Inshore ireland vol11 nr4 aug sep 2015

www.inshore-ireland.com The Marine & Freshwater Environment Publication

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Seafood, science and skills showcased at Seafest 2015

Maritime excellence acknowledged at inaugural awards

pages 14-16

page 21

August/September 2015 Vol 11 Issue 4

ONLINE EDITION

You can now view the June/July issue on www.inshore-ireland.com or you can follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/inshore_ireland and Facebook www.facebook.com/InshoreIreland

‘Business as usual’ no longer an option, says Coveney Gillian Mills & Gery Flynn

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he marine sector could deliver over 29,000 additional jobs and an additional €2.7bn in economic growth by 2020. “Ireland is now firmly on what I believe is an unstoppable voyage of marine expansion.”

Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine was addressing over 500 delegates at the second annual Harnessing our Ocean Wealth conference, at the National Maritime College of Ireland (July 9).

Publication in 2012 of Ireland’s first ‘blueprint’ for the marine, which straddles nine departments on the government’s Marine Coordination Group, has begun a process of “radical change” in the approach to marine policy. Government commitment to the sector is reinforced by the “first ever review on taxation” to be reflected in the October budget, he added.

Premium performer

According to the latest report on Ireland’s ocean economy, compiled by NUI Galway’s Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) and Teagasc, the

sector contributed roughly €1.4bn to GDP in 2014.

Results are encouraging, reflecting the economic recovery that Ireland is experiencing.

“On average, the blue economy is performing better than the general economy - up to 9% growth over the last five years. With an estimated turnover of €4.5bn, the sector employs approximately 18,500 Full-Time Equivalents.

New data shows that in addition to direct impact, a further 13,000 are employed across the wider economy, providing an additional €3.3bn in turnover,” said Dr Stephen Hynes, SEMRU. This is the third report from SEMRU as part of its

ongoing process of collection and analysis of marine socio-economic data. Results show trends for 2010-2012 and provide an approximate direct value in 2014.

Investment opportunities

The importance of government commitment was also recognised by John Evans, Director of Policy, Innovation and Research Support Services with the Marine Institute, organisers of this year’s event. He praised Minister Coveney for bringing what he said was “a huge amount of enthusiasm to the marine sector”.

Evans also noted the level of interest in investment, evident at two networking sessions: “We had almost two hundred and fifty people at both events. That’s a clear indicator that the sector is ripe for investment”.

Tara McCarthy, CEO designate of BIM said Ireland’s seafood industry required “a focus on innovation that was, in the first instance, market-led and consumer-led as well as having a technologydriven approach”.

For this to work, she said it would require close cooperation between State »» page 2

Walkers on Skellig Michael a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stands aloof in the Atlantic Ocean 12 km southwest of Valentia Island, Co Kerry. Leave No Trace Ireland promotes better use of outdoor places through education, research and partnerships (see pg 9).

Photo Fáilte Ireland.

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inshore ireland August/September 2015

News

Commissioner for Environmental Information overturns DAFM decision to withold salmon farm accident report Gery Flynn

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he Commissioner for Environmental Information has directed the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to release information it holds relating to the accidental loss of more than 200,000 juvenile farmed salmon at Gearhies in Bantry Bay following a storm in February 2014.

DAFM had refused to provide the preliminary scientific and technical reports of its investigation of the incident to environmental lobbyists Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) who first requested it in April 2014 under Access to Information on the Environment Regulations.

In its appeal to the Commissioner, FIE argued that the matter was of ‘extreme public importance, not only in light

of the Gearhies incident, but also because of the alleged failure of [DAFM] to carry out its regulatory functions properly in ensuring compliance with aquaculture licensing conditions aimed at preventing the escape of fish’.

The Commissioner’s twelvepage review of DAFM’s decision released in July finds that it was ‘not justified’ in refusing the FIE request and that it had not advanced any other grounds to refuse access to the records specified.

Aarhus Convention

Welcoming the ruling, Tony Lowes, spokesman for FIE told Inshore Ireland it was important because “it would limit the ability of government departments to deny access to information on the basis that it is part of an internal communication for on-going deliberation.

That argument has been used in the past to deny public access to key information.

“Now, however, under AIE Regulations, the

Commissioner has declared that the document we were looking for, the accident report, was not in itself an ongoing internal communication, but stand -alone information that has to be released.”

Lowes added it was “also highly significant” that the Commissioner says it is no longer sufficient to interpret requests such as FIE’s “simply in terms of national law or national interests.

“This means that requests like ours have to be interpreted in terms of the actual AIE Regulations as well as in terms of the Aarhus Convention, which Ireland has ratified and which allows for public participation in decisionmaking and access to the courts. It adds weight to the public interest argument that just because it might be inconvenient for a government department to release certain information, they must do so now if it forms part of a citizen’s right

Marine Institute Foras na Mara

Our Ocean - A Shared Resource Ár n-Aigéan - Acmhainn Comhroinnte Ireland’s National Agency for Marine Research and Innovation An Ghníomhaireacht Náisiúnta um Thaighde Mara agus Nuálaíochta

www.marine.ie

to that information. This is a very important point.”

Despite being satisfied that the FIE appeal was upheld, Lowes however is “highly critical” of the length of time it took the Information Commissioner to process it.

“We had a terrible time with delays. But I’m not blaming the Office of the Environmental Commissioner, the problem lies with the Department of Finance which, to be fair, has released enough funds for four new staff officers but has also increased the remit of the Freedom of Information Act to encompass a number of other bodies. So the four extra staff are not really enough because there’s now so much

more now for them to do.”

Inshore Ireland enquired of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Minister would comply with the Commissioner’s direction to release the information specified by FIE or if they would appeal it to the High Court. Such an appeal must be initiated no later than two months after notice of the decision has been given to the person bringing the appeal.

DAFM responded:

‘The Department is considering the decision of the Commissioner for Environmental Information in relation to the release of the information covered by the Commissioner’s decision’.

The Information Commissioner’s decision can be found on the following link: http://friendsoftheirishenvironment.org/images/pdf/ CEI10007Decision3.07.15.pdf

»» from page 1

agencies such as BIM, Bord Bia, the Marine Institute and the IDA: “There’s no point however having a product that the scientists find fascinating and amazing and technologically brilliant if no consumer wants it.”

As for how the landscape of marine food production might look in the future, food futurist, Christophe Pelletier said consumers should realise they have the power to change and shape seafood production to be both environmentally friendly sustainable: “As consumers, we can influence how our food is produced. If consumers start to reject practices that are not sustainable, then such practices are going to disappear. Consumers should also be aware they are a part of the problem and a part of the solution. And it’s not just about producers, it’s not just about politicians, it must start from the consumer end.”

Roadmap

Key milestones reached since 2012 include a reformed Common Fisheries Policy, finalised under the Irish presidency; a Seafood Development Programme to 2020 of €241m investment; a National Strategy Plan for Aquaculture with target growth of 81,000 tonnes by 2023; marine research (€5.5m award under Horizon 2020 and the Galway Bay Cable project.

Closing his remarks,

Minister Coveney said that achieving these targets will require “new thinking” - to be steered by a Development Task Force of 24 contributors.

The DTF identities new approaches to include: ‘marinising’ existing sectors (e.g. energy, IT and food) by extending their businesses into new marine-related markets (ICT for the sea; marine biotechnology and maritime commerce); strengthening established marine industries and developing untapped natural resources or existing resources in new ways.

An Integrated Marine Development Team is also recommended, to drive implementation and instigate and support private sector investment.

Minister Coveney noted publication of an Enablers Task Force which provides a framework for developing a national marine special planning (MSP) process.

He paid tribute to Dr Peter Heffernan, Marine Institute, who chaired the process.

“I believe the outlook for the marine sector is really exciting and the possibilities are endless,” he concluded.

“The challenge now is to make the marine sector a leading contributor to the Irish economy and to recognise the potential we have as an island nation to be a major player in the sector internationally.”

“Business as usual is no longer an option,” he said.

inshore ireland August/September 2015

3

Comment

Joined-up thinking in a single, dedicated Department of the Marine, must now be established

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ubbed the marine’s answer to ‘The Ploughing’, Seafest 2015 brought together stakeholders, State agencies, civil servants and Joe and Josephine Citizen for a two-day showcase at the National Maritime College of Ireland, and backyard of the Minister for the Marine in Co Cork.

Opening Our Ocean Wealth conference on Day 1, Minister Coveney said the sector was on an “unstoppable voyage of expansion” involving nine government departments, State agencies, third-level institutes and the private sector, to create a blueprint for the marine which was undergoing a process of “radical change”.

when showcasing Ireland’s ocean wealth potential on the international market.

Investment opportunities were outlined at a workshop that attracted more than 200 delegates alongside parallel breakout sessions on seafood, marine energy and enterprise; maritime transport and ocean literacy.

All the performance indicators are positive: The potential to deliver more than 29,000 additional jobs and a further €2.7bn by 2020, bolstered by current performance figures that suggest the ‘blue economy’ is outperforming the general economy.

We heard also about a newly formed body, the Development Task Force of 24 contributors, referring to ‘marinising’ existing sectors, by extending their businesses into new marine-related activities.

And promise of a first-ever review on taxation to be reflected in the October budget, must surely auger well for the future.

Before a 500-strong delegation that could have been double if space had allowed, stakeholders outlined with gusto, developments, initiatives and the importance of clustering,

Traditional canvas boats displaying skill and speed

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n a course with a start line at the East Link Bridge on Dublin’s River Liffey to a turning buoy at the bow of Jeanie Johnston, east of the Sean O’Casey Bridge, teams from Camp (Co Kerry); The Rosses (Co Donegal); Dunbeg (Co Clare), Rosmuc (Co Galway); Eanach Mhean (Connemara) and Inis Oirr (Aran Islands) competed in the third annual Dublin Currach Regatta.

The event was sponsored by Dublin Port Company, Dublin City Council and St Patrick’s Rowing Club.

comment

Gillian Mills

“world-class” facilities are set to attract “top researchers and new entrepreneurial endeavours from maritime and energy sectors”, he remarked.

But our attention must return to Minister Coveney’s fervent closing remarks: “I believe that the outlook for the sector is really exciting and the possibilities are endless. The challenge now is to make the marine sector a leading contributor to the Irish economy and to recognise the potential we have as an island nation to be a major player in the sector internationally.”

Surely now, of all times, a dedicated, stand-alone Department of the Marine must be established to harness this marine rollercoaster if the sector is to have confidence in the sentiment of complete government support.

Seafood Showcase

Day 2 was as a showcase of ‘all things marine’ for the 10,000 visitors to the Rinkaskiddy campus. Centre-stage was the BIM/Bord Bia ‘Seafood Experience’ of seafood cookery demonstrations and interactive educational tours in custombuilt cinema settings.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny also formally opened the Beaufort Centre, which comprises the latest in wave simulators, test tanks, and workshops. Its

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For the first time ever all the different stakeholders in Ireland’s Maritime future will gather for the inaugural Maritime Industry Awards. More than 65 companies, organisations and bodies present will celebrate excellence in Maritime endeavours and witness the presentation of 15 stunning trophies to Ireland’s maritime leaders.

page 22-23

The very best in Maritime will be at the Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin 4 on June 18th for the most important night in the 2015 maritime year and we invite you to join in too.

info@maritimeawards.ie or 01 407 0595

To book your place:

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Sponsors to the awards benefit from national media branding, comprehensive event branding and VIP seating packages.

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Flynn €1,615,7 October 2002 and 2013 s in 2009 to the laying ran from er 2005 - threeRequest Access above ground tion a 3km tempora Decembuarter years - so was a Informa and a Public Gery Flynn, arine Harves mental id Fish) through on ry pipelineof and-a-q a major study.” FoI save the lives Environ in 2013 – all of Ireland t g research Wild Salmon Gillian occasion which freshwa this was Mills of its fish (MHI) lture’s firstsought involvin lice on wild The statemen , Request has defend been refused. stocks’. lly project Loch an ally pumped ter was major IFA Aquacu of sea y funded that on ants from which haveAWS was a Watch its decisio ed extract ion specifica could have publicl July 24 t also confirms the impact which in Óir to a wellboa submiss ndence between partly of critical to Galway ds by particip , it had applied “SUMB of Salmon been serious lture Connemfresh water n to financia salmoni reland’s Scotland . the cagesturn delivere t, ent the Western correspo and alsot to the aquacu for temporaCounty Council andseafood d it compons complaint to farmed ara lake to from a at Aird consequ l and socio-economic Norway from Ireland, Central and records and sustainab ry planning treat Mhóir. to could theindustry early interes permissi ands and Flynn Ireland’ sea cagessalmon in nearby s Boards fish used in treatmenences if the freshwat ssion in le, in keeping Netherl SaLmo Marine Harvest nt Gery Fisherie ground on to retain the sector. nt by Salmon Mills be generatiing €2 H ies of fatal gill for a potenti y EU Commi significa er stopped ts had been water at aIrdN cagES above Ireland’s with & Gillian standards mortalit WS Project.

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Addressing the BIMorganised Leadership and Scale conferecne, Eddie Power of Green Isle Foods said that such optimistic predictions were ‘realistic and achievable’ and all that was necessary was ambition and the will to do it.

“Ireland’s green status and food island image, and above all its geographic location in the most productive fishing grounds in the EU, are clear indicators of just how much potential there is to turn us into a golobal seafood producer. We have

The Maritime Industry Awards are devised and organised by

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www.eventstrategies.ie, info@eventstrategies.ie 01 407 0594.

the natural opportunities to process 500,000 tonnes within a decade”, he declared.

coNsolidAtioN

But he cautioned that Ireland’s seafood industry would only reach its full potential if there was further significant consolidation and co-operation.

“Irish seafood companies will have to develop critical mass and scale if they are to be competitive in the global market place. And the industry will require an

export-oriented mindset and a commitment to creating added-value, as well as a new capacity to invest in the technology and innovation to provide sufficient scale to exploit by-product.”

Power’s initial impression of Ireland’s seafood industry was of fragmentation, comprising about 170 mostly small companies with a turnover of roughly €1 million a year.

“In many cases these operate in an environment where State supports are widely dispersed and the

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five consecut and farmers ive months, watch their have had they have to crops during the length no control over the winter wash away instead of time natural of fetchingstorms these blooms in top superma premium in the ocean,” can persist s restauran rkets he added.

Produce ts,” explaineand Richie Flynn, with the rs are not arguing science aquacultd executiv which closed or criteria Farmers e of the Irish ure them down.

“IFA member ’ Associat “By closing ion. closely with the s work very their harvestin operatio such as agencies g farmers ns, the mussel Authoritthe Food Safety consumeensured that HSE andy; Marine Institute r and food comes first we have BIM, to ensure ; safety but unfortun system the safest shellfish ately in the world.”

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companies themselves are Gillian Mills orientated mainly towards the home market only. severe crisis There also seems to be low is threate sustained profitablility in the musselning produc most sectors, and critically, sector from tion there seems to be a limitedto DunmanusCastlemaine result of highlyBay as a ambition overall for further algal blooms unusua l developent,” he said. accordi this to the winter, A consequence of such ShellfishngAssocia Irish “Some inadequacies he believes forced bays have tion. been to close has made the industry down for uncompetitive on a European scale, and not exploiting catch in Irish waters. »

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HRH The Prince of Wales met An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD and Marine Institute CEO Dr. Peter Heffernan where he talked about Ireland’s seabed mapping and international collaboration on Ocean research.

Photo: Andrews Downes XPOSURE

Inshore Ireland was established in 2005 by marine journalists Gillian Mills and Gery Flynn to report on marine research and commercial development within Ireland’s coastal and offshore waters and freshwater catchments.

of their product, news or information.

Regrettably this is not always possible as costs are incurred to produce and disseminate information in print and online that must be recovered.

Inshore Ireland offers space for display advertising, advertorials, company pro�iles, notices and features in hard copy, complemented by free ‘added value’ exposure on our real time website and through e-marketing campaigns and social media.

About 85% of Inshore Ireland content is We also offer brand-awareness space non-revenue-generating news and features on www.inshore-ireland.com, visible compiled from primary research and is to people researching information on assessed for relevance to our customers Ireland’s marine, maritime, seafood and and readers. freshwater sectors.

Inshore Ireland is a niche publication covering all sectors that operate within these zones, rather than speci�ically concentrating on a particular sector.

Inshore Ireland receives countless press To our loyal clients and customers, for releases and requests from the commercial your on-going support, we say a sincere sector and public service, seeking coverage THANK YOU! Gillian Mills: mills@inshore-ireland.com / 01 235 4804 Gery Flynn: flynn@inshore-ireland.com / 091 844 822 sales@inshore-ireland.com www.facebook.com/InshoreIreland www.twitter.com/inshore_ireland

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Inshore Ireland is published by IIPL Ltd

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Gillian Mills

Gery Flynn

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4

inshore ireland August/September 2015

News

SFPA launches new three-year strategy Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority Strategy Statement 2015 - 2017

T

he Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority has launched its new strategy which sets out key priorities for regulating the State’s sea-fisheries and sea food sectors until 2017. The sectors, which employ over 11,000 people, are worth an estimated €850m annually to the Irish economy.

The independent regulator enforces the EU Common Fisheries Policy, along with sea-fisheries and food safety law relating to fish and fishery products. Its mandate covers all fishing vessels operating within Ireland’s 200 mile limit, over 2,114 Irish registered fishing vessels wherever they operate and all seafood produced in Ireland’s 170

seafood processing companies.

The strategy was developed to meet the challenges of a constantly changing regulatory environment and to support Food Harvest 2020 and Harnessing our Ocean Wealth – ‘the shared visions of Government and key stakeholders for the major sustainable development of the sector’, declares the SFPA.

CFP challenges

Introducing the new strategy, Simon Coveney Minister for Agriculture, Food, the Marine and Defence said the authority, together with the Naval Services, “has a significant role to play as we face into significant challenges in the coming years under the new CFP. “Introduction of the discards ban from 2015 will see many fundamental changes in fishing industry practice. These changes will lead to a sustainable industry and a secure future for fishermen and their families. This strategy also comes at a very important time in the development of Ireland’s seafood sector. I have every confidence the SFPA will continue to make a huge contribution to our

to protect public health and consumer interests. Its role includes implementing European hygiene package legislation as well as inspection and health certification of export consignments, deemed of critical importance to developing Third Country markets.

Under service contract to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, SFPA is responsible for audits and inspections of food businesses (including vessels) in the seafood sector, to assess compliance with National and European food safety legislation.

The Authority also implements the National Microbiological Monitoring and Classification Programme for shellfish production areas, and the National Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Programme in collaboration with the Marine Institute and the Molluscan Shellfish Safety Committee.

ambitions for its growth.”

Susan Steele, SFPA chair said the Authority was “strongly committed” to playing its part in ensuring a strong future for Ireland’s fishing industry, working in consultation with all stakeholders, and in particular its Consultative Committee.

“Ireland has a safe, innovative fishing industry that is recognised and respected worldwide, while its fish products are acknowledged globally as healthy and nutritious foods.

Robust confidence in an effective regulatory service plays a key role in maintaining that reputation and ensuring fair and sustainable usage of a shared marine resource for which many compete.

Good regulation is required to protect it and ensure fish for future generations, as well as ensuring consumers worldwide can enjoy Irish seafood safely.”

operates through a network of regional port offices situated at the main fishery harbours: Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Killybegs, Kilmore Quay and Howth.

In conjunction with both national and international control partners, including the Irish Naval Service and Air Corps, the SFPA operates a risk and intelligence-based approach towards detecting and deterring non-compliance.

Its collaboration with relevant industry, State bodies and other stakeholders, has resulted in Irish fisheries receiving internationally recognised Marine Stewardship Council certification and has led to the opening of many new overseas markets for Irish seafood produce.

The SFPA is also responsible for the effective implementation of seafood safety controls based on robust traceability systems

Support services

Guilty verdict for illegal fishing activity west of Blasket Islands

The SFPA provides consultation, advisory and technical support services on matters of fisheries and seafood policy to the Minister for Agriculture, Food, the Marine and Defence. It also

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Dutch national and master of Wiron 5, a UK registered pelagic freezer vessel, was fined €500 and ordered to forfeit fish and gear to the value of €400,000 when sentenced at Cork Circuit Cork on July 27. Mr Meijvogel was found guilty by a jury of having automatic grading equipment on board which was fitted in a way that did not ensure the immediate freezing of graded fish and did not prevent the return of marine organisms to the sea. (Fitting of grading equipment is permissible; however it is essential for conserving fisheries resources that grading is not a means for selecting the most profitable fish to retain.)

The case arose following

a routine joint inspection of Wiron 5 by a Sea-Fisheries Protection officer and Naval Officers from LÉ Samuel Beckett last February. The vessel was one of two detained by the Naval Service for alleged breaches of EU fishery regulations approximately 30 miles west of the Blasket Islands and escorted to the port of Cobh.

“This is an important outcome for the fishing industry. High grading is an illegal practice that can significantly affect the sustainability of fish stocks.

With the support of the Naval Service, the SFPA is committed to implementing the new Landing Obligation and detecting all illegal fishing. This result is significant and is due to the dedicated work of the teams in the SFPA and the naval service,” remarked Susan Steele, SFPA chair.

Wiron 5 - arrested for illegal fishing activity 30 miles west of the Blasket Islands.

Photo: Niall Duffy

inshore ireland August/September 2015

5

News

Funding approval for Ireland’s harbours

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major pier extension, upgrade of shipyard facilities on Dinish Island, Castletownbere, and a funding package for harbour works have been approved by marine minister, Simon Coveney, as government rises for its annual holidays.

Works at Dinish Island include a 200m extension of the pier to double its length; reconfiguration and upgrade of the boatyard and replacing the syncrolift with a mobile boat hoist. Indicative costs of €15m-€20m are subject to detailed design and tender.

“When completed, the new facilities for the fishing industry and the wider seafood sector will be on a par with the best in Europe and will allow for a major expansion of the seafood and other marine industries in the southwest,” remarked Minister Coveney.

Total fish tonnage landed into Castletownbere has increased by 38% from 25,427 tonnes in 2011 to 35,004 tonnes in 2014. Fish landings from vessels by other EU fleets into Castletownbere have increased by 272% (2011-2014) from 442 to 1,207. By June 2015, 671 landings from other EU fleets compared to 573 for

the same period in 2014.

Development at Dinish Island is facilitating growth of the Castletownbere based fishing fleet, “underpinning government’s strategy to attract increasing numbers of landings from other EU fishing fleets. It has surpassed my expectations.”

Harbour works

Investment of €3.9m is also earmarked for works at Cape Clear and €1.1m for 17 local authority projects.

The investment “signals the ongoing commitment of this government to the social and economic fabric of our coastal communities by

contributing to the continued development of fishing related activities, increasing participation in marine leisure and augmenting measures to attract greater numbers of tourists which ultimately generate the environment for job creation,” he added.

As part of his visit to Ireland’s premier whitefish port, Minister Coveney also met with the local fishing industry to discuss the introduction of the first phase of the new landing

obligation (discards ban) for the demersal fleet.

“Key to coping with the landing obligation will be avoiding unwanted fish in the first place by improving selectivity, and I am committed to helping the industry to do just that.

“By working together we will be able to phase out wasteful discarding and ensure a sustainable and profitable fishing industry into the future by safeguarding our stocks,” he said.

Adjustments to fisheries policy must be phased, says Ireland’s marine minister

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reland’s marine minister Simon Coveney is seeking agreement from the EU Commission that new policies introduced under the new Common Fisheries Policy will not be applied as a “big bang” in 2016.

A “step by step approach” is required to give industry time to adjust to the new Policy, he said, following a meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (16/06) to set 2016 fisheries quotas.

Fish stocks generally are improving ahead of a target maximum sustainable yield by 2020. “Building fish stocks to MSY will benefit both the fishing industry and the environment and help secure the future,” he added.

Setting fish quotas in line with new scientific rules is being rolled out with the discard ban for whitefish stocks commencing on January 1, 2016.

“I am working to deliver these new policies on a rational and progressive

basis over the next four years so we deliver fully on the commitment for a new fully sustainable fishing industry by 2020,” Minister Coveney explained.

He added that from 2020 he was confident the industry will have moved to a “much stronger situation” with fish stocks rebuilt and the “unacceptable practices” of discarding fish at sea, ended.

Implementing phase one of the discards ban “will require adjustment and changed practices by the fishing industry,” he added. Funding will be made available to support operators, to find “practical approaches” to adjust to the new policy.

The Council of Ministers also agreed its position on proposed regulations for production and labelling of organic products. The next step is to secure the agreement of the European Parliament.

These regulations provide rules for the organic

Kilmore Quay: Discard ban on whitefish stocks begins in 2016.

sector and a “good basis for negotiations with the European Parliament.”

Industry reaction

Following the release of the latest ICES scientific advice, Francis O’Donnell, CEO of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation told Inshore Ireland it was “the same every year.”

“It’s nearly always a minus figure; you do get the odd exception. The promised quota uplift remains very difficult to pin down as there seems to be confusion as to what fleets will receive it if any.

“It is now clear that quota uplift relates only to fisheries that come under the landing obligation in 2017. This is not even certain. It’s very simple: If TACs do not meet previous catches beginning in January 2016, I believe the CFP is dead in the water.

“All credibility is lost as we move towards a green paper for the next CFP.

Photo G Mills

Pictured at the launch were Noel Clancy (chief engineer, DAFM; Tony O’Sullivan (regional engineer South Region) & Minister Simon Coveney.

Photography by: Emma Jervis

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inshore ireland August/September 2015

Report

UNESCO ‘biosphere status’ for Dublin Bay Gillian Mills

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ublin Bay has been awarded ‘biosphere designation’ by UNESCO in recognition of its unique ecological and cultural status.

Designation had related to the North Bull Island only, but is now extended to an area of approximately 300km2. Biospheres are recognised for their biological diversity and are managed to promote a balanced relationship between people and nature.

The award coincided with the launch of the Dublin Bay Biosphere Partnership, created to protect and promote the Bay. The Partnership comprises Dublin City Council; Dublin Port Company; Dún LaoghaireRathdown County Council; Fingal County Council and The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, and is the first time these organisations have formed an alliance.

Speaking at the launch, Dublin’s outgoing Lord Mayor, Christy Burke, said Dublin Bay was a unique and valuable resource: “Achieving UNESCO biosphere designation means our potential to develop the bay as an internationally significant destination has been considerably enhanced.”

Richard Burton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation also welcomed the announcement, saying

it was a “great boost for the people of Dublin.

“Dublin Bay is a hugely important asset for our city; a great amenity for the residents of Dublin as well as a significant draw for tourists. Properly protecting and developing the potential of the Bay can enhance the quality of life of people living in the city, as well as fostering jobs and economic growth throughout Dublin.”

Fáilte Ireland CEO, Shaun Quinn remarked it was a

“tremendous accolade. This also dovetails with Fáilte Ireland’s work to reposition Dublin as the ‘city by the sea’ – a must-visit destination that rivals other European capitals and due to its proximity to sea and countryside, can offer more than most.”

Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Barry Saul said the council was proud that some significant parts of the county were part of the biosphere, such as Merrion Strand;

the marsh at Booterstown and Dalkey Island - “one of the most unique, unspoiled and much loved heritage sites in the city”.

Paul Reid, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council noted the achievement would not have been possible without the work and collaboration of all three Local Authorities.

The challenge facing the

Dublin Bay Partnership is to promote the natural and cultural to a wider audience and to provide a means for communities to participate and contribute to achieving the ideals of a UNESCO biosphere on the themes of conservation, research and education, tourism and recreation and sustainable business.

Fact file Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve encompasses over 300 km2 of marine and terrestrial habitat, including North Bull Island (a UNESCO Biosphere since 1981) and ecologically significant habitats such as the Tolka and Baldoyle Estuaries; Howth Head; Dalkey Island; Killiney Hill and Booterstown Marsh.

The Biosphere supports a variety of plants and wildlife including an internationally significant population of Brent geese that overwinters on North Bull Island.

Extension to Dublin Bay reflects the Bay’s environmental; leisure; cultural and tourism significance.

Leisure activities include walking, swimming, bird watching, boating/sailing, kite and wind surfing Further information on www.dublinbaybiosphere.ie.

Dublin Bay Partnership will promote and protect the Bay through: »» conservation – habitat management and monitoring »» learning – third level colleges, research institutes and the schools will be encouraged to study the habitat and Dublin Bay Partnership will share this knowledge with the wider public »» development - links with communities and businesses to promote sustainable development A wide diversity of mammals, birds, fish, insects and plants live and breed on the Bay’s coastal habitats. Over 300 plant species have been recorded on North Bull Island alone.

Ireland’s only other UNESCO Reserve is in Killarney National Park. A global network of 651 Biosphere Reserves are located in 120 countries.

Howth Lighthouse standing guard over Dublin Bay.

Photo G Mills

inshore ireland August/September 2015

7

Report

Described by Joyce as ‘snot green’, just how green is the sea?

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he 70ft classic steel schooner, Spirit of Oysterhaven, is sailing around the island of Ireland throughout the summer (weather permitting) and is participating in the international Citclops Citizen Science Seawater Project.

In late June the crew of three and 10 teenage trainees set sail from Drogheda, Co Louth, bound for Cobh, Co Cork.

Discussing the sea beneath the vessel the consensus was that the water was ‘cold, quite clear and bluish, blue green, or greenish’.

A new Citclops app (www. citclops.eu ) and Coastwatch methods were tested to give more precise observations.

Jonno lowered a white Secchi disc into the water on a long rope which sank two metres and disappeared from sight.

“This isn’t bad just off the beach here,” remarked Coastwatch/TCD Citclops project partner Karin Dubsky. “It’s often half that due to sediment from land and strong currents which lifts sand off the seafloor.”

She also noted that a plankton bloom was possibly building due to the sunshine and would further reduce visibility and change the water colour.

The team compared sea colour with Forel Ule (FU) scale colours on the Citclops app and used a simple paper version. Sea colour shades are numbered on the FU scale from 1 for ‘deep blue’ - the

colour we would see if there is no interference from sand or plankton or other substances – to 21 for ‘cola brown’.

Observations logged on the app are automatically uploaded on the Citclops website www.citclops.eu.

Coastwatch survey forms can be used as a paper record with more information added, such as near-surface water temperature and sediment load. Nature observation entry logged: ‘One big seal watching us, one dead gull and no jellyfish.’

‘Bluish green, cold and quite clear’ at 15 o C, FU colour 8 and 2m transparency was logged off Ballymoney.

Information that is mapped, compared, interpreted and perhaps eventually predicted in weather forecasts, may soon be available for divers and bathers.

“This information might also lead to understanding where is and where is likely to be, Ireland’s most transparent water; when and how many metres deep it is ; where the warmest bathing water is and where are least/ most jellyfish right now.

“Another potential use of the Citclops methods is as an early warning harmful algal bloom alert which is critical for shellfish harvesting. In this regard, Coastwatch is cooperating with the Marine Institute.

“Volunteers are needed – even a single reading is useful.

It’s time to find out all this information,” said Karin.

Limited scallop season for Blacksod Bay to protect sensitive habitats

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easures to manage scallop fishing in Blacksod Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) were signed into law on July 9.

Blacksod Bay contains habitats that are particularly sensitive to certain fishing activities. The measures aim to mitigate the risks of dredging for scallops.

“It is important that measures are put in place to manage the scallop fishery.

The quality and preservation of our marine environment is vital to the sustainability of our seafood sector,” remarked

Ireland’s marine minister, Simon Coveney.

He commended the work of the North West Regional Fisheries Forum for bringing together the various stakeholders, whom he said were a “critical success factor” in developing and implementing “meaningful management measures” to facilitate fishing in harmony with protecting sensitive habitats.

The Fisheries Natura Declaration gives legal effect to a risk mitigation plan prepared in partnership between the Marine

Institute, the NWRFF and representatives of fishing interests in the bay. The measures include: • defining the footprint of the fishery to a specified zone • restricting fishing for scallops from OctoberFebruary inclusive • requiring fishing boats to carry GPS monitoring devices while fishing for scallops to demonstrate compliance and to contribute to data for scientific purposes Declaration and mitigation plan can be viewed at www. fishingnet.ie

Looking onto Blacksod Lighthouse from RV Keary during the survey season.

INFOMAR collection

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inshore ireland August/September 2015

Freshwater Focus

Wrasse on the rocks Brendan Connolly

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wo anglers walk along the narrow grassy path to the cliffs. Bees buzzing all around; a dog barks in the distance, and the sea looks calm. The path meanders upwards to the promontory, topped by the ruined remnants of Kilbarron Castle.

On one side, a low wall looks straight down into the sea. In the middle, a segment of wall - shaped like an exaggerted hourglass - stands like a lonely sentry with wide shoulders incongruously supported by a narrow waist of stones underneath.

The anglers walk through the ruin and down to the rock shelves at its foot. Here the mood changes. What looked like gentle swells from the top of the cliff, are now threatening three metre high walls of water, crashing against the rocks.

The force of the impact is at first somehow disorienting.

Safety precautions

Carefully climbing down a vertical rock face, the anglers lowered themselves onto a large rock shelf which, like a natural quay side, edges on to deep water. Looking down, the huge swells surge in and out a few metres below them.

Acutely aware that every year a few anglers fishing from rocky shores are swept into the sea by unpredictably high swells, they both wear neoprene-lined survival coats.

These are properly fastened and offer great bouyancy as well as protection from the cold if they ended up in the sea. Before starting to fish, the anglers watch the swells for some time to ensure no swells could reach the spot on the edge where they are going to fish.

They fish using a sliding balsam wood float with a bright orange top, appropriately weighted, and a single hook at the end. A small piece of plastic from a crisp bag looped into the line 2 metres above the hook, stops the line at this depth for fishing,

Ragworm bait for wrasse

while the float can slide down closer to the end when casting.

The bait used are ragworm (Nereis diversicolor), and just half a worm is used for bait.

The bait and float is dropped into the sea no more that 3 or 4 metres from the edge of the rock. The swells lift and drop the float and drag it over and back; its orange top staying visible in the thick layer of white foam.

The angler wonders if any fish can see the bait, let alone take it, in the violent turmoil of the sea. After a few minutes the float suddenly shoots down below the surface; the angler strikes but no fish is hooked.

Re-baiting, the float is once more cast in and after a short while is again pulled under. This time the line goes solid, and the angler only manages to free it by pulling hard. He moves the piece of plastic on the line down about 30cm so that the hook will not be as deep and is less likely to get caught in the seaweed on the bottom.

The bait is cast out a third time. The float moves violently about in the seething mass of water at the bottom of the cliff and after some minutes , it plunges down and disappears from view.

The angler strikes. He immediately feels a strong thumping pull at the end of his line. Slowly he reels in, sees the float reappear, and with effort lifts a fine Ballan Wrasse (Labrus bergylta) from the sea and on to the rock ledge. Photos are taken and the fish is returned to the sea.

Casting out again, the float is once more flung about by the crashing swells, but nevertheless the float is pulled under again, and a second Ballan is landed, soon followed by a third. The angler is amazed at the swimming ability of the wrasse for not only living where these heavy swells collide with the cliffs, but for being able to detect as well as take the bait despite it being forcefully whipped back and forth.

Changing to a spot further along the cliff, the float is again dropped into the boiling cauldron at the foot of the sheer rock face. Again it is

pulled under with its orange top growing fainter as it dives down. The strike produces another fish, this time the wrasse has spectacular electric blue veins on its head and spots on its fins. It is a Corkwing

Wrass (Crenilabrus melops), somewhat smaller than the Ballan Wrasse, but quite exotic in its colouration. A second Corkwing followed the first.

As the anglers wend their way home, they are as

A Ballan Wrasse from the rocks in Donegal Bay

A Corkwing Wrasse showing its electric colours

Fishing in a seething cauldron

impressed by the force of the sea swells on this rocky shore, as with the surprising ability of wrasse that not only live in this habitat, but target food and feed in the waters next to these rocks.

inshore ireland August/September 2015

9

Outdoor education

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time

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eave No Trace Ireland is an outdoor ethics education programme that promotes better use of outdoor places through education, research and partnerships.

“All recreational users must strive to ‘leave no trace’ so that future generations can continue to enjoy the wonderful country we live in, which unfortunately is beginning to show signs of the increasing pressure from recreational use, Maura Lyons, Programme Manager, told Inshore Ireland.

Leave No Trace emphasises that caring for mountains; forests; pastureland; lakes; rivers and seashores “is the right thing to do as an ethical approach“, and educates and up-skills users in ways in which they can enjoy access to the countryside but minimise their impact.

Leave no Trace is an all-Ireland entity involving government departments;

national bodies; youth organisations and private enterprise. These include: the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government; Coillte; Fáilte Ireland; Waterways Ireland; The Irish Sports Council; The National Trails Office; RTE Sport Northern Ireland; Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland; Scouting Ireland; the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme; Local Authorities; National Governing bodies and over 100 other partners.

“We’re hoping that many more organisations will join and help to promote and practice the Leave No Trace message,” Lyons added. She welcomes the fact that their principles are being adopted

by Comhairle na Tuaithe in the National Countryside Recreation Strategy and the Northern Ireland Outdoor Action Plan.

“Leave No Trace is the only outdoor ethics programme adopted on a strategic level

by agencies across Ireland,” she emphasised.

As pressure on landscapes and seascapes from recreational use continues to increase, “it is appropriate that a single national message is put in place to ensure that visitors to the Irish countryside, local or tourist, visits with care.

“Litter; water pollution; fire damage; disturbance of wildlife and livestock, and increasing annoyance to other people, are all indicators of this need.

“Techniques designed to minimise the social and environmental impacts to these areas are incorporated into the Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics Education Programme,” she said.

Leave No Trace Ireland runs training courses around Ireland. Visit www. leavenotraceireland.org for more details or contact Programme Manager, Maura Lyons.

Leave No Trace Ireland c/o Mayo County Council, Altamount Street, Westport, Co Mayo T | + (00353) 1 9059009 www.leavenotraceireland.org

Learning about biodiversity through storytelling

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n NUI Galway Ryan Institute project will see 20 children’s books, written and illustrated by this year’s sixth class students of Galway Educate Together National School, reach global audiences through the EcoScience Writers in Schools project.

The goal of this unique project is to create a set of fun and informative teaching resources by supporting the students to write a story for their younger peers on an environmental subject of their choosing. The class wrote about creatures of the North Atlantic Ocean, incorporating facts into their fictional prose in a way that was both entertaining and educational.

“When I applied for the funding, I had a good idea of its potential, but really it has far surpassed my expectations. The students, and their teacher Barry McGuire, completely committed themselves to this project and the proof of that is in the products!” remarked Dr Sarah Knight,

Further information: www.ecosciencewriters.com.

project leader.

The book Dolphin’s First Day opens with a scene of a mother nudging her new-born to the surface to take his first breath.

In The Seamount, all sorts of creatures emerge from the habitat to help Gobby the goblin shark scare off the nearly invisible cranchiid squid that is threatening some of the creatures with her greedy appetite. The Gannet and the Smart Fish is a global tale of one hungry seabird’s quest to fill her tummy.

“This is a fantastic project led by a fantastic person. Having produced a resource like this that anyone in the world can read is where we see the future of our outreach education going. The fact that we can produce such a high quality product for teachers in classrooms all over the world is very rewarding indeed.

“It is projects like this that put the Ryan Institute on the international stage. We expect a lot of people to use these materials, and by doing so it will increase visitor traffic to our main website to learn of the high quality research that is going

on here in the West of Ireland,” remarked Prof Colin Brown, Director of NUI Galway’s Ryan Institute for Environmental,

Marine and Energy Research.

EcoScience Writers was funded by the Department of the Environment, Community and

Local Government under the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund administered through Galway City Council.

The cover of Dolphin’s First Day, designed by sixth-class students of Galway Educate Together National School

10 inshore ireland August/September 2015

Fisheries

Mandatory landing of demersal stocks from 2016 Gillian Mills

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Regional Agreement to reduce unwanted fish discards has been brokered by Ireland

for the North West Waters (NWW) Group of Member States involving Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and Ireland.

The unanimous agreement covers all waters around Ireland, as well as the

Channel, and comes into effect on January 1, 2016.

The discard ban will apply to the prawn (nephrops) fishery in all waters; the whiting fishery in the Celtic Sea and the haddock fishery in the Irish Sea and in the North

West area. Member States have also committed to rolling out the landing obligation to other fisheries by 2019 when it will apply to all stocks.

Impact assessment Marine minister Simon

Coveney has tasked BIM and the Marine Institute to explore the potential impact on commercial fishing activity and has made €450,000 available.

Phased introduction for species subject to catch limits is a key element of the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), aimed at reducing catches of juvenile fish and eliminating discards.

“All catches of all fisheries will have to be landed from 2019 onwards, and this agreement outlines the first steps on that journey and will allow our fleets the necessary time to gradually adjust and prepare for the full implementation,” remarked Minister Coveney.

“The journey is not going to be easy but I am satisfied that the agreement, reached in consultation with all key stakeholders, is a good start. Our national Discards Implementation Group, under Dr Noel Cawley, now has a clear blueprint to help prepare our industry for the changes to come.”

Industry reaction

The practice of ‘slipping at sea’. The net is never taken from the water - it is opened to release the fish, the majority of which are already dead. These fish are not counted for and the extent of the damage is not known

While recognising difficulties to find regional agreement, the Irish Fish Producers Organisation does not support the joint recommendations ‘in their current form’.

IFPO chief executive Francis O’Donnell believes

Inshore patrols target illegal fishing

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Sea Fishery Protection Officers from the SFPA will be conducting inshore patrols across the south, west and north-west coasts through the autumn.

he Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority has conducted over 100 inshore inspections since it recommenced its seasonal inshore patrols across the south, west and north-west coasts, supported by the Naval Service, Air Corps and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

The patrols are part of conservation measures to help protect long-term sustainability of Ireland’s valuable crab, lobster and whelk fisheries.

Infringements identified

by SFPA officers include undersize lobster and crab.

Regulations have been in place since January 1, 2015, regarding minimum size animals that can be harvested to ensure these species can reach maturity.

Susan Steele, Chair, SFPA remarked:

“Sustainable management of these valuable inshore fisheries is critical to safeguard their future and, importantly, the economy of many coastal communities.

Illegal fishing by a small number of fishermen is unfair to those thousands who fish legally, and jeopardises the inshore industry,”.

She added that the authority “was committed” to creating a level playing field.

“We’re delighted that the excellent inter-agency co-operation is resulting in enhanced compliance levels being encountered in these patrols,” she said.

In addition to the SFPA’s ongoing RIB patrols, the Naval Service’s LE Orla and the LE Ciara have been involved in joint inspections with the SFPA while Air Corps are flying frequently on all coasts. Patrols will continue through the autumn.

inshore ireland August/September 2015 11

Fisheries the plan lacks the necessary flexibility to allow businesses adapt and adjust to what is a “ground shift” in European fisheries management.

In its current form, the plan uses historical track record to determine what rules will apply to a vessel on January 1, 2016.

“You may be targeting nephrops but are caught under a different set of rules as a result of previous catch composition percentages in the years (2013-2014). The Irish industry, including the four POs were in favour of the elective model whereby the master [of a vessel] would opt to target a certain species or group of species, in advance of the fishing trip and would declare this by way of ERS. “We believe that from a control and risk analysis perspective, this makes sense.”

This was not adopted, he contends, “and critically, little or no socio-economic evaluation has been undertaken to understand

how the land obligation and the current joint recommendations will impact on the key stakeholders which are fishermen.

“This has been a political decision from the first day that we never supported but unfortunately now have to find some way to work with it.”

O’Donnell believes that high survivability exemptions are not understood for many species. “The promised quota uplift to match catches (landings and discards) - the carrot as such - is now not a certainty.”

Eibhlin O’Sullivan, CEO of the Irish South & West Fish Producer’s Organisation, also contends the only way to achieve zero discards for mixed fisheries in the Celtic Sea is to tie up the Irish whitefish fleet.

“We have consistently argued that the best, most realistic and workable way is to incentivise fishermen to reduce discards to the lowest possible level.”

Unanimous agreement

The Northern Western Waters Group of Member States (Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK), ‘unanimously agreed’ the plan and has submitted a Joint Recommendation to the Commission, for adoption before January 1, 2016.

It states, inter alia: The NWWG is committed to a progressive and incremental introduction of the landing obligation over the period 1 January 2016 to 1 January 2019. This Joint Recommendation is concerned only with the species which define the highly mixed cod, haddock, whiting & saithe fishery; Norway lobster (nephrops) fishery; mixed common sole and plaice fishery; and hake fisheries.

Having agreed the species to which the Landing Obligation would apply from 1 January 2016, the next step was to define those fisheries in as clear and transparent manner as possible. Proposals in this regard were examined in detail and the Group explored a number of options with the NWWAC and the Commission.

The guiding principles for the Group in making its decision were that the method would have to be objective, provide a level playing field for all Member States and support effective control. Following extensive discussion, the Group found that a combination of gear type and historic landings data best fit these criteria. The arrangement agreed and recommended involves identifying the gear types used to target the relevant species and the threshold based on landings data for the reference period (2013 and 2014). Vessels with landings above the specified threshold are defined as targeting the relevant species.

Beyond 2016

Deminimis exemption

Article 15.5(c) of Regulation (EU) No. 1380/2013 sets out the conditions under which a deminimis exemption shall apply:where scientific evidence indicates that increase in selectivity are very difficult to achieve; or to avoid disproportionate costs of handling unwanted catches, for those fishing gears where unwanted catches per fishing gear do not represent more than a certain percentage, to be established in a plan, of total annual catch of that gear.

The Group considered the deminimis proposals from Member States in light of the above criteria and recommend that a deminimis exemption is justified and should apply in the following cases: A maximum of 3% for years one (2016), two (2017) and three (2018) for common sole of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using trammel and gill nets to catch common sole in the Channel (ICES Areas VIId, e, f and g)

A maximum of 3% for years one (2016), two (2017) and three (2018) ) for common sole of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using gear with increased selectivity in the Channel (ICES Areas VIId and e) and the Celtic Sea (VIIf and g) A maximum of 7% for years one (2016) and two (2017), and 6% for year three (2018) for whiting of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using bottom trawls < 100 mm to catch whiting in the Channel (ICES Area VIId and e) A maximum of 7% for years one (2016) and two (2017), and 6% for year three (2018) for whiting of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using bottom trawls ≥ 100 mm to catch whiting in the Celtic Sea and the Channel (ICES Areas VIIb-j) A maximum of 7% for years one (2016) and two (2017), and 6% for year three (2018) for whiting of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using bottom trawls < 100mm to catch whiting

in the Celtic Sea (ICES Area VII (excluding VIIa, d and e) A maximum of 7% for years one (2016) and two (2017), and 6% for year three (2018) for Norway lobster (nephrops) of the total annual catches of this species by vessels obliged to land Norway lobster (nephrops) in ICES Area VII A maximum of 7% for years one (2016) and two (2017), and 6% for year three (2018) for Norway lobster (nephrops) of the total annual catches of this species by vessels obliged to land Norway lobster (nephrops) in ICES Area Via The recommendations will be examined and reviewed for 2017 and 2018 with the objective of reducing and, over time, phasing out provisions where possible.

In reviewing the provisions, the NWW Group will take into account experience in the fisheries, progress on the Cod Recovery Plan and the results from scientific and technical trials. The phasing in of additional species under the Landing Obligation may necessitate the inclusion of further recommendations for de minimis exemptions.

Lobster guide to enhance best practice and quality

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reland’s seafood development agency has launched a Handling and Quality Guide for European Lobster (Homarus gammarus). The guide was launched in Crosshaven, Co Cork, by EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, along with Ireland’s marine minister Simon Coveney, John

Hickey, BIM, and fisherman Kieran Healy.

Designed to assist fishermen to assess catch quality from capture to first point-of-sale, the reference guide is one of a series produced

by BIM to ensure best practice in handling and quality.

Also included is information on the biology of the European Lobster; fishing methods and BIM’s lobster v-notching conservation scheme which delivered €253,000

in grant aid to participating fishermen in 2014, resulting in v-nothcing and return to sea of over 33,000 female animals.

Download the guide on www. bim.ie or hard copy from Frances O’Dwyer, BIM, Killygegs (074) 97 32603 / odwyer@bim.ie.

New 127mm and 87mm lobster gauges are also available from BIM (€5) with all proceeds going to LAST (Lost at Sea Tragedy) and other marine charities.

The NWW Group is committed to a progressive and incremental introduction of the landing obligation over the period up to the 1st January 2019, in accordance with Article 15.1(c) of Regulation (EU) No. 1380/2013.

The Group will, in consultation with the NWW Advisory Council, consider additional species in relevant fisheries to be included in the landing obligation on a gradual and progressive basis.

In due course, the NWW Group will be submitting further Joint Recommendations for the adaptation of the North Western Waters discard plan. In addition to the inclusion of additional species, the Group may also include further exemptions under high survival and de minimis, specific provisions on Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) or control measures.

‘The phased approach will allow the industry time to adjust to the landing obligation and explore improvements in selectivity.

Where changes in technical measures in order to increase selectivity and minimise unwanted catches are identified, the Group will present these in a subsequent recommendation. The NWW Group believes that increased selectivity, where possible, is the most effective way to deliver compliance with the landings obligation.

Launching the guide in Crosshaven, Co Cork (l-r): Commissioner Karmenu Vella; marine minister Simon Coveney; fisherman Kieran Healy and John Hickey, BIM. Photo Niall Duffy/Skipper)

12 inshore ireland August/September 2015

Fisheries

ACRUNET looks at alternative and novel live transport of brown crab Skipper Ivan Toole

Norah Parke, KFO

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Left; R&D, Jane Kennedy & right; Gary Lamph, Oyster Farmer

Marine engineer Paul Sheehan

Next generation encouraged to pursue seafood career

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IM, Ireland’s seafood development agency, has launched a social media campaign calling on young people to consider the sector as a viable career option. Significant potential of the ‘blue economy’, most notably the rising demand for Irish seafood, was highlighted at Seafest 2015 (July 9-10) in Ringaskiddy which attracted over 10,000 visitors to the purpose-built venue located at the National Maritime College of Ireland.

Using video profiles of five industry people, the campaign features an oyster farmer; seafood technologist; marine engineer; skipper and research/development manager.

As the sector moves from being a traditional bulkled commodity industry worth over €850m annually to that of innovation, BIM is projecting €1.5bn in sales by 2025, and will be especially looking to Asia where exports increased by 24% in 2014 to €42m.

“In order for the seafood sector to realise its full potential, new entrants and skills are vital along with the necessary investment in technology and training,” explained Michael Keatinge, BIM interim CEO and Director of Fisheries & Training Development.

As global demand for innovative added-value products increases, “the Irish seafood sector is changing and evolving to meet this consumer demand. This new focus on seafood technology, marketing and food science is attracting more women into the sector and in general, a younger skill base that will drive and protect the industry in the years ahead”.

Video campaigns

»» Gary Lamph and Kian Louet-Feisser (Carlingford Oyster Co) »» Jane Kennedy, research & development manager (Keohane’s Seafoods) »» Paul Sheehan, marine engineer Castletownbere »» Aileen Deasy, seafood technologist, BIM Seafood Development Centre »» Skippers Paul O’Sullivan (Castletownbere) and Ivan Toole (Wicklow) www.facebook.com/BordIascaighMhara www.linkedin.com/company/ireland’sseafood-development-agency/ www.twitter.com/BordiascMhara

uring the initial phase of ACRUNET (Atlantic Crab Resource Users Network), industry partners called for a more cost-effective method of bulk-transporting live brown crab in European supply chains.

The principal mode of distributing these products currently is a road-based transport system that uses refrigerated articulated trucks, especially-equipped to carry seawater and crabs in aerated vivier tanks.

Simply using less water in the current system was not a realistic option as it would result in a correspondingly increased ammonia problem.

Consultation with industry members indicated that most brown crab consignments in Europe are less than 48 hours duration, but some last 72 hours. Hence, introducing a novel system would need to cater for the longest journeys being made.

Additionally, the novel system would need to be significantly more costeffective than the current system and would need to be at least as successful in terms of maintaining the quality of the crabs during the journey.

Pressurised mist system

The most logical means of increasing cost-effectiveness is to reduce the volume of accompanying seawater carried and/or to increase the volume of product carried while remaining within the permitted weight limit. In North America and New Zealand, misting systems are used when transporting shellfish, and prompted the Hull University team to opt for trialling a pressurised mist system.

The principal difference between a spray and a fog/mist is size. Modern misting nozzles produce micro-droplets of water that evaporate while in the air with subsequent loss of energy in the air, resulting in evaporative cooling. In warm climates, misting is used to cool outdoor patio/sundeck areas; deep litter sheds and animal pens without subsequent flooding/wetting of the areas.

In temperate areas, some supermarkets use misting to maintain produce freshness

in their fruit and vegetable sections. At the colder temperatures frequently used during distribution of brown crab, evaporation would be less likely; some wetting and a high relative humidity would occur to create ideal situations for transporting crabs.

Initial tests using small numbers of crabs revealed a high level of quality maintenance for the first 48h and acceptable loss levels after 72h under a mist.

Subsequent tests using larger numbers of crabs confirmed these findings.

Crabs transported in a chilled seawater mist at 4°C (similar temperature to normal refrigerated goods transport) were of the same, or better, level of liveliness at the end of a 72h journey as viviered crabs. The relative (%) loss rate during misting was 8-10%, which is comparable to the results with current vivier conditions.

Using typical vivier lorry load sizes as a base for calculations, potential savings were calculated.

Currently, lorries use equal volumes of crab and water, e.g. a typical 20-tonne truck will carry 10 tonne of crab and 10 tonne of water. The misting system trialled as an alternative to this used approximately 1 tonne of water per 72 hours. Hence, erring on the side of caution, a 20 tonne truck would need to carry only 2 tonne of water (instead of the 10 tonne for a vivier system). This provides the opportunity to increase the capacity of crab to 18 tonne (from current 10 tonne).

This is a water saving of 80% and a product carrying capacity increase of 80%.

Advantages

The misting system has many advantages over the

current vivier system. The volume of water needed to produce a mist continuously is substantially less than that used currently in a typical vivier consignment of the same duration. And because of the pervasive nature of a mist that occupies the complete volume of the payload space, a much more efficient use of the payload space can be made.

Furthermore, efficient, palletised boxed crabs can be loaded/unloaded speedily without direct handling hence reducing the incidence of physical damage.

This study has provided ‘proof of concept’ of a system that allows a much better ratio between biomass and water in the payload to be made, as well as providing a viable alternative to vivier transport in terms of quality of delivered crab product and cost efficiency.

Many further tests however are required for maximum optimisation, such as possibly using freshwater instead of seawater; effects of seasonality; effects on companion shellfish species (crustacean and molluscan) that frequently comprise a part-load of a consignment, and the feasibility of manipulating mist temperature to better harmonise transport, reception and re-tanking temperatures. *ACRUNET partner University of Hull, Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, carried out this study on brown crab transport. The full technical report can be found on www.acrunet.eu and http://atlanticprojects.ccdr-n. pt/project-area/acrunet/ public-documents

Installing a misting system in a truck body

inshore ireland August/September 2015 13

Safety & training report

‘Cultural shift’ essential to improve Ireland’s fishing industry safety record Gillian Mills

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report on safety, training and employment in the Irish fishing industry recommends a ‘significant culture change to ensure that the concept of safety at sea, and on the water generally, becomes as commonplace and habitual as safety on our roads.’

Launching the Report of the Working Group on Safety, Training and Employment in the Irish Fishing Industry, Ireland’s marine minister, Simon Coveney, said the central message was for a permanent cultural change: “Vessel operators, skippers and crew members need to work together so that a safetyfirst culture becomes the norm and that safety of both vessels and personnel is prioritised.”

Chaired by Lt Cdr John Leech, the working group was tasked to examine safety standards and training, compliance with regulations, recent technical innovations and the sector’s approach to personal safety.

The Group also considered options to improve the appeal of fish as a career, recommending a ‘radical overhaul’ of the PRSI code for fishermen.

‘Inadequate social-protection provision’ is seen as the ‘single, biggest negative factor´ in retaining qualified and experienced personnel. A second recommendation focuses on ‘lifelong learning and development of career diversification paths’ to reflect the complex demands of the modern industry.

Personal safety

Critical to reducing fatalities is wearing Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) and ‘constant vigilance´ associated with the inherent challenges and dangers in working at sea and on waterways, the Group notes.

Ireland’s existing maritime regulations must be ‘fully observed’ and safety-training practices should be augmented ‘to include mandatory Certificates of Competence for both operators and crew/deckhands on all vessels; vessel stability training and work-related safety; survival; fire and first aid procedures’ targeted initially at operators of vessels less than 24 in length where the majority of recent fatalities have occurred.

The Group recognises the recommendations will have significant resourcing implications for the relevant departments and agencies and notes that delivery

will depend on funding.

Additional €5m will be available to the catching sector for training and skills development under the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMF 2014-2020 Operational Programme.

Recommendations:

CHAPTER 1: SAFETY STANDARDS 1. DTTAS should develop specified, safe manning levels for all fishing vessels, relating to deck and engineering competencies and to be determined according to the size, type and operating parameters of the vessel.

2. DTTAS should develop a user-friendly crew logbook for smaller fishing vessels.

3. Ireland should ratify the STCW-F Convention and continue to develop the certification and training regime for fishermen.

4. In relation to occupational health and safety: a) fishing enterprises should prepare a safety statement in accordance with the requirements of the SHWW Act 2005 b) to avoid confusion there should only be one, mandatory Code of Practice relating to small fishing vessels, and this should be the DTTAS Code of Practice (for the Design, Construction, Equipment and Operation of Small Fishing Vessels) c) there should be a single, safety-inspection regime for these vessels, or at least a co-ordinated one which recognises the remit of both inspectorates; DTTAS already carries out such inspections for maritime safety and the appointment of DTTAS surveyors under SHWW Act section 62 should be considered for the purposes of the SHWW Act requirements d) DTTAS and the HSA should continue to work to complete an MOU to facilitate the co-ordination referred to above 5. DTTAS should explore the scope for new stability standards for smaller fishing vessels less than 15m.

6. DTTAS should consider including a requirement in its Code of Practice for Small Fishing Vessels that existing fishing vessels between 12 and 15m long should have a stability book 7. Ireland should consider ratification of the Cape Town Agreement on the Safety of Fishing vessels and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Work in Fishing Convention in due course.

8. DTTAS should explore additional enforcement

approaches such as Fixed Payment Notices (FPNs) for appropriate offences, in relation to the wearing of Personal Flotation Devices.

CHAPTER 2: SAFETY TRAINING 9. Mandatory Certificates of Competency (Deck and Engine) should be introduced by DTTAS for the operators of all vessels with appropriate safety-training in stability and work-related safety.

10. Certificates of Proficiency (Deck and Engine) should be introduced by DTTAS for deckhands with appropriate safety training in stability and work-related safety.

11. DTTAS should introduce requirements and certification in relation to crew qualifications for fishing vessels less than 17m in length and with power of less than 750kW 12. BIM should provide stability awareness and training for operators and crew of vessels less than 24 metres, with an immediate focus on vessels < 15 metres within 12-36 months.

13. The development of appropriate induction training for new entrants to the industry.

CHAPTER 3: TECHNICAL INNOVATION IN SAFETY PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT 14. BIM will continue to work both with research, development and innovation groups and industry stakeholders, to ensure that the latest developments in technical innovation,

without prejudice to the regulations, are channelled for marine-type approval and included on a list of safety items, as appropriate, eligible for grant-aid targeted at small fishing vessels less than 15 metres in length.

CHAPTER 4: MAKING THE FISHING INDUSTRY MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR NEW ENTRANTS 15. Training Incentives/ Career Structure: appropriate Training Incentives and Career Structures should be put in place for those working in the fishing industry.

16. Seafarers’ Allowance: that the requirements to allow individuals qualify for Seafarers’ Allowance be amended to remove the current exclusion of “fishing vessels” from the definition of seagoing ships.

17. Social Protection: the group recommends the introduction of a more tailored, and appropriate, social protection system that would include share fishermen. This new system would take account of the specific needs of the fishing industry, along the lines of the Family Income Supplement (FIS) and Farm Assist schemes.

18. Economic Viability: that in order to enhance economic viability for current workers and boost attractiveness to new entrants, the group recommends the introduction of a targeted decommissioning scheme. The Group also recommends that revised quota and fleet management arrangements should be

considered in parallel. A targeted decommissioning scheme should take account of the interests of vessel owners and non-vessel owners (fishermen working on decommissioned vessels).

19. VAT: that the current restriction of the VAT rebate system, that excludes vessels under 15GT, be removed.

20. Inshore Management: The group recommends that industry and State partners work together, to bring forward the necessary structures and measures, to facilitate the sustainable management of high-value inshore stocks, consistent with conservation requirements and give those involved in the sector, and considering entering it, confidence in its future.

CHAPTER 5: CAREERS STRUCTURE AND LIFELONG LEARNING 21. That BIM develop a career-development programme for aspiring deck and engineer officers in the fishing industry.

22. That BIM, in conjunction with the MSO provide courses leading to certificates of proficiency for deck hands in the fishing industry (for example Efficient Deck Hand or Able Bodied Seaman).

23. That BIM, on a phased basis, and in conjunction with the MSO, provide further conversion courses for fishermen, who wish also to operate part-time in the commercial shipping sector.

The report can be accessed on: http://www.agriculture. gov.ie/publications/2015/

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney with Lt Cdr John Leech, CEO Irish Water Safety, at launch of the Report of the Working Group on Safety, Training and Employment in the Irish Fishing Industry

14 inshore ireland August/September 2015

seafest 2015

Seafood, science and skills showcased at premier maritime festival Compiled by Gillian Mills & Gery Flynn

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ith over 10,000 people turning out for Seafest 2015 at the NMCI campus in Cork Harbour, Ireland’s first national maritime festival is being heralded as a great success by the coordinators, the Marine Institute.

The event brought together State agencies and organisations to showcase the marine and maritime sectors across key themes

of ocean literacy, marine leisure, seafood and science.

“Seafest was an enormous success in that it showcased the many fantastic benefits that the sea brings us,” remarked Dr Peter Heffernan, Marine Institute, CEO. “We experienced exceptional seafood; boating and sailing; open-water swimming; marine simulators; Irish Defence Force displays and tours; sea-life exhibits; educational videos and talks, and all sorts of marine-related activities.”

TV seafood celebrities Martin Shanahan and Rory O’Connell gave demonstrations on how

to cook prawns, lobsters, mussels and oysters, in a purpose-built seafood pavilion organised by BIM. Inshore Ireland attended the conference and talked to some of the key speakers: Pictured at the launch of the Report on the Blue Economy

by Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) at NUIG, are (l-r) Michael Cuddy and Stephen Hynes, SEMRU and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD. at the Beaufort building

Cookery demonstrations from Gerard Collier, Fishermen’s Catch (left) and chefs Martin Shanahan and Rory O’Connell

John Evans, Director of Policy, Innovation and Research Support Services at the Marine Institute Outline the highlights of the second Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth conference.

From the MI’s point of view, we were very keen to see publication of SEMRU’s progress report Ireland’s Ocean Economy and both reports by the Inter-Departmental Marine Coordination Group:

Our Ocean Wealth Development Task Force and Enablers Task Force on Marine Spatial Planning.

I would also highlight the robust economic work presented by Dr Cathal O’Donoghue of Teagasc which demonstrates that if the goals set out in Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth are realised, there would be actual material benefit to the economy of an order which, if mentioned in any other part of the economy, people would be saying should be vigorously targeted.

It was also great to see all the State agencies - Marine Institute, BIM, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and Science Foundation Ireland – coming on board.

And of course, having Minister Coffey there to launch the reports and to hear his comments.

Did this year’s conference succeed in delivering what it set out to do?

If you go back to 2012 when Harnessing Our Ocean

Wealth was published by the Inter-Departmental Marine Coordination Group, you will see it contains an overall vision and three goals towards a thriving maritime economy: healthy ecosystems for a sustainable marine ecology and environment; and engaging with the sea.I believe that each of those goals came through at this year’s conference.

The Marine Coordination Group has a huge task. Has it been a success?

Responsibility for marine matters is spread across many government departments and State agencies. Over the last year I have heard that some people might have been somewhat dismissive and critical of the Group, viewing it as a faceless group of civil servants. That is definitely not case. They have been working in their own way and this year’s conference demonstrated the progress.

The themes running through this year’s conference were

very much their ideas.

Outline some of the progress.

The Enabler’s Task Force is all about Marine Spatial Planning which is the life blood needed for making progress in the marine economy. Without MSP the building blocks cannot be assembled to create sustainable development.

We were obviously very pleased to hear from Minister Coffey about the Licencing Authority into which the Marine Institute will give technical support.

This will not be a question of enforcement, it’s about having the knowledge of the sector and being able to put together rational plans.

The conference was very well attended. Is it important to have public support for Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth?

We had a relatively short time to organise the events and I was initially worried we might not get a high attendance. But as it turned

out, the numbers were around ten thousand. All the problems on the day were good problems; we could have filled twice the 500 seats available. We turned a lot of people away.

Did the financial community show interest?

Yes, we had two evening events: one for networking and the other to inform investors of the potential opportunities in the marine sector. The information event was organised by the IDA and the IMDO, and was a particularly good session involving about fifty attendees.

It was all about creating awareness of the opportunities that exist in the marine world.

The Smartocean Ireland networking event attracted technology companies and people working in the ocean energy sector. Nearly two hundred people attended - from companies who previously might not have considered getting involved in the marine sector.

inshore ireland August/September 2015 15

seafest 2015 keep in mind that the market is our master. The market will drive that outwardlooking global reach.

Tara McCarthy, CEO (designate) BIM

Fair regulation for a sustainable future

Susan Steele, Chair, Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority

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he shared visions that were outlined at the conference and within the Harnessing our Ocean Wealth report point to an Irish fishing industry that has huge potential for significant expansion into the next decade and beyond. It is widely recognised by stakeholders across the sector that the opportunities being presented to both the fishing and seafood industries come with significant responsibilities.

The marine resource is a shared resource for which many actors – large and small - compete. Good regulation is required to protect it and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Ireland’s fish products meanwhile are acknowledged globally as healthy and nutritious foods. Robust confidence in an effective regulatory service plays a key role in maintaining that reputation too and ensuring

consumers around the world can enjoy Irish seafood safely.

As the independent statutory body charged with the State’s sea-fisheries law enforcement functions, the SFPA is committed to fair and effective regulation of sea-fishing and seafood sectors. We recognise the importance of regulating in a way that assists growth and innovation within the sector, rather than blocking it. Operating as we do within a constantly changing environment, the challenge, from a regulatory perspective, is how to keep pace with the many developments taking place.

The fishing industry is being transformed. We’re seeing continuous introduction of new fishing methods and equipment, thanks to research and the latest technology. There have been important changes too from a regulatory perspective.

At the beginning of the year, for example, the phased introduction of Landing Obligations under the new Common Fisheries Policy began with new requirements for pelagic fisheries. More changes will follow.

Recently, the Naval Service estimated that approximately 85 per cent of the fish caught within Ireland’s EEZ never lands here; it goes straight out of Ireland to other ports. This represents an important and potentially lucrative opportunity for the economy of the many coastal communities that rely on the fishing industry, as well as for the Irish economy as a whole.

The SFPA would welcome and encourage increased landings at Irish ports.

We operate a risk and intelligence based approach

to delivering an effective and credible sea-fisheries and seafood regulatory service in conjunction with national and international control partners, including the Irish Naval Service and Air Corps.

For our part, the question is how we could facilitate the increased number of inspections that this would require to ensure fair and sustained compliance by all vessels operating in and landing at Irish ports.

We need to ensure that we have the necessary resources to fulfil our responsibility as a regulator and allocate those resources prudently and effectively.

The challenges that we face as a regulator are not unique to the SFPA. They are being faced by regulators across the world as countries seek to utilise their marine resources to develop a sustainable blue economy. I recently attended a conference with regulators from across the world, where we discussed these questions. We explored ways that will ensure we can support and promote growth and innovation within the sector while delivering fair and effective regulation of our respective resources.

An effective regulatory service is vital to a sustainable industry. The last thing any of us want is regulatory failure. In Ireland, we have witnessed at first hand what can happen when there is regulatory failure: the crisis of confidence; reputational damage and the economic impact that ensue.

We need to move forward together with good governance to realise and sustain the bright future that promises for the Irish seafishing and seafood sectors.

You emphasise that Harvest 2020 isn’t a government but is an industry plan. What’s the significance of that point?

All of its targets were set by industry. It wasn’t as if the Civil Service produced an economic report and was now making recommendations to industry. It was the industry telling Government what it felt was possible and asking for help to achieve these targets.

This resulted in an industry buy-in from the very beginning which is a completely different approach to trying to sell a high-level government plan.

Harvest 2020 is the ten-year plan announced in 2010, and Foodwise 2025 is the tenyear plan that’s continuing and building from that, announced recently.

You refer to the food industry as having ‘local roots, global reach’.

What do you mean?

It’s an appreciation that the food industry - including seafood - is an industry embedded locally in every part of the country. All sections of our economy and all communities are connected to the food industry - be they farmers, fishermen, manufacturers, processors or retailers.

When you look at its export potential, food has a global reach. What happens to dairy in New Zealand will have an impact on the milk price in Mitchelstown.

But just as importantly, the milk in Mitchelstown could end up in the infant formula feeding babies in China.

It’s the global reach of our food industry that has to be appreciated. We must always

You talk about the critical need for innovation within the food industry.

What do you mean by that in relation to the State agencies?

In the first instance, focus on innovation must be market-led and consumerled and it must also have a technology-driven approach.

If you look at the definition of innovation, it’s about having a product that the consumer is looking for; a product that is technologically advanced and innovative from a technical perspective, and something for which the market is willing to pay..

There’s no point having a product that is technologically brilliant if no consumer wants it.

There’s equally no point producing products that the consumer wants if all your competitors can compete with you to drag down the price.

Similarly, there’s no point giving something the consumer wants if there are not enough of them to pay for it. These considerations working together must be the structure of the innovation. . None of these platforms on its own will produce the sweet spot of innovation.

Which of these agencies will drive that innovation to ensure cooperation?

If I look at which of the agencies is looking to develop the seafood industry it would have to be BIM. That said, the seafood development agency would be very conscious it can’t do it alone. For example, it needs the technology that the Marine Institute and Teagasc deliver, and it needs the consumer insight that Bord Bia will bring to every part of the innovation. It will also need investment that the IDA will attract, and it’ll need to work to unite the competency of the companies to meet and appreciate these demands. There is a huge realisation now that no individual agency can do this on its own.

16 inshore ireland August/September 2015

SEAFEST 2015

Cutting-edge marine hub opens in Ireland’s maritime quarter

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Christoph Pelletier, Food Futurist Are you optimistic that the world’s rapidly growing population can be fed?

Some people are already saying that to feed nine billion people will require two, three or even four planet earths! But, as we have only one earth that is not the answer. Writing my books I have found that we already have the potential to cover the nutritional needs of nine billion today. That said however, we are particularly inefficient in certain areas of food production, and there is huge wastage. I am more optimistic now than when I started writing, and the marine offers enormous potential for food production.

How do we avoid making the mistakes with marine food production as were made with agriculture?

That will depend on political leadership, and that in turn will depend on the

pressure that consumers are prepared to put on their politicians. Information is going to be very important to get this right. We need to be fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead, but we need also to understand the possibilities.

We have to challenge our leaders and keep them accountable.

What should be done immediately to ensure a sustainable food-producing marine environment?

I doubt we can achieve instant results, but we can make a start by addressing issues in a very objective and honest manner, and ideally, without political agendas. Much of the responsibility lies with consumers rather than politicians. Consumers can influence how their food is produced. If consumers start to reject unsustainable food production, these practices will soon disappear. It’s important however for consumers to be aware they are part of the problem and part of the solution.

How should the aquaculture industry deal with those who oppose it?

I worked in aquaculture for several years in British Columbia where opposition to aquaculture was very strong. Opposition comprises different groups: people who are opposed in principle, and dislike aquaculture for whatever reason. That’s

their right and they will do everything they can to block it. It’s just about impossible to have a conversation with this group.

But, there are lots of other people, especially consumers, who just want more information about the industry. You really need to engage in a candid conversation with this group.

The aquaculture industry has always been too defensive.

It needs to be more proactive. Nothing is perfect, and the industry will have to understand that criticism is a form of feedback – perhaps not the most pleasant – but nonetheless, it’s feedback and you have to listen to if and bring solutions to it.

Why do the opponents of aquaculture seem to ignore scientific findings?

Most people don’t care about science. If you want to address the issues that concern people you have to confront them, you need to show empathy and not try to answer everything. Stop coming at them with science like you know everything better than everybody else. That translates as tremendous arrogance and it does not work. Actually, it works the opposite way. *Christophe Pelletier is the author of “Future Harvest” and “We Reap What We Sow”.

(The Food Futurist: www. http://hfgfoodfuturist. com/)

n Taoiseach Enda Kenny officially opened the UCC Beaufort Building, in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork during Seafest 2015.

The 4,700m2 five-storey building comprises the latest in wave simulators, test tanks, workshops and offices within a purposebuilt infrastructure for renewable energy and maritime research to power Ireland’s ‘blue economy’.

Speaking at the opening, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that marine R&D was a part of government’s plan to rebuild a “sustainable enterprise-based economy” as the oceans increasingly support more jobs, enterprise and research.

Its “world-class” facilities are set to attract top researchers and new entrepreneurial endeavours from maritime and energy sectors “in a spirit of collaboration between academia, private enterprise and the Irish Naval Service, and are a model for public-private partnerships,” he added.

Dr Michael Murphy, UCC President, said the building provided the necessary infrastructure to exploit science to deliver new technologies for society: “With its wonderful design and state-of-the-art equipment, the building will host academic and industry researchers, working in partnership to grow our marine economy.”

Extreme conditions simulator

Named after the Irish hydrographer and globallyadopted Beaufort Wind Scale creator, Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, the building

will house the headquarters of the multi-institutional home to the SFI MaREI Centre (Marine Renewable Energy Ireland) and the LIR National Ocean Test Facility.

The tanks are capable of producing actual waves up to 1.2 metres high - equivalent to the 30m+ waves experienced in extreme conditions off the west coast of Ireland and in the Atlantic - and will be used extensively by LIR, the National Ocean Test Facility.

“Today we celebrate Francis Beaufort, the hydrographer from Meath.

And we celebrate the genius of those who envisioned this marine centre of excellence in the ‘Maritime Quarter of Ireland’ being realised through these wonderful new facilities – the best in the world,” Dr Murphy added.

Led by Professsor Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, Director of MaREI, the centre will cater for 135 researchers, industry partners and support staff, dedicated to solving the challenges relating to marine renewable energy.

The centre has already secured €30m in funding through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and contracts with industry partners comprising of multinationals and SMEs. The MaREI centre forms a critical piece in the Ireland Maritime Energy Research Cluster (IMERC) environment, which includes the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI); Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Irish Defence Forces.

IMERC has already attracted international companies in the area of ocean energy and maritime research, and recently announced over 90 new jobs as a direct result of foreign direct investment.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, officially opening the UCC Beaufort Building, in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork

inshore ireland August/September 2015 17

IFA Aquaculture Survey

Public attitude to fish farming IFA Aquaculture conducts a major survey Gery Flynn

I

FA Aquaculture has requested a meeting with Minister Simon Coveney to discuss the findings of a survey it commissioned on public attitude to Irish Aquaculture.

Undertaken by Behaviour & Attitudes, Ireland’s largest independent market research company, the ‘barometer survey’ epecially commissioned by the agency to gauge public opinion on aquaculture.

In his letter to Minister

Coveney, IFA Executive Richie Flynn claims the research undertaken is the “largest single data gathering exercise in Ireland” into the views and level of knowledge of the general public about fish farming.

“We wanted to compare national attitudes towards the industry since 2008,” Rich Flynn told Inshore Ireland in an exclusive interview.

“Anecdotally-based references to a ‘national movement’ against aquaculture which have been repeated to us

SUMMARY of KEY FINDINGS Understanding fish farming issues: The evidence suggests that on the whole Irish people are not very clear about the issues surrounding fish farming.

With that as a backdrop, the majority do not see them as a bad idea The strongest level of resistance to fish farms accounts for 7% of adults (these ‘definitely’ believe it is a bad idea) with a further 16% claiming that it might be (a bad idea).

As a general rule, understanding the issues around fish farming has declined as too has resistance to fish farming Those most likely to reject the concept of fish farming are over 35, living in Dublin and/or the West, middle-class adults and those who work in the industry RE: fish farming: Considerably fewer homes claim there is a fish farm close to them in the 2015 survey compared with 2008. Currently this stands at 4% Among those who claim to be living near a fish farm, the dominant species is trout followed by salmon Importantly, attitudes to having a local fish farm in that area are considerably more positive than was the case in 2008. Over half claim they are happy to see a fish farm with a further third claiming they simply don’t think too much about it. Only about 6% are totally opposed – a similar proportion to what existed in 2008 Reasons for acceptance are driven by perception that it helps ensure fish stocks and provide jobs and wealth creation in the community Those against it (and there are few) are concerned about water pollution; spoiling the beauty and concerned about the quality of the fish we eat and the conditions in which the fish are kept In general the idea that a fish farm might be developed locally is not something that people seem likely to be totally resistant to. For the most part (85% or so) claim that they would not oppose such a development or indeed some might be happy to see it developed Summary of key findings: 15% claim they don’t know enough about it and so would probably be against it. The group that are definitely opposed are smaller than was the case in 2008 (9% down to 6%) and so equate with around 200,000 now Those involved in the industry are most positive (while they were not so positive about the concept of fish farming in general) while anglers appear to be split - being the most positive and also the most negative Those who do not like the idea of a fish farm in their area tend to be proactively reading media reports about the fishing industry The driver of resistance tends to be a lack of understanding and so it would no doubt help if a communications’ programme was undertaken The more broad acceptance of the concept (in terms of intensity of feeling) is driven by the potential for job creation and at a lower level, ensuring fish stocks while also believing that fish is a healthy food to eat

by certain officials and politicians, also spurred us into finding out the factual position, rather than fighting rumour with counter rumour.

“Finally and probably most importantly, we wanted to find out how we can improve our messaging to the wider public – where there were the gaps and on what should we be concentrating our scarce resources.”

Flynn added this was “particularly relevant when the European Commission itself puts so much emphasis communicating aquaculture issues in their strategy documents

2

accompanying the CFP reform and the EMFF. On this point I think the survey has been extremely helpful”.

Flynn describes the survey methodology as “very robust”, adding that “barometer surveys are the most typical type of research carried out to establish voting preferences by the national media and political parties.

“The survey consisted of face-to-face interviews rather than phone and used a well-established formula that ensures the 1,017 people sampled reflected the national breakdown between

gender, income class, population spread etc”, he said.

“Generally a 3% margin of error is applied across the board in such surveys. With this in mind when we looked at the first set of results, I was anxious that some of the proportions appeared to be very low – e.g. level of opposition in coastal areas.

So we ran several of the questions again giving a double sample of over 2,000 respondents. Behaviour & Attitudes confirmed that the results were the same, giving us great confidence being in the single figure bracket.”

Attitudes to fish farming – II The issues surrounding fish farming are less well understood compared with seven years ago. Along with this rejection levels of fish farming have also declined.

There are strict quota controls set on the amount of wild fish that can be caught each year The fish farming industry is one that should be developed further in Ireland Fish farming helps to safeguard fish resources by relieving pressure on wild fish Fish farming is the only way we can maintain adequate fish supplies Fish farms are a bad idea, we should be able to manage with wild fish stocks alone

Definitely true %

51

2008

26

25

2015

29

27

2008

7

15

9

21

29

15

2008

+53 +49

10

20

+40

42

13

15

39

16

7

40

24

19

2015

22

4

+36

31 20

+48

+23

8

19

41

+60

33

6

39

Balance +55

7 11

22

28

33

2008

6

36

21

27

2015

19

25

45

2008

Not Probably Definitely sure not true not true % % %

17

37

2015

2015

Might be true %

-20

17

-14

Base: All adults Q.1

9

To what extent do you believe that…

Confidential

2

Attitudes to fish farming – I There is very little that the general population are entirely sure about when it comes to fish farming. Importantly though few believe they are a bad idea.

Base: All adults

Definitely true %

Might be true %

37

25

There are strict quota controls set on the amount of wild fish that can be caught each year Ireland is well suited as a country to guide and develop fish farming

31

The fish farming industry is one that should be developed further in Ireland

27

Fish farming helps to safeguard fish resources by relieving pressure on wild fish

25

29

29

Wild fish stocks are limited and so fish farming is the only way we can guarantee a fish supply into the future

19

30

Q.1 Confidential

To what extent do you believe that…

16

3 1

39

33

40

42

39

41

41

1

36

28

19

7

36

29

Fish farming is the only way we can maintain adequate fish supplies

Fish farms are a bad idea, we should be able to manage with wild fish stocks alone

Not Probably Definitely sure not true not true % % %

20

8 4

7 3

17

8

18 inshore ireland August/September 2015

aquaculture news

Proposal to cap single salmon-farm biomass at 7,000 tonnes Gillian Mills

A

draft Plan to increase Irish aquaculture production by 45,000 tonnes across all species by 2023, recommends peak biomass for individual site licences of 5,000 tonnes ‘based on full assessment of environmental considerations, e.g. site characteristics, carrying capacity and separation distance from adjacent operations.’

Additional tonnage may be sought ‘subject to a total maximum of 7,000 tonnes (peak biomass) ’and conditions.

Launching the public consultation on the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development, which closed on July 31, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, said Ireland’s targeted production increase reflected growing seafood demand worldwide, projected to reach 85 million tonnes by 2022.

“While the targets in the Plan are ambitious in the context of past performance of this industry nationally, they are modest in the context of the global expansion this industry will experience over the next seven years.”

Ireland’s aquaculture industry has the potential to grow significant value and employment and sustainably provide the raw material to enhance processed seafood exports, he added.

“Clearly that has not happened, and there are many complex reasons for that. Concerns have been raised about environmental sustainability,” Coveney said.

The Plan includes 24 actions to boost sustainable growth,

“while allaying legitimate areas of concerns. With these initiatives, I believe we can get our aquaculture sector back on a path of sustainable growth and provide much needed jobs in our coastal communities”.

The largest site in Ireland is licensed for a biomass of just under 3,000 tonnes.

Background

The reformed Common Fisheries Policy requires Member States to prepare multi-annual national strategic plans to progress sustainable development of aquaculture; the draft Plan has been prepared in that context.

Actions proposed in the Plan include Guiding Principles for the Sustainable Development of Aquaculture, and Scale Limits and Phasing in Relation to the Development of Individual Offshore Salmon Farms, recommended to the Minister by the Marine Institute.

‘International experiences’ in Norway, Scotland and British Columbia were taken into consideration to determine the ‘appropriate scaling and phasing of individual offshore salmon farms’.

Other initiatives include a review of the regulatory framework for aquaculture licensing and associated administrative procedures; financial supports to build capacity, foster knowledge, innovation and technology transfer, and expert advice and training for aquaculture operators in business planning, disease management and environmental best practice.

Reaction

In a statement to Inshore Ireland, BIM welcomes the draft plan, in particular its ‘primary objective’ to sustainably grow annual production from the

current level of 37,000 tonnes to 45,000 tonnes by 2023.

‘BIM notes with interest the new scaling guidelines for offshore salmon farms provided by the Marine Institute…These new guidelines may offer a route to achieving greater consensus among all marine stakeholders in regard to the planned growth…

‘As the State Agency responsible for developing Ireland’s aquaculture industry, BIM will reflect these guidelines in any future aquaculture licence application or development initiatives…’

In 2012, BIM applied for an aquaculture licence to produce 15,000 tonnes in Galway Bay ‘and awaits communication and guidance from the licensing authority as to whether or not the new scaling guidelines will be applicable to that application.

‘BIM worked closely with the Marine Institute and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine officials to ensure that the application was produced to the highest scientific standards and in accordance with all the legal procedures and requirements.

‘The key parameters associated with the project were agreed from the outset by all concerned.

The Galway Bay application continues to stand on its own merit from a scientific and technical point of view.’

Inshore Ireland also invited the Marine Institute to outline the modelling used to support BIM’s application in 2012, given the 7,000 tonnes ‘appropriate maximum’ now proposed.

In reply, the Marine Institute explained it acts in an ‘advisory capacity’ to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as part of its statutory process feeding into licensing decisions.

‘We are, regrettably, not in a position to comment on licence applications under consideration by the licensing authority.’

IFA Aquaculture submission

T

he NSPA’s central growth proposition is to increase aquaculture production to historical peaks of optimal production in individual sectors (p48), some of which were achieved up to 15 years ago (in the case of salmon).

This is a very negative and uninspiring message to send to industry, the consumer market and potential investors and reveals a lack of vision and determination to be a leader in this area or to capture a significant portion of a lucrative and growing market for the good of local communities or the national economy.

The inclusion of a weak chapter on licensing (chp 8) at the end of the document fails to commit to any concrete timelines on removing the deadweight of the renewal applications backlog and is silent on specifics to deal with the systematic problems which have prolonged the administrative freezing of a key public service. The only change offered is a vague new legal framework (a new Act) which could take many years to deliver.

The document requires more measurable milestones and performance indicators. No employment or value targets are contained in the NSPA. While these type of objectives can be difficult to predict, given the many factors which may contribute to the final outcome, they are metrics by which a monitoring committee or indeed the general taxpayer can judge the success or failure of a strategy.

Other measurable targets such as reduction in the licencing backlog, value output, numbers and inward investment could give an indicator of the performance of the EMFF managers in the public service as well as the industry itself.

As it stands now, there is no means for industry, the Commission, a monitoring committee or the public to judge the success or failure of the NSP or its contribution to national or local economic development.

A credible ‘strategy’ requires a thorough structural analysis of the main sectors in the industry in the context of markets; technology; shifts in ownership and the influence of players in the processing and growing of aquaculture products in countries with greater state support (e.g. France, UK, Netherlands, Norway, Spain).

A great deal of industry experience and information exists as well as key reports which are published or in train (on rope mussels and oysters for instance) which can act as a guide to the most efficient use of funds.

Strategic use of the primary resource of the limited growing space for some species (e.g. intertidal areas) in terms of ownership is not even discussed in the document while it remains a major topic within the industry itself.

In terms of the ‘Actions’ proposed in the NSPA, one of the main criticisms from our members at this stage is that there is no indication of individual funding levels for any of the schemes proposed, including the capital investment scheme.

Unlike documents provided for colleagues in the agricultural sector, which are very clear about individual funding levels, exceptions and additional funding for cases, linkages between funding and specific actions or types of farming, geographic and species specific distinctions etc, the NSP Actions consist of headlines with very little information for industry members on the types of projects and investments they should be planning should the Operational Programme be successful.

inshore ireland August/September 2015 19

aquaculture news

Seaweed and alcohol, biofuel or booze?

Stefan Kraan, OHT

O

ver the last decade, seaweed has again become a focal point in respect of ethanol or alcohol production.

During the oil crisis in the late ‘70s, several research groups - predominantly in the USA under the US Marine Biomass Energy Program” (1968-1990) - were looking at seaweeds for mass cultivation and conversion to biofuels, among them ethanol.

The motivation in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s was different however, e.g., independence from foreign oil producing countries.

Recent interest in seaweed to ethanol conversion is driven by fossil fuel replacement to reduce greenhouse gas emission from CO2 and global warming effects.

Macroalgae and aquatic biomass are emerging as one of the most promising potential sources for biofuels production. Cultivation, transformation and final use of aquatic biomass are attracting interest from the scientific community, the industry and stakeholders at international level.

Several species of macroalgae accumulate high levels of carbohydrates, which are suitable as substrate for microbial conversion processes, A 7th Framework European project AtSea demonstrated that this has become a reality (www.Atsea-project.eu).

By developing new seeding and growing technologies that use novel textiles, the partners in the AtSea project have demonstrated that 14 kg wet weight m-2 can be achieved and that two consecutive harvests are also possible. This means anywhere between 25-50 tonne dry weight per hectare.

Biofuel debate

Sustainable use of algal biomass could complement terrestrial biomass for future European energy and carbon security, thereby also strengthening the European maritime economy.

Potential ethanol production from seaweeds can be calculated and is based on the following assumptions: a carbohydrate content of 50% of dry weight and an 80% conversion ratio to ethanol.

Through fermentation, one gram of sugar can yield 0.4 g ethanol. This will yield 0.2 kg or 0.24 litres of ethanol from 1 kg dry weight seaweed biomass, corresponding to approximately 0.05 litres of ethanol per kg wet weight.

Despite the biofuel debate, it seems that seaweed is starting to build up another reputation in the production of potable alcohol. Especially in the last five to ten years, microbreweries as well as liquor distillers, have ‘rediscovered’ seaweed in their distillation or brewing process.

As a headline in the Milwaukee Journal of August 13th 1922 eloquently stated: ‘Seaweed moonshine beats dandelion wine’.

It reported that ‘from gigantic bladder kelp an Indian tribe on Orcas Island, in Puget Sound is stilling a brew said to be more intoxicating than well aged whisky’.

Illicit liquor

Of course the production of this moonshine was all to do with Prohibition in the 1920s in the USA. The author Andersen describes the origin of the term ‘hooch’ as coming from the Hoochinoo Indians of Alaska. The illicit liquor, which they distilled themselves from molasses and other ingredients like seaweed, became associated with the tribe and was shortened to hooch.

In the distilling process, one would make use of the hollow stipe of giant kelp Nereocystis which would be applied as coil to condense the steam in the distillation process.

During the 1920s Prohibition, it became common parlance for any illegal liquor and the term still has a connotation of an illicit, or at least cheap, distilled spirit.

Some examples of seaweeds used in brewing hard liquor are a seaweed gin using Konbu (Saccharina japonica), claimed to give it its subtle ocean smell and taste, is produced in the Netherlands.

Dà Mhìle Distillery - an artisan distillery in Wales - has released a gin infused with seaweed using algae from the Newquay coast. The gin has a ‘slight saltiness’ and ‘greenish hue’ and is well-suited to cooking or food pairing.

Another seaweed-based liquor is the Islay Whisky, single malt, Celp, from Scotland.

The colour is green, enhanced by seaweeds floating inside the bottle. With a salty, iodine and peaty taste, it is the ultimate experience of the sea.

Besides hard liquors there are several beers based on seaweed or with seaweed flavouring. Most of them use brown algae or the red alga Palmaria (Dillisk).

Memory creator

An Irish-based beer brewing company in Dungarvan produces a beer (6.5% alcohol) using Irish lager malt and saison yeast with added Dillisk (Palmaria palmata). It is a complex beer with initial candy sweetness, giving way to a peppery spiciness and tart dryness, finishing with saltiness from the seaweed.

The resulting beer is a fruity, spicy dry ale with a tart finish that will leave you thinking of days at the beach.

The other well-known seaweed beer, Kelpie Seaweed Ale, is produced by the Williams Brothers Brewing Company. It contains 4.4% alcohol and is based on bladder wrack. The Marshall Wharf Brewing Co in Maine, USA, has followed Kelpie’s example and produces its own ‘Sea Belt’, using seaweed locally and sustainably sourced.

Using sugar kelp (Saccharina lattisma) not only to provide the sugar for the yeast to convert to alcohol and carbonation, the seaweed also adds iodine and some salt to counterbalance the Scottish peat-smoked malt in the Scotch ale, dubbed ‘Sea Belt they are brewing. Around six pounds of dried kelp, the equivalent of 60 pounds of wet seaweed, are added to each 200 gallon batch.

From New Zealand comes Karengose (Salty Seaweed Ale, 4% alcohol). Karengo is an edible purple seaweed (Pyropia colombina) from Kaikoura, New Zealand. A Gose is a cloudy German wheat beer brewed with salted water. Karengose fuses German style & Karengo into something rich and strange, tart & briny with a luscious sour finish.

The Tofino Brewing Company in Canada produces Kelp Stout, 6% alcohol.

A dark, rich, full-bodied ale brewed with locally harvested Kelp, giving a unique, umami-type quality to this complex beer.

In the brewing process however we are much more familiar with using seaweeds for a different purpose, or actually the seaweed polysaccharides. Carrageenan have been long used to clarify the home brew.

In respect of wine, the stabilisation of wines often requires using negatively charged clarifying agents to remove proteins. The polysaccharides agar, carrageenan, and alginic acid extracted from seaweeds are negatively charged at low pH and can electrostatically bind and precipitate positively-charged proteins from aqueous solutions.

Ethanol toxicity

Although proteins are flocculated by seaweed polysaccharides, tannins are not adsorbed by agar, carrageenan, or alginic acid.

The protein fraction adsorbed by agar, carrageenan, alginic acid, and seaweeds in Chenin Blanc wine (for example) is also similar to the protein fraction adsorbed by bentonite.

There is also evidence that seaweed consumption, or, to be precise, seaweed polysaccharides, can protect against ethanol toxicity.

A recent study, demonstrated that Hizikia fusiformis - an edible brown alga widely consumed in

Korea, Japan, and China possesses some potentially beneficial compounds, including antioxidants and anticoagulants.

It seems that H. fusiformis polysaccharides have protectants against ethanolinduced peptic injury in rats and appeared to reduce ethanol-induced gastric injury.

In short, seaweed has many benefits; it can be grown to produce alcohol, or applied to the brewing or distilling process to add flavours to the potable alcohol produced.

Seaweed polysaccharides can even protect against alcohol toxicity.

What better combination could one wish for!

Bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana). The bulbs were used by several Indian tribes to distil alcohol while using the hollow stipe as the condenser comparable to a pot still

Dutch seaweed gin using Kombu (Saccharina japonica) for flavour and the umami

20 inshore ireland August/September 2015

Aquaculture News

IFA welcomes Aquaculture Licence Review in FoodWise 2025 Gillian Mills

T

he FoodWise 2025 strategy recently published by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food Simon Coveney is the first time the aquaculture industry has seen a firm commitment to address the serious problems in the Irish aquaculture licencing system.

“Foodwise 2025 takes a clear direction from IFA’s 2014 report Removing Barriers,” remarked IFA Aquaculture Executive, Richie Flynn.

“With 600 applications awaiting renewal, holding up vital business plans, investments and grant aid, the industry needs a short, sharp response with firm and measurable action.

The independent review of licensing proposed in the report is very welcome and should take a minimal amount of time as all of the problems have been clear for many years, and IFA has proposed constructive measures to revitalise the entire regime.”

Mr Flynn added that by rapidly dealing with the backlog of applications - some waiting up to eight years for movement- was as a priority.

“Removing bottlenecks and ensuring resources are effectively applied is a straightforward task. Setting clear and achievable time limits - from receipt of an application to a decision - is simply best practice.”

He believes that benchmarking performance of the system against international standards; reducing all the red tape, imposing definitive deadlines

and breaking the never ending cycle of unnecessary delays has to be tackled courageously.

“IFA Aquaculture has warned against proposing new legislation to deal with the issue as an unnecessary distraction. With hard work and commitment to the principles of the existing Act (1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act), we can avoid a potentially endless road of legislation. Producers who are turning away valuable export customers cannot wait any longer for action,” he stressed.

Foodwise 2015 Strengths »» Proximity to key fishing grounds »» Strong marine science capability »» Good market diversification supported by involvement in Origin Green »» Clean, green image of Atlantic waters

Opportunities »» »» »» »»

The seafood sector, whose sales are currently valued at €850 million and represents around 5% of total food and beverage exports, has huge potential for expansion. Its growth opportunities revolve around: Rising global demand for product with a supply deficit Proximity to productive wild fisheries resource which could be landed in Ireland Potential to increase the level of value added product Opportunity to achieve strategic advantage in the marine biotechnology field The industry’s ability to capitalise on its advantages is constrained by a number of factors. The critical factors are the scale, fragmentation, leadership and management skill deficits within the processing sector, supply constraints, the emphasis on commodity rather than value-added product and capacity limits in respect of aquaculture production.

These long standing and well recognised challenges have inhibited the growth and profitability of the sector for some time. A strategic change of direction is required to convert these opportunities into growth and the focus of this

»» Small scale, fragmented industry with lack of large processing facilities »» Lack of continuous raw material supply »» Over-emphasis on commodity product »» Poor industry competitiveness and leadership

Threats

Increasing global demand with supply deficit Attract increased landings into Ireland Upscale and diversify production Stock recovery through CFP programmes

Crucial timelines

Flynn added that IFA Aquaculture will hold government to the timelines in FoodWise 2025 and push for a definitive solution to this “long standing logjam”. He believes a sustainable, export driven and confident fish and shellfish farming sector is badly needed by coastal communities and islands.

“Together with the new National Strategy on Aquaculture and the Harvesting our Ocean Wealth report we have all the tools to fix the systematic failure of the State to deliver a modern, customer-focused licence application process.”

Commenting on the other seafood action points in FoodWise 2025, Flynn said that the quality and reputation of Irish seafood, combined with its economic importance in peripheral rural areas, was a clear motivation to support the sector in any way possible.

“Our products and our people are our major assets and through quantifiable policy measures with clear timetables, we can ensure that the overall targets are met, and a strong basis for growth is left to the incoming generation of young seafood entrepreneurs.

Weaknesses

»» Stock depletion in wild fisheries »» Slowness/uncertainty of aquaculture licence determination »» Seafood safety issues and farmed fish diseases »» Failure to scale, diversify, innovate and invest »» Failure to protect and measure the impact on the natural environment

report is to set out clear tangible actions which will deliver this growth potential. These actions are focused around three key themes.

In addition to food production, there is a growing opportunity for Ireland to achieve a strategic advantage in the marine biotechnology field. Our strengths in this area lie in our extensive and high quality marine resources, a recognised capacity in marine biological sciences R & D and strong technological capabilities in the food, pharmaceutical, medical devices and nutraceutical spheres.

The importance and market potential of this emerging area has been recognised by the EU and domestically under the National Research Prioritisation Exercise and the integrated marine plan “Harnessing our Ocean Wealth”.

A blueprint for the development of the sector is provided by Ireland’s €241m Seafood Development Programme 2014-2020 which the European Commission is expected to adopt later in 2015. Significant measures are proposed under that programme for the development of the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sector. Equally important is the robust framework in the

Common Fisheries Policy to deliver fish stocks to maximum sustainable yield levels by 2020 at the latest, the eco-system based approach to fisheries management and the regulatory commitment to achieve good environmental status by 2020.

While the majority of these key actions will be fully aligned with this Seafood Development Programme, there is a strong view that a range of additional actions and investments are needed to allow the sector reach its full potential by 2025. In particular, substantial further private investment, circa €300 million, over and above the Seafood Development Programme fund will be required to achieve the necessary scaling in the processing sector. Further public investment will also be required in additional infrastructure in Fisheries Harbour Centres to facilitate increased landings.

Finally the major sectoral change will not happen unless there are structural changes in BIM and appropriate resources made available for implementation. Most importantly, BIM should, in the absence of risk capital, have the ability to make strategic investment, to prime the sector, when required.

ACTIONS »» Commission an independent review of the existing aquaculture licensing system involving all key stakeholders, to identify the current shortcomings and bottlenecks (legislative, resource and logistical), to report by early 2016 and implement necessary changes to the aquaculture licensing system as a matter of priority »» Develop a strategy to expand shellfish and aquaculture production taking account of the carrying capacity of bays »» Develop and initiate practical and competitive measures to attract additional landings into Irish ports and continue to invest significantly in necessary infrastructure at the Fishery Harbour Centres »» Develop a strategy with practical and implementable actions to deliver scale in the key seafood sectors, including food ingredients »» Develop a strategic plan with practical and implementable actions to significantly increase the quantity of seafood added value across all main species groups. This strategy should complement the strategic plan to deliver scale in the key seafood sectors, including food ingredients and should, at a minimum reduce the level of produce sold in commodity form from 70% to below 50% »» Progress participation and engagement of Origin Green with seafood companies with the aim of bringing all seafood companies under the programme by 2016 »» Improve the environmental sustainability of the sector including fishermen gear sensitivity and replenishment of depleted inshore stocks »» Give renewed priority to R & D into seafood based new product development, food ingredients and functional foods. This research should also include both harvested wild and farmed seaweeds and their by-products.

inshore ireland August/September 2015 21

Maritime awards

Maritime excellence acknowledged at inaugural awards

L

eading professionals across fifteen categories in the maritime sector were recognised at the inaugural Maritime Industry Awards in June.

Speaking at the event which attracted more than 500 attendees, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, acknowledged growth and ambition in the maritime industry: “The days of undervaluing

the maritime sector are over.

This event is an opportunity to celebrate and recognise excellence and bring new vision and ambition.”

The judging panel, comprising maritime experts from academia and industry, praised the scope and standard of entries “which underlined the innovative and peoplebased focus of the sector as it responds to the improving economy”.

Resolute Marine Energy

was presented with the Overall Maritime Excellence Award and also picked up the Excellence in Marine Renewable Energy Award, for its work to develop potable water which the panel acknowledged as “globally significant”.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Eoin Sweeney for his “extraordinary approach to developing renewables”.

Helen Noble was recognised as a leading specialist

in maritime law and was presented with the Special Recognition Award.

Conor Mowlds, Head of the National Maritime College of Ireland and patron of the event, congratulated the 50 finalists and award winners, and reiterated the

importance of bringing focus on the industry.

The event was supported by partners, sponsors and supporters including NMCI, Irish Independent, BIM, AIB, Amarach Research, ICS Ireland, Marine Times, and Inshore Ireland.

Regional seismic survey project wins Maritime Offshore Ireland award Bill Morrissey, DCENR

A

t the Maritime Industry Awards (June 18), leaders in Ireland’s maritime and marine sector were recognised and celebrated before an audience of leading business and agencies.

From the eight nominations, the judging panel selected the new Regional Seismic Survey Project, as the winner of the Offshore Ireland Award. Clare Morgan, geophysicist with Petroleum Affairs Division accepted the Award on behalf of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

The data collected and processed from this project significantly enhances knowledge, de-risks prospectivity and supports

both exploration and research in the petroleum sector. The project was conducted on time, within budget, and was fully compliant with regulatory and environmental best practice. This complex project is regarded as original and innovative and marks a very successful State/ industry collaborative effort.

Overall strategy

Commenting on the project and its success in winning the award, Minster of State Joe McHugh said that while Ireland has petroleum potential, it is under-explored: “Successful exploration has critical economic and fiscal potential and would strengthen Ireland’s energy security of supply. This project addresses longstanding data gaps in our Atlantic seismic database which are seen as a significant risk and disincentive to

exploration activity.”

Increasing knowledge and reducing risk are critical to the realisation of the potential of Ireland’s offshore.

The Department identified strategic investment in a major seismic exploration programme as a key step in enhancing interest in the potential for petroleum accumulations offshore and to augment exploration activities. The survey is the largest seismic survey acquired to date offshore Ireland.

“This project was designed from the outset to integrate into other datasets and the line location grid layout was chosen accordingly.

A priority was to get data

acquired in 2013 and 2014 to assist in licensing rounds and to maximise use of the data by both the oil industry and academics,” Minister McHugh added.

What it has achieved

As planned, the majority of the DCENR/Eni 2D seismic survey was acquired in 2013 (10,175 km) and the survey was completed in 2014 (6,632km). The data were acquired using the vessel BGP Explorer. Killybegs was the port of call for survey logistics, during the two seasons of acquisition.

Gravity and magnetic data were also acquired along the seismic profiles utilising

high end and appropriate acquisition technology.

The survey vessel towed a 10km single solid streamer (i.e. long offset 2D) located 5-20m below the surface and a source array of approximately 50005200 cubic inch, operating at least at 2000psi, with a source frequency range of 2-250 Hz. The extent of the survey area included a wide range of water depths from coastal waters (100 metres) to the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (4000 metres). The seismic data acquired was processed to PreStack Time Migrated level and very positively endorsed by industry and researchers as the improved sub-surface imaging is significant.

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22 inshore ireland August/September 2015

marine r&d

David O’Sullivan on the Louis S Laurent Atlantic Mapping Survey

Mountains on the seabed mapped by Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance

By Lisa Fitzpatrick

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team of European, Canadian, and American ocean exploration experts led by Thomas Furey, Marine Institute, revealed previously uncharted features on the Atlantic seabed including mountains and ridges taller than Carrauntoohil, Ireland’s highest mountain, in a survey on onboard Ireland’s national research vessel, RV Celtic Explorer, June 1-8.

The survey was one of the first projects launched by the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance formed following the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation — a collaboration between the EU, the US and Canada ― signed in May 2013. Its goals are to join resources of its signatories to better understand the Atlantic Ocean, and to promote the sustainable management of its resources. The team mapped a transect of the Atlantic Ocean between St. John’s Newfoundland and Galway.

A second survey by the Alliance was launched on July 24 from Halifax, Nova Scotia on board the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent. This time the expedition was to map the North Atlantic Ocean seabed between Halifax, Nova Scotia and Tromsø, Norway.

During the first survey on RV Celtic Explorer in June, the team from the Marine Institute and Geological Survey of Ireland (INFOMAR -national seabed mapping programme), the

Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), used the latest multi-beam echo-sounder technology on board to create high resolution images of dramatic seabed features.

They mapped 235km2 of iceberg scarred seabed; ancient glacial moraine features and buried sediment channels on the Newfoundland and Labrador shelf. They charted a 15km long down-slope channel feature on the western Atlantic continental slope, most likely formed by meltwater runoff associated with ice cap grounding during the last glaciation, approximately 20,000 years ago.

They crossed the dramatic Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, mapping a 3.7km high underwater mountain.

Continuing eastward, a straight asymmetric ridge feature came to life standing proud from the flat seabed over 140km long, peaking at 1108m high, taller than Carrauntoohil.

The ambitious survey route covered an area off Newfoundland and Labrador where cold water corals and sponges are known to occur, and crossed the OSPAR designated Marine Protected Area in the dramatic topography of the central Atlantic.

“The survey marks the beginning of an exciting Atlantic research mapping collaboration between the US, Canada and Europe.

It shows what can be

achieved when we pool our resources, sharing knowledge, infrastructure and technology.

“We hope to build on this next year, when Celtic Explorer will be joined by research vessels from Norway and the USA, and in subsequent years,” remarked Dr Peter Heffernan, Marine Institute.

The second survey was led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Canadian Hydrographic Service on board Louis St. Laurent and included members from the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Marine Institute and the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland. The aim of the expedition was to use shared resources and

expertise to map a portion of the North Atlantic Ocean, to produce seabed terrain data using state-of-the-art deep-water multibeam sonar technology to survey the seabed, and study the physical characteristics of the seafloor as well as other oceanographic data such as temperature, salinity, and fluorescence.

Welcoming the second project under the Galway Statement, Gail Shea, Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans; Kathryn Sullivan, U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator and Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued a joint statement saying: ‘This further demonstrates our

commitment to the implementation of the Galway Statement which unites us around a shared commitment to the stewardship of the Atlantic Ocean.

By pooling our intellectual capital, resources, and by working together on research and monitoring programs, we can make long-lasting advances in understanding the ocean we share. The information collected by our scientific team will contribute to the sustainable management of Atlantic Ocean resources, a more comprehensive suite of maps of the seabed floor and an increased understanding of this complex ecosystem.

Results from the first Atlantic transect were presented at the Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth conference at SeaFest July 10 and the previous day at the Seabed Mapping Working Group.

Cullen Fellowship launched at SeaFest

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he Marine Institute’s Cullen Fellowship programme was launched by Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine at SeaFest, Cork (10th July).

The Cullen Fellowship provides research training opportunities for scientists in marine and related disciplines leading to Masters and PhD degrees. It was set up in

memory of Anne Cullen (1958 -2013), who made a significant contribution to the work of the Marine Institute over 35 years with the Institute. It provides development opportunities for the next generation of marine researchers, building marine research capacity.

The launch was attended by Anne’s brother Cathal Cullen and niece Ruth Cullen together with friends and family. Minister Coveney acknowledged the significant contribution Anne

made to the work of the Institute, and in particular, her role in its annual summer bursary programme and mentoring young scientists.

“Special people are needed to achieve great things and Anne was one of those special people.”

Anne’s family expressed their appreciation of Anne’s memory being honoured in this unique way.

Cullen Fellowship opportunities will be advertised on www. marine.ie as they arise. The next open will be early 2016.

inshore ireland August/September 2015 23

marine r&d

Students highlight value of Marine Institute Bursary programme

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wenty-three students showcased experience gained during their summer work placements with the Marine Institute at the annual Bursar Seminar day at the on July 23.

The students from diverse fields of study worked in a variety of jobs, including fish and shellfish assessments and surveys; corporate communications; sampling salmon and commercial fisheries in ports; assessments of maritime economics and oceanographic technology development.

“The standard of the presentations was extremely high and showed that during their brief time with us, they gained valuable experience and skills to further their careers,” said Helen McCormick, Bursar Programme Co-ordinator and Senior Laboratory Analyst, Fisheries Ecosystems Advisory Services.

Five awards were made

with first place in the individual presentations going to Daniel Connell (Marine Science, NUI Galway), working in the communications office.

Daniel spoke about the number of different campaigns through which the Marine Institute actively promotes ocean literacy, and his contribution to the Explorers Education Programme Teacher Training Workshop, run by the Marine Institute and Galway Atlantaquaria.

Other awards were made to Alan Maher (Software Development, Carlow Institute of Technology); Ocean Science and Information Services bursar.

Team awards went to Port Sampler bursars Ciara Hunt (Marine Science, NUI Galway); Sharon Sugrue (Wildlife Biology, Institute of Technology Tralee); Declan Hand, (Applied Freshwater and Marine Biology, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology); Alina Madita

Wieczorek, (Marine Science, NUI Galway); and Irish Maritime Development Office bursars, Viktor Avgustin (Economics & Sociology, Trinity College Dublin) and Philip Bane (Business Economic & Social Studies, Trinity College Dublin).

Liam Lachs (Marine Science, NUI Galway) Aquaculture field work bursar together with bursary partner Ryan McGeady (Applied Freshwater and Marine Biology, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology) who made a video presentation from RV Celtic Explorer where he was studying the distribution and resilience to deep-sea trawling of deep-ocean coral ecosystems around the porcupine bank, as part of a separate three-week venture.

The programme is aimed at undergraduates who have completed two years’ study in a relevant discipline and is advertised on www.marine.ie in February each year.

RV Celtic Explorer hosts national schools open day

Pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School, Dublin visited the RV Celtic Explorer as part of the Explorers Education Programme www.explorers.ie. The initiative was supported by Sea for Society project partners AQUATT and Explorers programme partners Galway Atlantaquaria.

Pupils and teachers from Gael Scoil Uileog de Burca, Claremorris visit RV Celtic Explorer as part of the Sea for Society programme. The Schools had participated in the Explorers Education Programme - www.explorers.ie.

Daniel Connell (Marine Science, NUI Galway), working in the Communications office in Oranmore accepts his award for first place for Individual Presentations from Dr Peter Heffernan, CEO of the Marine Institute

Students and teachers from Scoil Iognaid Galway at RV Celtic Explorer 10th June. Over 150 children from five schools from Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Mayo took part in the Sea for Society project initiative to raise awareness of the importance of the ocean. www. blueociety.org

24 inshore ireland August/September 2015

marine r&d

Communicating complex hydrographic and geological processes

Tommy Fury, Joint INFOMAR Manager

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he national maritime festival SeaFest (July 9&10) hosted by the National Maritime College Ireland (NMCI) in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork, celebrated Ireland’s incredible ocean wealth and abundant resources. It opened with the annual Our Ocean Wealth conference that attracted several hundred stakeholders, investors, researchers and maritime-related businesses before being opened to the public the following day and drew large crowds and visitors of every age.

Underpinning much of Ireland’s marine management and future economy is the national seabed mapping programme INFOMAR (INtegrated mapping FOr the sustainable development of Ireland’s MArine Resource).

The INFOMAR team focus on mapping Ireland’s seabed, delivering charts, data, advice and services, and encouraging innovation and development. The programme also provides invaluable information and support to multiple government departments, to industry, to the public, and to the research community.

Shipwreck database INFOMAR personnel were on-hand to talk to the public about their activities and highlights including the recently launched INFOMAR – CFT Dive App and associated extensive shipwreck database, and to explain and describe some of the fascinating features that exist on Ireland’s seafloor using an interactive touchscreen monitor.

The ability to present INFOMAR data in a meaningful and simplistic way is key to communicating complex hydrographic and geological processes,

and their relevance to marine management and sustainable development.

Detailed bathymetric maps of Cork Harbour and its approaches were developed and printed for the event, with huge uptake from the public, the navy, and the researcher community attending the new Beaufort building launch, who were fascinated at the detail of the information presented.

The team also had a 3D print model of the Lusitania ship wreck on display showing how it lies on the seafloor at a depth of 90m.

The model was created using high resolution multibeam echo-sounder data acquired

by INFOMAR. It was of huge interest given people’s awareness that this is the 100-year anniversary of its tragic sinking off the Cork coast.

Atlantic Transect Prior to the Ocean Wealth Conference, results of a historic Atlantic Transect were presented at the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group meeting, and thereafter over the weekend via a scaled 8m long representation of the North Atlantic seafloor mapped during the crossing.

The profile highlighted

the geological history of the North Atlantic; demonstrated glacial channelling and scouring on the Newfoundland shelf at 200m depth; explained sea-floor spreading along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and highlighted the sensitive ecosystem of the biologically diverse Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone.

Lastly it brought a little history to life by telling the story of the first permanent transatlantic telecommunications cable to be laid across the ocean floor in 1866 and which landed at Valentia, Co. Kerry.

This Irish-led survey in June was coordinated by the INFOMAR team, supported by experts from the Marine Institute of Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada, NOAA’s Ocean Exploration team in the USA, IPMA in Portugal, and Marine Institute in Ireland.

Aboard R.V. Celtic Explorer, the team of international scientists undertook an opportunistic multibeam Trans-Atlantic survey - the first under the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, and an outcome of the EU, Canada & USA Galway Statement of May 2013 on Atlantic Ocean

cooperation.

The team with representatives from each of the signatories to the Galway Statement joined the vessel in St. John’s, Newfoundland, before crossing the Atlantic and mapping some significant features along the route to Galway.

Future international collaboration between Europe, the US and Canada will look at the potential for extending seabed mapping activity across the Atlantic Ocean to support sustainable resource and risk management and climate research.

Ireland host the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group at SeaFest, and support the Atlantic Educational Passages initiative, coordinating the re-launch of the Mighty Spartan which drifted across the Atlantic to land in Sligo shortly before the event (http://educationalpassages.com/)

Image of a 3D animation of the largest feature mapped during the Atlantic Transect in the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone, extending 3708m above the surrounding seabed. The shallowest depth is 979m below sea surface and depths of 4687m were recorded at the base of the feature some 20km away.

inshore ireland August/September 2015 25

INTERVIEW

Irish Coast Guard volunteers provide ‘outstanding service’ to aquatic sector

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he Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) handles on average 2,500 marine emergencies a year, assists 4,500 people and saves as many as 200 lives.

To deliver this 24/7, 365 day service, the IRCG has in place rescue, security, ship casualty and pollution response regimes to ensure that wherever and whenever incidents occur, appropriate levels of emergency preparedness and response in place to save life and to protect the marine environment. Inshore Ireland talked to Gerard O’Flynn, National Manager of the Coast Guard’s Volunteer Branch, about the key role it plays.

Gery Flynn Explain the role of the Irish Coast Guard Service The Coast Guard’s primary role is to reduce loss of life on Ireland’s seas, lakes, waterways, rivers, coastline and in remote areas.

There are three points to our strategy: prevention; preparation and response.

Emergency response is delivered through our three Marine Rescue Centres in Dublin, Malin and Valentia.

What assets and resources are available to you?

In terms of emergency response, the assets most immediately available are our own IRCG helicopters and Volunteer Coast Guard Units.

Then there are the declared resources - principally the RNLI - which is an outstanding organisation, and the Community Rescue Boats Service. We also rely on other State services such as the Naval Service, the Air Corps and the Garda Water Support Unit. After that we rely on what we call ‘vessels of opportunity’ that happen to be in an emergency area at the time.

What is the Volunteer Coast Guard Service and what does it do?

I would describe this service as being the ‘eyes, ears and teeth’ of the Marine Rescue Centres.

We have approximately 950 volunteers, divided into 44 Voluntary Coast Guard Units around the country.

Their primary role is to provide boat, cliff-rescue services and shoreline searching. Some Units provide all three services; some provide a combination of two, but all units are designated as shoreline search units, equipped with modern blue-light emergency response vehicles. They provide an outstanding service.

It would be impossible to put a monetary value on such a service if it were to be replicated as a retained or a full-time service. Their

How does the Coast Guard deliver its prevention and preparation strategies?

The Volunteer Coast Guard is a tremendous asset for delivering key elements of IRCG’s prevention and preparation strategies. For example, they conduct a series of water safety programmes around the coast, including a schools’ visit service designed to teach children the basic principles of water safety.

They also make a huge contribution to promoting safety at sea to the general public, young people in particular. Some teams also conduct Compliance Monitoring Patrols where they approach vessels – recreational boats especially - and politely encourage the occupants to wear a lifejacket.

In general, does the public respond well to these initiatives?

Yes, in the past few years there has been a significant and very positive cultural change towards the wearing of lifejackets on or near water,

Marine Rescue Centres Dublin MRCC Marine Rescue Coordination Centre, Irish Coast Guard

skill set and local geographic knowledge underpins the service they provide. And of course the most critical thing of all is that they are volunteers, giving their time freely and without reward.

Outline the operational relationship between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a declared resource. When it’s deemed appropriate to launch a lifeboat, the relevant lifeboat station is paged or tasked directly. This is done by agreement with the RNLl so we don’t have to go through any bureaucracy or any stepped checks.

For example, if the Courtmacsharry, Baltimore or Achill lifeboat is required, the crew are paged directly.

Obviously, procedures do apply but the decision to launch is made by the Launch Operations Manager and the Coxwain at each station.

The interaction between IRCG and RNLI is seamless.

Irish Coast Guard Contact Information

In an emergency, dial 112/999 and ask for the Coast Guard

Malin MRSC Marine Rescue Sub Centre, Malin Head, Co Donegal.

Tel +353 74 937 0103 (24 hr) | Fax +353 74 937 0221 Administration: Tel +353 74 9370389/0195 Valentia MRSC Marine Rescue Sub Centre,Valentia Island, Co Kerry.

Tel +353 066 9476109 (24 hr) | Fax +353 66 9476289 Administration: Tel +353 66 9476297

Headquarters

Irish Coast Guard Headquarters, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2.

Tel +353 1 6783454, Fax +353 1 6783459 admin@irishcoastguard.ie or Locall: 1890 443 311 and many recreational users are making it mandatory.

I would say too that yacht and sailing clubs have been to the fore in this area.

There is now a much greater awareness among boat users to observing basic safety procedures, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. One area requiring more attention is the danger of fishing off rocks. It’s one of those areas where people don’ t tend to wear lifejackets. I think it’s probably one of the big challenges and one that’s not often spoken about.

For more on the Irish Coast Guard go to

http://www.dttas.ie/maritime/english/irish-coast-guard-ircg

Photo Martin Devlin

26 inshore ireland August/September 2015

coastline news

Better communications needed between islands and mainland agencies Rhoda Twombly, CoE

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elegates from Galway, Cork, Donegal and Mayo offshore islands attended the AGM of Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann/ Ireland’s Islands Federation on Inishlyre, Clew Bay, Mayo, on July July.

Ministers of State Joe

McHugh and Michael Ring, as well deputy Eamon O Cuív, addressed delegates on a range of issues affecting Island communities.

Top of the agenda was the recent funding difficulties for the non-Gaeltacht Islands.

Minister McHugh confirmed funding would now be administered through his department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, and that he would secure additional funding for off-shore

communities.

The Minister also agreed with Cathaoirleach, Máirtín Ó Méalóid, that equality must be fostered between tGaeltacht and nonGaeltacht Islands regarding funding and policy. He added that better communication between island communities and mainland agencies was needed to better exploit opportunities to boost tourism economy, particularly through

language tourism and promoting islands within the Wild Atlantic Way initiative.

Minister Ring acknowledged the work by his ministerial colleagues and civil servants to secure funding for the nonGaeltacht Islands and ensure equality amongst all islands.

He added that off-shore communities needed a voice and was acknowledged the Mayo Islands Committee who served that function.

Minister Ring noted that government departments were financially stretched but that Minister McHugh was doing everything possible to secure financial stability.

Deputy O Cuiv stated that there will be a debate on the Oireachtas sub-Committee report on Fisheries in the Dáil in the following week.

Deputy OCuiv noted that the proposed exclusive

fisheries limit around the coast would be a benefit to island fishermen and that it was important off-shore fishermen work together to make their views on aquaculture known.

He suggested that Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann should look at “modest and focused” solutions, adding that economic development posed a massive challenge, and that keeping children and young people in these communities was paramount.

Delegates also raised issues on seaweed harvesting licences; production of biofuels; salmon and lobster fishing; health-care concerns; designation of the collective of Irish Islands as a region, and the need for core funding for Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann.

An Bráthair Rua na Scairbhe

- Fr Francis O’Sullivan OFM Patriot, Educator, Priest and Martyr John Fitzgerald

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his remarkable hero was hunted down and beheaded

by Cromwellian bounty hunters on Scariff Island in Kenmare bay 352 years ago last June. He is one of a group of 16th and 17th century Irish Martyrs accepted by the Roman Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Their formal beatification can be expected in due course.

He was a son of Moriarty O’Sullivan, the head of a branch of the powerful O’Sullivan clan from the Beara peninsula in Cork.

Fr Francis was christened Diarmuid, changing his

name to Francis when he joined the Franciscan order.

Fr Francis studied in Spain and Rome where he was ordained at Isadores College in 1630. He returned to Ireland and worked throughout Cork and Kerry.

Spanish support

At the start of the 1641 rebellion, Fr Francis travelled to Spain to the court of King Philip IV as an emissary for the Gaelic chieftains. This highly dangerous mission was to request monies and armaments for the Irish.

His pleas were successful and in 1642 a cargo containing £3,000 containing £3,000 in plate silver coins; four demie cannons; 2,500 muskets with bullets, and 300 barrels of gunpowder

landed in Dungarvan. This shipment helped establish the Confederate Irish army that later was crushed by Cromwellian forces.

In this chaotic period, Ireland lost some 600,000 people, or 40% of its population to war, famine, plague and forced exile.

Fr Francis was appointed guardian of the Priory at Ardfert in 1647 and of Timolegue in West Cork two years later. In 1650 he was elected provincial of the Franciscans in Ireland.

He was now in charge of all 62 houses in the Order, and later that year Geoffrey Daly, the Bishop of Kerry, appointed him as Professor of Theology at the newlyestablished college in Tralee.

Most wanted

His work as a rebel emissary, professor and priest made Fr Francis one of the most wanted men in Ireland at the height of Cromwell’s subjugation campaign when the English commander in Kerry, Lord Nelson, was ravaging the county.

In his final years, Francis remained in Kerry, travelling in disguise and under cover. In June 1653, Francis narrowly escaped capture when he jumped a massive gorge in Rath and immediately travelled by boat to the sanctuary of Scariff Island.

Inhabited at the time, the island had a small Christian community. The Cromwellian bounty hunters followed him to the island where on June 23, 1653, they caught and beheaded the Red Monk.

His body was interred on the island and the bounty hunters brought the head ashore to collect their reward.

When the priest hunters got to the mainland, they began boasting in a tavern and as a result were killed.

The skull was hidden, and never given up for reward.

It was later to appear in the O’Connell house at Derrynane where it became an important relic. It was the custom to have solemn oaths sworn on the skull as a respected substitute for the bible.

The skull was mysteriously removed from Derrynane in 1847, and returned anonymously (by post from Winchester in England).

In 1931 it was gifted by the O’Connell clan to the Franciscan Priory in Killarney where it sits in a special shrine.

Fr Francis O Sullivan was known locally as An Brathair Ruadh (The Red Monk) and was regarded as a protector of fishermen who had a special prayer to him: Umhaluignas do Dhia Mhor an uile chomhachta agus do Bhrathair Ruadh na Scairbe (Let us pray to almighty God and the red haired friar of Scariff) His heroic life is commemorated annually on June 23 with a gathering and prayers at Derrynane.

JUNE/JULY COMPETITION WINNERS The sinking of the lusitania Brian Cleare Passage East, Co Waterford Brendan Walshe The Curragh, Co Kildare Scariff and Deenish Island (left)

photo: atlanticirishseaweed.com

Congratulations to all our competition winners

inshore ireland August/September 2015 27

outside ireland

Ungumming the ecolabels debate: Setting minimum criteria for an EU ecolabel for fishery and aquaculture products Brian O’Riordan, ICSF

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decade on, the European Commission Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG Mare) has reopened the debate on ecolabels for fisheries and aquaculture products.

In 2005, after several years of deliberations, DG Mare launched a debate on a Community approach towards ecolabelling schemes for fisheries products, in a ‘Communication’ to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee.

The ‘Communication’ concluded that ‘establishing minimum requirements for voluntary ecolabelling schemes would be the most appropriate option. It would offer enough flexibility and would be proportionate in terms of costs. It would make it possible to take appropriate action for greater sustainability, while allowing a gradual approach.

It would also offer adequate protection to consumers.’

The debate however faded away under the shadow of reviewing and reforming the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

The reform process has placed environmental sustainability at the heart of the new CFP. Article 2 of the new Basic Regulation of the CFP commits to ensuring that ‘fishing and aquaculture activities are environmentally sustainable in the long-term and are managed in a way that is consistent with the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits, and of contributing to the availability of food supplies.’

The Basic Regulation contains a comprehensive set of conservation measures, which if properly implemented, should make ecolabelling schemes redundant.

The new fishery and aquaculture ecolabels debate has been precipitated by the implementation of the reformed CFP. The new Regulation for the Common Organization of the Market for Fishery and Aquaculture Products (CMO), which came into force in 2014, obliges the European Commission (EC) to submit a feasibility report on options for a Union-wide ecolabel scheme for fishery and aquaculture products originating from inside and outside the Union.

Public consultation

To this end, the DG Mare has launched a public consultation, designed to contribute to this feasibility study. The Consultation is intended to assist the Commission to understand opinions on the impacts and issues associated with fisheries and aquaculture ecolabels (positive and negative) from different stakeholder groups.

The current debate centres on the pros and cons of establishing a single European ecolabel for fisheries and aquaculture products, and what should be the minimum criteria for assessing whether or not the certified products are sustainable.

Since 1992 an EU ecolabel has applied to non-food products, designed to help consumers ‘identify products and services that have a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle, from the extraction of raw material through to production, use and disposal.’

No EU label however is applied to food products, although private ecolabels have been applied to capture fishery products in the EU for nigh on two decades. But these tend to focus on the extraction process and the aquatic environment, rather than on the whole value chain.

Consumer guides

More recently, and following the development of standards for organic aquaculture in the early 21st century, the rapid and uncontrolled expansion of aquaculture production has raised environmental, human rights; cruelty to animals; public health; food safety and other concerns.

Today, an array of ecolabels applies to fish and aquaculture products in the EU, covering a plethora of issues from environmental sustainability; fair trade; kindness to animals; responsible fisheries; traditional specialties; specific geographic origin and so on.

In addition, several organisations have produced consumer guides on what to eat and what not to eat, by way of fish and aquaculture products based on sustainability criteria. In recent years, communitysupported fishery initiatives like the ‘Catch Box Cooperative’ in the UK have begun to appear on the scene, promoting environmentally benign, quality fresh fish, from small-scale fishing operations.

Just as the claims made by ecolabels must be bona fide, credible and supported by objective evidence, so must

the claims made by consumer guides and communitysupported fisheries.

The debate also raises the question about the role of the State and regional authorities in the conservation of natural resources and management of extractive activities: Should the role of the State go further than ensuring laws and regulations are in place and are adequately enforced to ensure environmental sustainability so that fish stocks and aquatic habitats are sustained for current and future generations?

Should the role of the State and the authorities go beyond ensuring that the sustainability claims made by ecolabels and related schemes are bona fide and are not misleading or otherwise fraudulent?

In short, where does the role of the State end and that of the market begin?

A Public Hearing: ‘Setting of Minimum Criteria for the Single European Ecolabel’ organised by the Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament on June 16 2015 added some impetus to the debate.

The hearing focused on two panels that discussed ‘objectivity and validity of current systems’ and the ‘values and potential impact of an EU ecolabel’.

Observations

Gus Pastoor, representing the fish trade and processing sectors associated with AIPCE-CEP, observed that a demand for ecolabels arose because consumers did not trust the ‘system’– i.e. they had no trust in formal regulation of fisheries and conservation of resources.

He felt that if there was to be a role for public bodies in ecolabelling schemes at European level, it should be to establish a public framework setting minimum criteria.

Representing the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), I called for ecolabelling schemes to be fair, balanced, credible and transparent. A differentiated approach to the ecolabelling of small-scale and largescale fishery production systems is required, given that third-party labelling schemes are often too costly, too demanding of detailed scientific and production information and yield few if any benefits for small scale producers – unless subsidised.

First-party schemes recognising as they do the value addition made by small-scale fish and aquaculture producers -

are more likely to deliver financial and market access benefits directly to them.

José Luis Freire, representing the Spanish wholesale trade organiosation CONXEMAR, took the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to task over its manner of operation, questioning the way it generated profits and ‘charitable funds’. The MSC representative was later allowed to respond to and refute the allegations made.

Christian Rambaud, responsible for trade and markets at DG Mare, observed that no decision has been reached on ecolabels at EU level due to the complexity of the issue. Labelling however has developed over the last five years. He noted the lengthy discussions in the Parliament and Council on the mandatory and voluntary requirements of labels and said it was now time for Member States to play their role.

Parliamentarians were divided on the issues raised.

David Coburn, UKIP, felt that an EU ecolabel would be a ‘fishy taxpayerfunded moneyfest for bureaucrats and NGOs’.

Ulrike Rodust, German Socialists, felt many good ecolabels already existed and

that the role of the EU was to set the bar at a high enough level to ensure ‘good labels’.

This being so, there is no need to develop new labels.

Alain Cadec, chair of the Fisheries Committee, disagreed there was no need for an EU ecolabel. He felt that only an EU label could ensure compliance with health, environmental, social and other standards, and would like to see an EU label set up from 2016 onwards.

One parliamentarian questioned whether the MSC could be developed in a similar way to the Lloyds standard for shipping. It was generally felt however it was not appropriate to compare fisheries ecolabels with shipping standards.

For more information go to: European Commission DG Mara Ecolabel Consultation: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/ maritimeaffairs_fisheries/ consultations/ecolabel/ index_en.htm Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament Public Hearing on Ecolabels http://www.europarl.europa. eu/committees/en/pech/events. html?id=20150616CHE00161 http://ec.europa.eu/ fisheries/documentation/ publications/eu-new-fishand-aquaculture-consumerlabels-pocket-guide_en.pdf

Under the new CMO regulation, mandatory labelling requirements include production method, catch area, country of production and fishing gear. More detailed, voluntary information can be submitted on fishing gear and environmental, ethical or social aspects.