyne had islands. in this consultation announced the formation Funding for island

and work has begun on implementing the recommendations.

“I accept that work has been done on all the islands. My point is that it has been done

The pontoon at Inishlyre, Mayo

The pier, Inishlyre

Rhoda Twombly

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of an Interdepartmental Committee on Offshore Islands in July, vagueness and especially the exclusion of island representatives, was worrying.

in an ad hoc, reactive fashion and not within a policy that shows that not alone do we cherish our islands, but we recognise that the islands are showing

us the way to live sustainably.

“If we had any sense or courage, we would listen to and follow them,” deputy Connolly declared.

DCHG responds to Inshore Ireland’s query on island policy development RESPONSE:

In 1993 an Interdepartmental Committee on Island Development was established with the remit of reviewing and prioritising development strategies and to recommend actions to ensure a co-ordinated approach to all aspects of island development.

The report of the interdepartmental committee A strategic framework for developing the offshore islands of Ireland was published in 1996. The report aimed to set out the strategic framework within which future action in relation to the islands would be pursued. It was proposed that it would be a basis for Government action as well as a consultative document, around which discussion and debate on Government policy in relation to the islands would be centred.

The main recommendations of the report centred on the provision of improved harbour infrastructure and life-line transport services and these objectives have largely been met.

In 1996 there were just three passenger ferry, one cargo and one air service route in receipt of a total of £893,910 in financial assistance from the State.

By 2018 the state subsidised 13 passenger ferry routes, 9 cargo routes and 2 air services, in addition to connecting road transport services to urban centres. The total cost of these services amounted to over €6.5m in 2018.

Indeed, Department-funded ferry services carried over ½ million passengers and 29,000 tons of cargo in 2018. The Department has also taken initiatives aimed at reducing passenger fares and cargo charges for island residents.

HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT

Additionally, since 1996 this Department has embarked on an extensive programme of harbour development to facilitate safe access to islands, under which funding in excess of €100m has been provided towards completion of harbour infrastructure for the islands. A number of island harbour development projects have also been included in ‘Project Ireland 2040’.

In addition to the above, DCHG in conjunction with other state agencies, has since 1996 facilitated the provision of new educational facilities and programmes, community development programmes, primary care centres, recreational facilities, waste collection and recycling initiatives, enterprise development programmes and tourism initiatives, all of which have impacted positively on island communities.

To suggest, therefore, that little or nothing has been delivered since 1996 would be inaccurate.

The future policy, to be developed by the recently formed InterDepartmental Committee on Island Development, will build on the achievements to date and will identify potential synergies between the various Departments involved with island development.

It held its inaugural meeting on September 24. The new Committee, by its very nature, only has representatives from various relevant Government Departments. However, while the committee has an important role as to the drafting of the policy, it is the consultation process with the island communities and other stakeholders which will be central to its development.

The consultation process will comprise of Department officials visiting the islands and engaging with the communities and their Local Development Group / Comharchumann representatives. Bilateral meetings will also be arranged between the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the various other Government Departments, agencies and stakeholders.

30

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

MARITIME NEWS

The Whiddy Island Disaster - High Court Action Michael Kingston

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n Dáil Eireann on Thursday October3, 2019, the Second Stage of The Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2019 was debated. It is a Bill that was introduced by

Deputy Mattie McGrath following lobbying by the family of John O’Brien who tragically died in a pleasure boat accident in Waterford in 2010 with his friend Patrick Esmonde.

The family were unhappy with the investigation and have questioned the ‘competency’ of the

Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB), and have had the courage to do something about their concerns.

In the debate Deputy Mattie McGrath stated: ‘Michael Kingston is a global maritime lawyer who lost his dad, Tim, 40 years ago in the Whiddy Island disaster. Michael Kingston has been

ON THE OCCASION OF THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FASTNET YACHT RACE DISASTER, MICHAEL KINGSTON THANKS THE RESCUE SERVICES AND LIGHTKEEPERS DEAR friends in the RNLI, Irish Coastguard, Irish Lights, Irish Navy and in particular Baltimore RNLI, and Gerald Butler - on duty on this night 40 years ago on the Fastnet Rock.

I write to thank you for all that you do, and have done, to protect life in the most unbelievably dangerous circumstances, and it is appropriate I do so this evening.

As in my below message last year, when trying to save the Iconic beam of the mighty Fresnel Lens of the Fastnet Lighthouse, the occasion has an extremely personal connection for my family as it was in this storm, which stirred Bantry Bay that my father, Tim Kingston’s body rose from its resting place to be found at the shore of Whiddy Island, together with his colleague Cornelius O’Shea, both having died with 48 others in the Whiddy Island Disaster 8 month earlier.

Whilst utter tragedy was unfolding in the race, we have always thanked God for that glorious deliverance in amongst such tragedy and this week 40 years ago we were able to lay my father to rest.

I therefore know only too well also the incredible bravery of the Baltimore lifeboat on the night of January 7, 1979, eight months earlier, going in and around the Betelgeuse inferno at Whiddy Island, trying as best they could to save life and recover victims. My family & I will be forever grateful to them for their efforts.

The sea is a dangerous place, and there are many people alive today, who would not have been, but for the incredible bravery of your services, particularly on this night 40 years ago.

When I travelled on the Irish Lights helicopter last year to the Fastnet, with Captain Robert McCabe, to analyse the Light change proposal, I was on a secret mission, with the 40th Anniversary of the Betelgeuse Disaster and the Fastnet Disaster, happening so close together, firmly in my mind.

I smuggled in my safety suit a hydrangea flower, which is the flower of Brittany (42 French people died in the Betelgesue), but also now a West Cork flower, and I was going to quietly throw it into the sea, on my own to remember those who died in both disasters and say a prayer for our rescue services.

However, to my amazement, on duty that day helping oversee some maintenance, was Gerard Butler, who was of course on duty this night 40 years ago. When I un-zipped my safety suit, the hydrangea fell out, and of course I was observed in a quizzical manner, so I explained my thoughts.

In the company of such honourable men of the sea, my plan was transformed into a ceremony on the balcony of the Fastnet, with Gerald Butler, Ronnie O Driscoll, Captain McCabe, Mark Purdy, and their colleague Phil, whose surname I do not have.

We prayed for all the victims of the Fastnet Race, and for all the victims of the Betelgeuse, and for our rescue services, and our Lightkeepers, and those in your services who have sacrificed their lives for our society.

I thought of all the Fastnet Light Keepers who frequented my Aunt, Norma’s pub in Goleen, The Corner House, down through the years, in particular my great friend Dick O’Driscoll from Castletownbere, and Steven O’Sullivan from Goleen. As we were on the Rock itself doing this, I want to share this with you tonight, and the photos from that day.

With my own seafaring family history and tragedy in my mind at all times, I have fought ferociously for regulation and its implementation across the world, so that you, our precious rescue services, do not have to be called out unnecessarily.

I am acutely aware that in such a short space of time the Baltimore Lifeboat had to deal with the Betelgeuse Disaster and then the Fastnet Race. One of those events is enough for anyone in a lifetime, but two in such a short space of time requires incredible bravery, as do all the other call outs for all of you.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for supporting the Betelgeuse Commemoration in January, and I think very much tonight of the Baltimore Lifeboat crew who are no longer with us who braved both those occasions, including Noel Cottrell, and I am deeply grateful to his sons, Brendan and Cathal, current Baltimore Lifeboat crew, for all the support they gave our families in January, with many members of your crews from other stations, and of course Kieran Cotter of Baltimore, on duty this night 40 years ago, as well as Derry McSweeney and Donnie Sheehy on duty on 08 January 1979.

Above all of course we think of those who died this night 40 years ago and their families. For their families they are as alive today as they were in 1979. We also think of all those who have passed away in your services.

May those who died rest in peace, and may you always be kept safe and may God be with you always.

Every best wish and may those who died rest in peace Michael Kingston, Goleen.

invaluable to us and to Anne-Marie O’Brien and the Esmonde family.

‘Mr Kingston has advised governments all over Europe and the world, but for some reason the department will not engage with him.

What is wrong? Is it the case that the prophet is never recognised in his own village?

‘We have people here who are willing and able, have expertise and want to help in the spirit of the Irish meitheal. They want to be good citizens.’

COMPETENCY QUESTIONED

Deputies McGrath and Ferris went on to explain that not only was the competency of Ireland’s MCIB in question, but it was fundamentally flawed because it was not independent, and therefore was in fundamental breach of European law.

The current composition includes the Department’s Secretary General or nominee, and the Marine Survey Office’s chief surveyor.

As MCIB investigations involve the analysis of the regulatory framework and its enforcement, those from the department on the board are effectively investigating themselves.

Despite threats by the European Commission that Ireland will be taken to the European Court of justice, this conflict of interest has been allowed to continue by the State.

This is a dereliction of duty by the State to the families of maritime accidents, and to the broader community who need to learn valuable lessons from accidents.

All investigations with this conflict in place should be reviewed.

In addition to this and to the obvious flaws of the MCIB, I have repeatedly questioned why Ireland continues to fail to ratify internationally agreed maritime conventions.

We must protect our maritime community and those who come to work here, and those from here, such as the Irish Coastguard, Navy and Merchant ships, who have to work hundreds of miles outside our jurisdiction, sometimes in atrocious conditions.

They have to rescue vessels that may otherwise be safe if their standards were better, and if Ireland had exercised its influence as a nation on the international regulatory regime, instead of letting our complacency come back to haunt us on our own doorstep.

Inset - throwing a remembrance flower from the Fastnet, Michael Kingston (3rd left) is joined by Irish Lights personnel, Phil, Ronnie O’Driscoll, Gerald Butler and Capt.

Robert McCabe and below CourtmacSherry Lifeboat members 1979

This is exactly what happened in 1979 in Bantry Bay when the Betelgeuse was not carrying a simple ‘inert gas system’, which was included in SOLAS1974 but had not been ratified

by Ireland at the time of the accident.

This would have prevented the ultimate explosion. Those who were swimming to Whiddy Island, including my father, had no chance.

In my opinion, the Whiddy Island victims died ultimately because of a failure of our State to enforce 1979 domestic regulation at the Whiddy Island Oil Terminal, where the reduction of safety provisions by Gulf Oil was allowed to take place without check.

This revelation is clearly established in Justice Declan Costello’s 1980 ‘Report into the Disaster at Whiddy Island’; however there has never been any analysis of the regulation that was breached unlawfully and why it was not enforced.

Accordingly, we have to rely of the rule of law to sort things out.

We have no option but to go to Court to establish the fundamental European rights of 50 workers who died in unlawful and atrocious circumstances in Irish jurisdiction and we will have to force the obvious changes in the State’s approach to the maritime sector that are required in a ‘root and branch’ review.

I hope readers will understand the importance of this application and please look in more detail on the GoFundMe Page ‘Whiddy Island Disaster – High Court Action’ which has been set up to assist in this cause. If costs are recovered, donations will be returned or donated to listed maritime charities.

Further details: kingston1928@hotmail.com Readers of Inshore Ireland will be familiar with some of the work that I do with governments, and international organisations such as the Arctic Council, the International Union of Marine Insurance, Lloyd’s of London, and the International Maritime Organisation, and others.

In Summer Edition of Inshore Ireland, I am pictured in the Government of Iceland Delegation at the International Maritime Organisation. There we made a statement regarding important international regulatory developments and a plea for nations to ratify the Cape Town Agreement for Fishing boat Safety, which Ireland have thus far failed to do.

Readers will also be aware that much of my motivation to protect life at sea, and our environment stems from the fact that my father lost his life in the Whiddy Island Tragedy on January 8, 1979.

31

INSHORE IRELAND | AUTUMN 2019

OUTSIDE IRELAND

Fisheries subsidies: public funds for public good, not individual gain Brian O’Riordan, Life Platform

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he Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) advocates that public funds should be used for public good, not individual gain. Fisheries and the marine environment are a public resource that need conserving within sustainable limits if fishing is to have a future. This requires giving attention to the three pillars of sustainability – the environmental as well as the social and economic dimensions.

LIFE therefore urges that under the new European funding scheme for the maritime sector, priority should be given to protecting the environment and conserving fish stocks, and to supporting collective projects that contribute to social and economic sustainability of fishing communities.

In this light, LIFE agreed to be a co-signatory on a letter drafted together with environmental NGOs on fisheries subsidies and addressed to members of the European Parliament.

The European Parliament will play a determining role as co-deciders in the forthcoming ‘trilogue’ process to adopt a new regulation for a European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) for the period 2021 to 2027.

REVIEW OF SUBSIDIES

At the last meeting of the Fisheries (Pech) Committee of the European Parliament on October 2, the deputies reviewed the subsidies being provided to the

Photos of the Balearic Islands

European fisheries sector through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). They also discussed the issues arising from the proposal approved under the last Parliament for subsidising Europe’s maritime, fisheries and aquaculture sectors over the next period, 2021 to 2027, under what is to be called the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Find (EMFA).

The debate comes just ahead of the next round of trilogue negotiations, through which the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers must arrive at an agreed ‘co-decision’ on the new legislation, facilitated by the European Commission.

A contentious issue in the debate is the provision of subsidies for actions that contribute to overcapacity, overfishing or Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Since 2005, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been mandated to negotiate the ending of certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing.

Following the Rio + 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012, and the subsequent development of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the WTO is now focussed on delivering SDG 14.6.

This commits States to: “By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contribute to IUU fishing, and refrain from introducing new such subsidies.”

PROPOSALS

For this reason, in its 2018 proposal on the EMFF (now EMFAF) post 2020, the European Commission listed as ineligible, subsidies for ‘operations that increase the fishing capacity of a fishing vessel or support the acquisition of equipment that increases the ability of a fishing vessel to find fish’ and for ‘The construction and acquisition of fishing vessels or the importation of fishing vessels, unless otherwise provided for in this Regulation.’

In the European Parliament’s proposal, subsidies may be used for ‘the purpose of improving the safety or the working or living conditions of the crew which includes corrections to vessel stability, or the quality of the product,’ provided that any increase in capacity ‘is within the limit allocated to the Member State concerned, without jeopardising the balance between fishing capacity and available fishing opportunities and without increasing the ability of the fishing vessel concerned to catch fish’.

Such a proposal is very much in line with the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, C.188, and as such is supported by both vessel owners and trade unions. Thanks to their efforts, key provisions of ILO C.188 became EU law in December 2016 through Council Directive 2017/159. Member States must comply with this by November 15 2019.

FINE LINE

Subsidising safety and decent conditions is also in line with efforts to make the fishing sector more attractive to the younger

Marta Cavallé, LIFE

generation. But there is a fine line between increasing fishing capacity on the one hand and improving safety and working and living conditions on board on the other.

Should public money be used for improving safety and working conditions if this also increases fishing capacity? Would such a provision undermine the EU’s credibility at the WTO negotiations to prohibit harmful subsidies contributing to overcapacity, overfishing and illegal fishing by 2020, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14.6?

LIFE advocates that such closures, and any short-term alternatives to fishing, need to be part and parcel of national level action plans for small-scale low impact coastal fishing, outlined in the Commission’s proposal. Such action plans would provide the basis for investing in the sustainability of the sector and to improve its profitability.

VALUE-ADDED DEPENDENCY

In 2017, the small-scale fleets of five Member States suffered gross losses and in nine Member States COMPENSATION net losses, as reported by Also of contention is the Scientific, Technical whether or not fishers and Economic Committee should be compensated (STECF 2019 AER Report). for the temporary closure This compares to three and of fisheries that force them five respectively for larger to tie up their vessels. scale fishing activities.

Such forced closures mean The STECF also notes that their livelihoods are that the viability of smallcurtailed. If closures are scale fishery enterprises protracted, this can mean is far more dependent of the demise and death of value addition, making their businesses. Once such market access a key factor small enterprises fail, there for profitability. Small-scale is no bringing them back. fishers have to sell their fish Small-scale fishers, as on the same markets used self-employed entrepreneurs large-scale fishing activities however are not eligible where the quality, especially for unemployment benefit freshness, may be very during such closures. different.

Neither are they eligible All too often, the bulk nor have they asked for landings of the larger-scale subsidies to compensate sector drag down prices them for their loss of on the market, making earnings during such it difficult for small-scale closures. They would much operations to make a living. prefer to be working at sea LIFE therefore advocates than to be unemployed that support should ashore. be provided to smallThey therefore agree with scale fishers to organise NGOs that loss of earnings themselves and to establish should not be compensated Producer Organisations for by European subsidies.

(POs). Such POs would They are open to both secure their access to suggestions and assistance resources through quota to enable them to pursue reallocation schemes viable alternatives and to supported by the EMFAF, diversify. and to markets.

Small-scale fishers see no point in investing in new vessels or in improving their vessels if their lack of access to resources and markets undermines the viability of their businesses.

Rather they would like to see investments in actions that secure their future; actions which secure sustainable access to resources and access to markets. Small-scale fishers don’t want to fish more, they want to fish better, prioritising quality over quantity.

DISTORTION ON THE SEAS

Reporting on the current implementation of the EMFF, the European Commission noted that overall the larger-scale fleet segment had received around 70% of the subsidies, with 18% going to the smaller scale sector (under 12 metres using non-towed gears). This has created a distortion on the seas that needs to be redressed.

The Commission representative also commented that there was no economic justification in investing public funds in vessels and engines given the strong economic performance of the larger scale fleet. Rather, such investment should come from the private sector.

Summing up, the Chair of the Fisheries Committee, Chris Davies, noted that no parliamentarians were in favour of harmful subsidies.

By the WTO SDG 14.6 yardstick, upgrading vessel security to ensure the safety of the fishers could not be bad.

However, we can’t be sure, he said, that our actions will not lead to unintended consequences.

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Gery Flynn

“

Maritime spatial planning brings together multiple users of the marine space to make informed and co-ordinated decisions about how to use marine resources in sustainable way through a the production of a comprehensive plan,” is how Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney defined what he believes to be the single most important

government legislation for the past fifty years.

The minister was addressing this year’s SeaFest in Galway prior to announcing that he had signed regulations to transpose the EU Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning into Irish law – a move that heralded major implications for Irish marine law.

“Harnessing our Ocean Wealth recognises that managing our ocean requires an over-arching MSP, underpinned by an efficient and robust planning and licensing framework,” he told SeaFest 2016.

“Such an approach will provide a governance

Law and the environment

page 15

structure and a blueprint for, regional and local planning of our ocean resources. I believe that implementing MSP will provide competitive advantage in our marine sectors and help realise the full benefit of our ocean wealth and assist with managing our resources effectively and sustainably. And ultimately that’s what this is about”.

getting the sequencing right

Minister Coveney said that the various reports produced in the run up to this country having a functioning MSP had called for the same things:

» a lead department to be responsible at a national level for marine spatial policy and legislation » the national maritime spatial plan to cover Ireland’s marine waters to a broad strategic level, with more detailed plans being prepared subsequently at a sub-national level as required » the maritime spatial plans to aim for sustainable and efficient use of marine space by maximising multiple uses and potentially zoning for preferred uses » to have meaningful and

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The Marine & Freshwater Environment INVESTMENT TO SAFEGUARD INLAND FISHERIES

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Hall anfor the scale action; LIFE recognis 10% of ct Fis n Ru the truth; scale s it bu who t OF DAthe 20 ning.” tation to on actd. All MS ion “too well” nge with h Summ “But it is, a path to highest voices Michael Impa Marci e the Wealt smalle an exhorCreed, e is happe Minister s. This , POs e only numbers ume from the becom LAcKIreland, notes tha nts mit act chang (Low e) and e Ireland ion of ing climat article, ‘share s of the challe our politic e got toFood for they’v importantlyoceans for Agriculture, The d. keytheme en our water estmetoisland For F report ustry is eriesHe said resolv a matter includby vessel % by vol For mostly in and sub Europ to Inshor publicat ission’s e,” he warne just 2% of al, oft d inv small protect the the Marine, was ation, and anfrom onscale fish l change was not protected: » page 16 has to chang the oceans fleet nt for 90 catch. le fish voices it, liged d all early participation in the STEC ing ind in rur focuse spoke ing the Comm ean na currently are all deeply packed gatheringaddressing a s’,ob the next gener we can do er as. sm tirthe m nation are Managing beyond.” natio es. a accou Irish fishsmall-sca of industry s stakeholders process byillall protec of whether the fishrily based “But we toon that and wheth follow ropean Europ nd rdship of ns ed fro generations stal are ived the the – M n the need [to learn] .

State fisheries and seafood plaocean Fu gramm “it’s a matter of it. is a stewa of the st part, exclud ota. including primaved, coa ome derture, ss. $500b rt ofs from an S the general public the Eu sal on the impressed d’s seas l Pro e 16 heries 21-2027 to do that world’s representatives attending a gedecide of as pa ACTIVIST Gilli $500bn busine my and the mocers areess to qu n tionae chang » pa 20 we climat is essential depri such, inc aquacul sector half of Irelan propo me and Fis time hers a question ts ofera econo CLIMATEKerry singled me years Brexit meeting in Dublin. of global oods of 12% of ‘As fis “This is not is a question produand acc to Marci inatorimpac Op nations in high food ing, “And we is e Mariti ng the nt, Mariti Senator what ale happens s It know-sc ord on island and to ensure g ity; this Hold the m fish wider sea rtant to young climat the livelih of the eri lla s ’s PO Co capac din when that e me fro all Ve today rie doesn’t ivan cov ular, po ies happen. on will. on out ” he the k im Accor , LIFE’s d North ly partic nable longAlicia O’Sull me ficiar It of political accountable We knowsm Envirs and Fis Karmenu ic and remely nomies.t the lac thatcopeople ski an on a sustai activists, e om er beneget for marin Ruci Baltic ltic Sea in politicianssure they’re suspicious be is ext local eco ver tha all-scale ding.uard and Affair ission al Econ c, thinkfun there term future generally. main tifi nu for thein the Bale fleets and make feg are agendas that these ds howeta for sm ins for Comm maybe pean scien c economies to sa ure the ‘An te address, It ad le da ‘rema Sea, all-sca le EuroAnd aren’tofthere. and rt’ of the economi thenthe fut hing In the keyno iab rly for es tifiabten the sm we getisajus of rel l fisheri particula tres’. wholeigh Repo ical and fisheriesint a frustratedEU fisin processan all d br confusion, coasta matic, n 10 me pts around technmittee on ver pa llenges of the 80% ich is smys overas lack of the probles less tha ort attem understanding, com F) howeof the cha llinn, and plo ce, et wh d em ultimately vessel this rep for (STECpicture tor. In Ta of fleobjection, an and work ands in many cases, While stark this sec r, Vella t of 135 the scalethe projects us y of ctl are prevented facing ia last yea t 53 ous making. for thoindire all 50%that aswould otherwise have Eston ghted thawere los and s for lue wellgone tly ahead.” va job highli l fleets direc ndent ng the alo 16 coasta ty depe »erspage , depu rm work .” ordan platfo chain O’Ri LIFE Brian of the or direct of

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Ireland’s seafood sector is a €1bn industry with a first-sale value of €500m, exports worth €560m and employs 11,000 people in mostly remote coastal areas.

Brexit poses a “very particular set of serious threats” over and above trade implications common to most sectors, he added.

These concern potential loss of access to fishing grounds in the UK Zone, and possible attempts by the UK to increase its current quota share at the expense of Ireland.

“Any changes to existing rights for the Irish and EU catching sector must be resisted strenuously,” he said.

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CONDITION OF NON-EEA WORKERS IS MISREPRESENTED

water

UK demands, strengths and weaknesses along with their fishing and trade interests, against Irish strengths and weaknesses and Member State priorities.

Assistant Secretary General Cecil Beamish said it was imperative that the Irish position was presented as a united effort to ensure a common voice based on the facts.

“Prepare for a long haul,” he warned.

iNdustry coNcerNs

Producer, processing and exporter representatives unitedly said access, quota and trade were the key issues, and had to be negotiated collectively.

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Killyb n, tise O’Do accessitish wa leagues cla ed of StaMr Barni d prioriential 73; Seán ive of the ganisatio the “ve Br sh col an in 19d outlin maintainres and d xit ess Or d to d cut nd an an tives: sta l be exe men’s at a Bre ’s . sha ing “Briti re cheate ath sol under es, it wilited fish lly objec g quota of accesstrict we He Fisherspeaking of BIMnference ge 6 stin rights to res they Edward s fisheri e a un nationa s ead Co exi ill ah wa » pa g t g od pts d M tha we havry both ean level.” n existin an attem hts an briefinnal SeafoJune.

Gilli ry Flyn “Any sting rig l be d that industat Europ Natio end of t that negotiates exclusion of wil the and & Ge our eximents isted anng that EU without Britain,” at the added tha ss, ng to fishing vessels from their kage ce warned AN of He ms relati ies Policy entitle ously res Sean O’Donoghue, insistipart of the he lineen acKillybegs de is hting ROPE CTIVE n, CEO 33% share of North East be her l tra enu fig ble tw EU ” Fis m d str y I wil for PE chman Fishermen’s pro be Organisation. s.” an iority on ed’ as would Atlantic Waters, what will PERS Wi is wh es must otiationtlined pr Commbe “park fronts .

Ireland also quota enjoys happen to displaced Irish and eri de neg o ou lear d Niels st two zy” ing “c fish EU als mu a the on in tra benefit cra of ‘Hague other Member State vessels? ttle sh an ective a widere minister with the l a ba solutely which fish er Preferences’ (along an Iri with the Wherever they go, additional rns d’s Th cussions r, Miche persp be “abo matter in - whethal, UK) froofmincreased ks, wa lan pressure will inevitably be pean talquotas “N you’re demers s his dis negotiato put it for some EuroBr in Ire exspecies key cie c, on fish stocks, they warned. ure when chief . sector pelagi xed spe er fig the are reductions imposed.

Irish concerns are ustryk about t ding ind you’re sh or mi l disast leaarrangement “This tal g abou g underpinned by UK en I will shellfixit is a rea g.” fishin wh be threatened talkin talking t when commentary, notably by notwe “And I’m - Bre does wron will be the - I’m canno only Member the Minister of Fisheries if it trade, d trade de - we it does State benefitting George Eustice’s remark in tra e. If foo post al sea r.” tot Brexit,” he warned.

The Guardian (October 30): out t linkag e is ove Around ab 33%akoftha Irish gam ‘British fishermen will catches came frombre en, the UK catch hundreds of thousands happwaters in 2015. The two main species of tonnes more fish after were mackerel and nephrops Brexit.’ (see sidebar) “requiring anything from Ireland shares 47 of 40% to 50% access to British its 50 Total Allowable fishing grounds”.

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