Inshore Ireland 14.2 Summer 2018

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

€2.50/£2.10

Interview with Jim O’Toole, BIM Chief Executive

Our Ocean Wealth conference

pages 16-17

pages 18-19

Summer 2018 Vol 14 Issue 2

ONLINE EDITION

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

Brexit process stalls due to UK failure to grasp complexities Gery Flynn

“

In the context of fisheries it is astounding that such uncertainty remains at this late stage of Brexit given that the consequences will be worse for Ireland than any other EU member,” Lorcán Ó Cinnéide of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association has told Inshore Ireland. Ó Cinnéide believes that the Brexit process has stalled because the UK refuses to appreciate that the issues arising are not as simple as

were thought at the start “and prospects worsened when they decided in January 2017 to leave the Single Market and the Customs union which was not required by the referendum vote.”

“The UK’s fishing industry and the Brexiteers want to ‘reclaim’ their waters, give higher quotas to fishermen within their 200-mile zone and less to others —including Irish fishermen who have shared these waters for years.

“The Irish catching and processing sectors want to retain full access to these waters and retain our share of the catches. It is not the Common Fisheries Policy

that decimated Hull and Grimsby, it was the outcome of the Icelandic Cod wars in the mid- seventies,” Ó Cinnéide believes.

He is critical of those who argue that Brexit offers a unique opportunity to renegotiate the CFP, saying it would be a “serious mistake” to see Brexit as an opportunity for Irish fishing and a reason for re-negotiating our share of fish quotas or even to leave the EU altogether.

“It is overwhelmingly in Ireland’s national interest to remain in the EU, and it would be a very unfortunate time now to pick fights with the very people whose

interests coincide with ours as regards fisheries.

“Moves by the Irish government and the industry to work with EU and other countries with similar interests represent the only logical direction to take right now.”

Free trade arrangements

He says Ireland clearly wants to maintain the free trade arrangements in fisheries products which he believes are crucial for the Irish industry, mindful of the high level of trade with Britain itself and that a great deal of our seafood exports to continental Europe and the

Song of the Sea (Courtesy, Cartoon Saloon) will showcase at Seafest 2018 (June 29-July 1). Details page 20.

wider world are shipped via Northern Ireland and Britain.

“While the fisheries aspects of the draft transition arrangements have been agreed – maintaining the status quo until 2020 – there is no certainty that the overall transition deal will be agreed.

This means the UK could ‘crash out’ next March with no security over access, quota or trade arrangements.”

This, he says would be very serious, particularly in relation to mackerel and Nephrops [prawns] processing and exporting, two of Ireland’s most significant fisheries. »» page 21

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News

Public-private skills support for aquaculture, fishing and seafood enterprises

Dáil rejects third attempt to introduce penalty points for fishing infringements

IM in partnership with accountancy / consultancy firm Grant Thornton, has launched a management development tool to develop stable, sustainable and profitable business models for the sector they support.

Speaking at the launch of Propel, BIM chief executive Jim O’Toole said the programme was developed “in direct response” to industry trends and demands which recorded 6% growth in

Gillian Mills

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2017 and contributed €1bn to the economy.

“To drive growth and prepare for the challenges facing us, BIM is working with the men and women at managerial level within the sector to enable them to adapt quickly to change and build their businesses in fishing, aquaculture and processing.”

Brendan Foster, Business Consulting Partner at Grant Thornton, said the company recognises the value of the Irish seafood sector to the economy and the role

it plays in sustaining rural communities.

“That’s why Grant Thornton is delighted to partner with BIM and to help unlock the potential for growth in Ireland’s seafood sector.”

Supports and services will be offered by members of BIM’s Skills Development team and Grant Thornton’s Business Consulting team.

The programme will cover key disciplines including finance transformation, operational excellence, strategic support, innovation, sustainable development and skills development.

Each participant will undergo a Business Diagnostic to determine the specific challenges unique to their business model. A report will be drawn up following each session, detailing areas where they can enhance their business performance.

Spaces are limited to 12 companies in 2018. Closing date for applications is July 18.Details http://www.bim. ie/propel/. The programme financed by BIM through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

Our greatest national resource is our ocean marine.ie

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motion to rescind a Statutory Instrument giving effect to a penaltypoint system for serious fishing infringements has received majority Dáil backing.

This was the third attempt by government to introduce a new system of sanctioning fishermen, in line with an EU directive under the Common Fisheries Policy.

Bringing the motion, Fianna Fáil marine spokesperson and Leas Cheann Comhairde, Pat the Cope Gallagher described the secondary piece of legislation as “unfair and imbalanced” in how it dealt with fishermen.

The proposal by marine minister Michael Creed “failed to provide an appropriate appeals mechanism; it focused too much power with the Seafisheries Protection Authority and gave it an overly domineering role in the various processes” he added.

The SI also allowed for multiplication of points when tonnage was being sold.

“This was grossly unfair as it would result in individuals ending up with multiples of the original points awarded for fishing infringements.”

Background

Since 2014, Fine Gael has brought forward three statutory instruments in an attempt to bring the EU penalty point system for fishermen into Irish law.

In 2014, the High Court found the first SI to be unconstitutional and out of line with fair procedures.

This was upheld by six Supreme Court judges.

In 2016, government brought forward another piece of second legislation, very similar to the 2014 SI. In 2017, a similar piece of legislation was struck down by the Irish courts “but it would seem the Minister did not fully understand the judgment handed down by the Supreme Court,” deputy Gallagher remarked.

This legislation, if it had been passed by the Dáil would have made “second-class citizens” of our fishermen and would not permit natural justice to prevail”.

Acknowledging that a penalty point system must be introduced, it should not be “at the expense of the rights of Irish fishermen” he said.

Fianna Fáil has prepared

an alternative SI that allows for appeals, grants and oral hearing and gives realistic timelines for furnishing evidence and appeals, abolishes the multiplication of penalty points when selling tonnage, and treats fishermen with respect before the law.

“The Dáil has sent the Minister back to the drawing board. It is now incumbent on all of us legislators to draw up and agree laws which are acceptable, in keeping with our EU requirements, but equally respectful of the rights of the Irish citizen.”

Minister Creed’s proposal to convict fishermen “on the balance of probabilities flies in the face of the traditional method of proving a case beyond reasonable doubt,” stressed deputy Gallagher.

The four Irish fish producer organisations (Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation; Irish Fish Producers Organisation, Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation and Irish South & East Fish Producers Organisation) thanked the main opposition parties for voting to rescind the SI and particularly recognised the ‘hard work carried out by Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher” in marshalling fellow deputies.

After ‘heavy criticism and no engagement with the fishing industry’ Minister Creed brought forward another new SI (89/2018) which again failed to follow any fair procedure, only allowing for an appeal to the High Court on a point of law, a joint statement reads.

‘It also failed to allow fishermen ample time to appeal and in particular, points would remain on the fishing licence even though the fisherman was exonerated in court and found to be completely innocent.’

Irish fishermen and their representatives agree a penalty point system is needed and is a legislative requirement, they ‘will not accept a system that is above the courts and ignores the rights of the individual to have a fair hearing, in line with normal democratic legal processes.’

‘While Minister Creed has done much to “spin his own version” of events, government has had four years to put legislation in place.’

Fishermen are now waiting to see what moves if any Minister Creed will make in support of the amendments put forward that would see a fairer penalty point system similar to that of the UK whereby points are assigned only after conviction for alleged offences.

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Ireland’s multi-billion marine economy well on target – but Brexit looms

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n this issue we highlight just some of what to expect at this year’s SeaFest and the Our Ocean Wealth Summit in association with PwC. And while there is plenty of optimism for Ireland’s marine economy – now with an annual turnover of more than €5.7bn worth over €2bn directly to the economy — there is however concern for the unknowns of Brexit.

The conference begins with a keynote address by Mary Robinson, 7th President of Ireland, followed by a packed agenda that includes an indepth discussion on Ireland’s

seafood sector and the impact of Brexit, smart shipping, sea and airfreight and logistics for the fishing sector, along with an interactive session on marine renewables, as well as insights and thought leadership on climate change.

Orla Doherty, producer of the BBC’s Blue Planet, will be giving her views on the global impact of marine pollution.

Our interview with Dr Peter Heffernan of the Marine Institute reveals the encouraging fact that while the target is for an annual turnover of €6.4bn by 2020, we already reached €5,7bn in 2016, contributing 1.7% to GDP. If that trend continues we are well on the way to seeing 2.4% of GDP being generated by the marine economy by 2030, he believes.

Science diplomacy

And five years after the Galway Statement on Atlantic Cooperation was formally signed on May 24 2013, its achievements of continued influence on international science diplomacy were celebrated in Washington. This has resulted in more than five hundred research teams working across five key priority areas and a total investment to date from Horizon 2020 EU funding of €140m.

The Galway Statement has already been replicated in the South Atlantic with the signing last year of the Bélem Statement between EU, Brazil and South Africa and modeled on the Galway process.

That said, the uncertainty and no acceptable resolution to Brexit

in sight, is the shadow that refuses to go away. We reflect the genuine concern being felt – particularly in Ireland’s seafood sector.

Our interview with John O’Loughlin, director of global trade and customs with PwC, makes stark reading – not least because of the confusion that prevails over new terminology surrounding the Brexit debate.

The reality is that many Irish companies are still not prepared for the impact that Brexit is likely to have on business. It’s clear from this interview that Irish companies urgently need to come to grips with the knowledge gap that exists around Brexit.

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Gery Flynn

Remembering Joey Murrin

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oey was such a good organiser, very very dapper, and he’d love this occasion: an eloquent reassuring homily; four young girls as alter servers; the ADCs of the President and An Taoiseach; his family and friends; a beautiful choir; and a sunny day.

He has it organised. It was a real honour that Joey suggested I would have this role in the celebration of his life.

Thank you Betty, and indeed Joey, for the trust. My way of responding to your faith is to talk about the person that I knew, admired and loved.

In 1980 I had the good fortune to be appointed RTE’s northwestern correspondent.

That job brought me into contact with Joey. But I had knowledge of him before then because he really was a national figure on

our screens, on radio and in the newspapers. He was one of the few premier division players from our region.

He was a born communicator.

He had an honest face; sallow skin; twinkle in the eye. He also had that vital quality that demands and commands attention.

Joey believed what he said. He could always produce a phrase that hit the nail on the head.

And so, almost forty years ago I discovered the road to Killybegs.

Terry and Ted were the points of contact in the office. And Joey became my teacher.

He taught me about boats, from half-deckers to the big vessels. He encouraged me to go out in them, to get sea sick, to feel the swells, to see the crews hauling the nets and battle with the elements, to spend nights in a bunk, to get to know how a chef is valued by a crew.

Joey brought me to the net factories, the landing piers, the fish factories. He showed me how courage is the quality that’s at the heart of our fishing sector.

He really loved Killybegs.

He cared about the fishing community and the fishing industry. And that was illustrated in Joe Mulholland’s powerful documentary, ‘Lost at Sea’. Joey was so aware of the dangers of this precarious life. And when tragedy struck, he shared the pain of the fishing family.

In 1989 I began a twelve-year

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posting in Brussels, and our friendship moved to a new phase.

The Christmas season in Brussels officially began with the arrival of the Irish delegation for the annual quotas haggle. During those adventures I discovered just how political Joey was; and that’s political in the widest sense of the word.

Joey got on with everyone.

Whoever was in power Joey did what was necessary to befriend them, to bend their ear and to influence them. He knew how politics is a very seasonal business: one day you’re in, the next day you’re out.

Joey had a great knack of getting on with the permanent government – the officials who remained in place. Throughout his life he maintained solid friendships in both Dublin and Brussels. He had extraordinary charisma; people really enjoyed his company. And the different characters who accompanied him on those trips, they all had a common characteristic: they could go without sleep, as the staff in Kitty O’Shea’s would testify.

Our friendship continued after I returned from Brussels to Belfast in 2001. And in the past seventeen years I fine-tuned the relationship with Joey the man.

He had very simple principles.

Betty was the love of his life; he knew he had won the watch when he met her. He was determined

Editor

Features Editor

Gillian Mills

Gery Flynn

mills@inshore-ireland.com

flynn@inshore-ireland.com

01 235 4804

091 844822

to provide for her and the children they brought into the world. And he wanted to give of his best for the fishing community he knew and he loved.

Joey had hobbies: he loved sport and he played golf. But nothing pleased him more than walking down the town and having the crack among his own.

One of the most telling tests of a leader is what sort of a set-up he leaves in place for those who follow him or her. And Joey wanted Seán O’Donoghue to be even more successful than he was in the KFO chief executive role.

Our two final conversations will stay with me forever. The first is after Christmas, over the road, by the fire in the house in Killybegs; Joey, Betty and me. The second was in Sligo General a few weeks ago.

Those chats were about mortality. Joey was sounding me out about my own cancer, my attitude to chemotherapy and my views about death. He was so lucid, so straight, so profound.

The fisherman was taking stock of the weather forecast, noting the swell, weighing up the odds heading out of harbour and casting his nets.

Joey was 81. In my last conversation with him in Sligo he recalled bringing his father - late in his life - to the grave of an uncle killed on foreign fields in World War 1. He told me how he could still smell the flowers in Sales & Marketing sales@inshore-ireland.com

087 290 2045 085 747 5797

that neatly kept graveyard, and he described how the hair on the back of his neck stood when they found the place with his uncle’s name.

Some of the teenage boys, like his relative, had walked from Killybegs in their bare feet to the recruiting office, and they never came home. Such memories help to explain what drove Joey during his long, eventful life.

He didn’t want to be hanging around, dragging the Betty he adored to hospitals in Sligo or Galway or Dublin as his health declined.

My last sight of him he was sitting on the hospital bed in Sligo, in shorts, defiant, with the resilience and the shape of a jockey. He had health and he had steel right up to his final days.

Sometimes, good people are given the swift crossing they deserve. In his life and in his death, Joey Murrin was utterly fearless. He made the world a better place. He made a difference. He loved his wife, his family, and Killybegs.

It was my good fortune to know him, and to love him.

May he rest in peace.

Eulogy by Tommie Gorman, RTE correspondent, with minor edits for space The team at Inshore Ireland extend their sympathies to Joey’s family, friends and the wider fishing community Design

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The publishers do not accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors and advertisers. While care is taken to ensure accuracy of information contained within Inshore Ireland, we do not accept responsibility for any errors or matters arising from same.

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‘Holistic approach’ advised for inshore fisheries activities and conservation objectives Gillian Mills

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public consultation: Trawling Activity inside the 6 nautical mile zone that closed on June 11 sought the views of stakeholders, following concerns on the level of trawling inside this zone.

The topic has been the subject of scientific and economic reports by the Marine Institute and BIM, and the Department has had ‘preliminary engagement’ with fisheries representative groups.

Marine minister Michael Creed said the consultation provided an opportunity to examine a case for giving priority access to inshore boats within 6nm of the coast and would better support the inshore eco-system.

The consultation ensured

that diverse interests of all stakeholders would be heard and considered so that any possible measures introduced will be both fair and balanced, he said.

Industry response

Lorcán Ó Cinnéide (Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association) told Inshore Ireland that securing sustainable long-term supply of shellfish, demersal fish and pelagic fish in inshore areas was clearly in the interests of the catching sector as well as the processing and exporting sector: “A shared-access model of inshore fisheries management which would examine access on an area –specific, evidential, scientific basis, is imperative.”

This should be aimed at maximising the economic value of sustainable exploitation of fish species, including processing

Considerations would be seasonal or full, local preclusions for certain activities in certain areas to allow for: »» minimisation gear conflicts »» balance of opportunities between different sizes of vessels in identified fisheries by way of specific management measures »» allowing spawning of identified important stocks in nursery areas »» protection of juvenile fish »» protection of specific identified key habitats, flora and fauna including in Special Areas of Conservation

opportunities “in a sustainable, rational, balanced manner” that caters for the specific needs of different fishing metiers which can co-exist.

“Such a system would benefit all stakeholders and inshore fisheries interests.

Indeed, it is well past time for attention to be given to this. The very limited approach underlying the DAFM consultation document does not however meet those requirements.

“What may seem attractive in its simplicity is in fact simply superficial, divisive and damaging – and actually ignores the real and urgent challenges.”

The IFPEA supports the concept of improving spatial security for different gear types within all shared waters, “but only on the basis of these being shared spaces overall – not with one category excluded for arbitrary reasons.

“The IFPEA cannot support any policy that threatens access to and supply from coastal waters beyond what currently exists for pelagic or demersal species whose future patterns and locations adjust over time. Such limitations as are introduced for specific, evidence-based limitations for specified and transparent reasons.” Ó Cinnéide believes Minister Creed should reject the

For more inormation visit

www.inshoreireland.com

‘Connecting marine and seafood companies with customers in Ireland and worldwide’ Do potential new customers know you exist online?

A link on the Inshore Ireland website could bridge that gap!

Contact sales@inshoreireland.com and

idea of a ban on trawling within the 6nm zone and move to developing “locally differentiated inshore fisheries and ecological conservation plans” underpinned by strong general guidelines that have a strong and effective local dimension.

“We suggest that an entirely revised consultation should be instituted which looks holistically

at all current inshore fisheries activities and conservation objectives for all fisheries and habitats.

“What we propose is actually the more ‘sophisticated and effective’ management of the area within the 6nm limits referred to in passing in the DAFM’s own consultation document - but ironically not contained in its proposal,” he concluded.

Flossie and the beach cleaners lead march to protect the oceans

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lossie Donnelly, an 11-year-old beach clean activist from Co Dublin, led a crowd of several hundred supporters through the streets of Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, calling for an end to plastic pollution.

Flossie’s March for the Oceans was one of many events taking place around the globe in recognition of World Ocean Day. “We can make a big difference to the health of our oceans by making a few small changes. Use reusable coffee cups and drinks bottles and refuse plastic straws. We should also ask our politicians to do more to reduce plastic packaging,” she said.

Dean Eaton, Acting Enviro environmental Awareness Officer for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said they were delighted to support Flossie in her quest “to save our oceans and we encourage everyone to reduce their reliance on plastic.”.

In recognition of World Ocean Day, legendary broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough issued a statement via the BBC: ‘The presence of the ocean touches every living thing no matter where it lives. The air we breathe and the water we consume are ultimately linked to the seas. The ocean drives our weather and stabilizes our climate. Nowhere is more powerful and unforgiving, yet more beautiful and endlessly fascinating.

“Yet for too long we have taken the ocean for granted. Our actions have pushed species to the brink, and have had an impact on every ocean habitat no matter how remote or how deep. The effects of climate change have been softened by the oceans, but now we are facing the consequences. The seas are warming, rising and becoming more acidic.

It’s a sobering thought that coral reefs may be lost within the next century.

“We all need a healthy ocean, so we must change our ways. Together with the right management we can repopulate the seas. We can reduce marine pollution and minimize the impact of ocean acidification. The oceans’ power of regeneration is remarkable if we just offer it the chance. It’s not too late.”

10 tips to reduce daily use of plastic: • Say NO to plastic straws and cutlery • Use a water bottle rather than buying bottled water • Support the Refill Ireland Campaign https://www.refill.ie/ • Use reusable coffee cups • Encourage your local coffee shop to join the Conscious Cup Campaign https://consciouscup.ie/ • Use reusable shopping bags • Ask your local shop to use less packaging • Ask politicians to do more to tackle plastic packaging • Choose loose tea, many teabags are made from plastic!

• Avoid microbeads - products containing polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and nylon

we’ll call you back.

Gillian Mills: 01 235 4804 087 290 2045 Gery Flynn: 091 844 822 085 747 5797

Dean Eaton joins Flossie Donnelly (centre) and the beach cleaners on the march in Dún Laoghaire

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Irish Lights sets out five-year strategy Gillian Mills

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rish Lights chief executive has described the agency’s five-year strategy to 2023 as a “major process of change” that puts the organisation in a strong position operationally, financially and from a government perspective.

“The clue is in the title,” remarked Yvonne Shields at the launch of Safe Seas – Connected Coasts 2018-2023 which maps out a vision to deliver next generation maritime services to protect lives, property, trade and the environment.

The strategy commits Irish Lights to implementing a combination of new and existing navigation technology, engineering and data management solutions to enable safe navigation at sea for commercial shipping, fishing, leisure craft and passenger vessels.

Its mission is to be a ‘leading and innovative provider of reliable, efficient and cost-effective navigation and maritime services for

the safety of all’, and will be benchmarked against delivery in a ‘tangible, timely and effective way to the benefit of all stakeholders’.

John Coyle, Irish Lights chairman, referred to their long track record of service to the maritime community dating back to 1786 but noted that the context in which that service must be delivered has changed: “Rapid technological advances, pressures on the marine and coastal environment and more diverse stakeholder needs, all require a greater emphasis on collaboration across agencies and with international organisations.”

The strategy underlines the importance of providing “reliable, high quality and efficient infrastructure of visual and electronic Aids to Navigation around the coast of Ireland, north and south,” added Yvonne Shields.

“It builds on our current programme of technological and energy-efficiency upgrades to lighthouse stations and navigation buoys and strengthens our commitment to working with international partners to test and evaluate

new navigation solutions which we expect to emerge in the next five to ten years.”

Also noted in the strategy is stronger focus and support of local lighthouse authorities who are responsible for more than 3,000 local aids to navigation.

Looking ahead, Ms Shields said all organisations with a mandate in the marine area need to contribute to sustainable development of Ireland’s marine resources: “As part of our strategy… we will ensure that our services and the technical expertise and operational experience that exists in Irish Lights contribute to the wider development of the maritime economy.”

Safe Seas – Connected Coasts 2018-2013 builds on a range of advances across Irish Lights operations ‘to improve services, reduce costs and deliver positive economic and community benefits’.

These include upgrading lighthouse stations and navigation buoys with energy efficient LED technology (35% reduction in overall Co2 emissions since 2009). Irish Lights Aids to Navigation are set to be fully-powered

by renewal energy by 2023.

Irish Lights provides a range of services to ensure that the Irish and UK governments comply with the requirements of the international Safety at Sea Convention (SOLAS).

Over 340 General Aids to Navigation in its operational network (lighthouses, buoys, beacons and digital services) provides critical coastal infrastructure for safety at sea and for coastal communities.

The strategy identifies

six ‘ambitious outcomes’ (Safety of All, International Leadership, Technology and Innovation, Collaboration and Partnership, Supporting the Development of the wider Maritime Economy, Safeguarding the Past and Positioning for the Future) that reflect the modern role of Irish Lights to deliver navigation, safety and ‘allied maritime services’ and support the growth of the marine economy.

BIM's Seafood HACCP Workshops 2018 Workshop Overview and Aims

Who should attend?

This practical two day workshop is designed to equip the learner with the knowledge and competence to develop or update a food safety management system based on HACCP principles in a seafood business. Participants will be given an overview of food safety legislation and the importance of good hygiene practices.

This will be followed by an introduction to seafood HACCP and a step-by-step guide to implementing the HACCP principles.

The workshop is open to individuals who wish to enhance their knowledge of food safety management in a seafood business. It will be of particular interest to quality managers, production managers and supervisors, HACCP team leaders and HACCP team members working across all sectors of the seafood industry.

Training Methodology Following initial presentations, participants will work in small teams where they will have an opportunity to work on developing a HACCP plan specifically tailored for their own business or alternatively they can work on updating their existing HACCP plan with guidance from a member of BIM’s food safety team.

Course Tutors The course will be delivered by members of BIM’s food safety team: Vera Flynn, Sandra Hennessy, Vicky Lyons and Eileen Soraghan. All have qualifications in food safety and many years experience working in the seafood industry across the processing, aquaculture and retail sectors.

Further Information and Booking Contact Eileen Soraghan or Lorraine O’Byrne Tel: 01 214 4100 | Email: foodsafety@bim.ie | visit: www.bim.ie

Cost The cost is €100 per person. This includes course material, lunch and refreshments.

Dates and Venues Donegal Wed. 3rd & Thurs. 4th October Harveys Point, Lough Eske, Donegal Town, Co Donegal Dublin Wed. 7th & Thurs. 8th November BIM, Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin

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Just 2% of Ireland’s coastal waters are protected - the second lowest level in Europe Gillian Mills

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he Seanad has passed a motion calling for government to protect half of Ireland’s sea waters by community-driven Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

The motion brought by Green Party Senator, Grace O’Sullivan, called on government to publish an Oceans Bill to meet Ireland’s European and international obligations. To date, Ireland has failed to adequately protect its oceans and seas she said.

MPAs are any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain and associated flora, fauna and cultural features

and are protected by law. They include marine reserves, fully protected marine areas and marine parks.

Ireland has an international target to protect 10% of waters by 2020 and 30% by 2030.

Currently, just over 2% of waters are protected, - the second lowest protection level in Europe – mostly covering estuarine and coastal waters with little or no protection of deep-sea waters despite a marine territory 10 times Ireland’s land mass.

Currently, there are six MPAs in the Porcupine Seabight deep-water basin to protect coral reefs “yet this area is one of the most extensively licensed frontier fossil fuel exploration areas in Europe, with heavy seismic testing conducted

over the past give years,” remarked Senator O’Sullivan.

Action required Senator O’Sullivan believes Ireland has significant responsibility to protect the marine environment due to an “abundance of ocean wealth” and said the state needed to take action to tackle problems such as endangered marine species, disturbances from seismic testing and depletion of almost one-fifth of Ireland’s fish species.

“These issues must be dealt with alongside global pressures on the marine environment such as marine dead-zones, climate change, extinction of species and plastic pollution.

“Ireland has failed in its European and international obligations to

protect 10% of is marine waters under Article 13 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Aichi biodiversity targets, UN sustainable development goals and a framework of MPAs.” Ireland was declared a whale and dolphin sanctuary in 1991 “yet cetacean strandings have increased by 350% in the past ten years” she added. The 2018 Irish Wildlife Trust report shows that 48 species indigenous to Irish waters are facing extinction.

Damien English, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development tabled a countermotion calling for “robust scientific assessment” to determine the percentage of Irish waters that should be protected. It would be wrong for the Green Party motion

to “unilaterally” push through something of this magnitude for an area five times Ireland’s landmass.

He said government did support development of a “diverse but coherent network” of MPAs and has committed to introducing legislation for this purpose.

Senator O’Sullivan however said the counter-motion, which was voted down, was an exercise in “kicking the can down the road” and would lead to a process that would take “nine months to get a report” followed by months of further Dáil debate.

The motion was co-signed by Independent Senator, Francis Black, who said a stakeholder consultation involving fisheries, recreational fisheries, tourism, energy and conservation interests was required.

Drinking water ‘expected’ to comply with EU standards by 2020 Gery Flynn

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he Environmental Protection Agency’s Drinking Water Report for Public Supplies 2017* shows that while the quality of drinking water countrywide remains high, continued investment will be required to improve security of supply, avoid water restrictions and comply with health standards.

The report regards the ‘very high level of compliance with microbiological and chemical standards throughout the country’ as evidence that most of our water supplies are safe, with many people benefitting from improved water supply last year.

Somewhat reassuringly, the report notes too that Irish Water completed remedial works at 33 supplies in the twelve months, and where a new boil water notice had to be issued, the company acted quickly to ensure the notice was in place for as short a time as possible.

Nevertheless, despite such optimism the report points out that E. coli failures detected under the annual monitoring returns increased slightly in 2017, and that four of the failures were related to problems with the disinfection treatment.

According to the EPA while its primary focus is

on overseeing Irish Water’s reaction to water quality failures, it also wants Irish Water to take action to prevent water quality failures from happening in the first place. The report identifies several priority issues affecting drinking water and recommends that Irish Water adopts a strategic national approach to these issues ‘Irish Water, as a national utility, can implement programmes to take consistent action on these issues on a national level,’ the report notes.

Priority issues for drinking water include: »» Disinfection »» Trihalomethanes »» Lead »» Pesticides »» Drinking Water Safety Plans Lead is found in drinking water when it dissolves from lead pipework, mains connections and plumbing fittings. The standard for lead in drinking water is 10 µg/l.

According to the report, the National Lead Strategy published by the Irish government in June 2015 reflects the fact that lead in drinking water is both the responsibility of water suppliers and property owners.

Irish Water, as the water supplier for public water supplies, is responsible for lead pipework in the water distribution network. This is known as public-side lead.

Property owners are responsible for lead plumbing in their buildings and inside their property boundary.

This is known as privateside lead. The strategy sets out actions to reduce people’s exposure to lead from drinking water, and these actions are reported on by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

In order to minimise risk from harmful chemicals such as trihalomethanes, formed when natural matter in water, such as rotting vegetation, reacts with chlorine, Irish Water is working to ensure that their treatment systems remove as much natural matter as possible from drinking water sources, notes the report.

Lead, trihalomethanes and pesticides continue to be the main chemical water-quality parameters of concern, the report confirms.

The priority issues identified by the EPA, and discussed throughout this report, can be viewed under the umbrella of the Drinking Water Safety Plan approach which assesses all the things that could go wrong in a water supply (hazards) from source to tap and aims to reduce the risk of the hazard occurring by taking preventative actions.

‘Only by implementing such an approach can we be sure that our public water

sector will be essential if Irish Water are to complete works to remove all 77 supplies from the Remedial Action List and to ensure the delivery of safe and secure water to all consumers,’ the report concludes.

supplies are protected,’ the report notes.

‘Irish Water, as a national utility, can take actions on the priority issues on a national level. Continued and sustained investment in Ireland’s public water

DRINKING WATER QUALITY PUBLIC SUPPLIES

99.9% Drinking water quality public supplies 2017 If there’s a problem Irish Water takes action

EPA oversees

HSE advises

National priorities Disinfection keeping water free of bugs

Trihalomethanes minimising disinfection by-products

Lead Eliminating lead from our networks

Pesticides Preventing them from entering our waters

Water Safety Plans Managing the risks to our supplies

Pb Pb Pb

Irish Water to develop and implement strategies What you can do Replace any lead fittings in your home

Don’t waste water

Use pesticides responsibly

For more information: www.epa.ie and www.water.ie

http://www.epa.ie/water/dw/quality

inshore ireland Summer 2018

7

report

Island cruise-hopping and Brexit implications Norman Kean

B

ack in the good old days, the UK had a triplicate customs form for pleasure craft, the C1128, Notice of Intent to Depart on a Foreign Going Voyage.

Part 1 gave details of vessel and crew, and from where within the UK the boat was leaving and to where it was going. It was sent to the nearest customs office to the port of departure.

Part 2 was Notice of Return to the UK, where and when, to be filed at the port of arrival. You held on to Part 3.

We used to winter our boat beside the house in Co. Derry, road haul her to Buncrana in the spring (C1128 Part 1) and typically our summer cruise took us to Portrush or Port Ellen (Part 2) and on.

One year we sailed on from Killyleagh to Howth (Part 1) then Newlyn (Part 2), Treguier (Part 1), eventually Plymouth (Part 2), Rosslare (Part 1), Bangor (Part 2), Lough Swilly (Part 1) and finally back home by road for the winter. Five triplicate forms.

Pointless exercise

Five months later I got a letter from the Small Craft Control Centre in Southampton saying they were missing a Part 2 and could I please tell them where and when it was filed and send them a copy of the Part 3.

The only way this could have been done was by a small army of clerks matching up bits of paper from entirely random sources, and it was an utterly pointless exercise which was abandoned overnight in 1992.

Is that the world to which Brexit is taking us back?

Of course, just as with almost everything about Brexit, we don’t know. A former British Immigration Minister assured the Royal Yachting Association there would be no immigration formalities for yachts crossing the Irish border by sea, but as for customs, we’re in the dark.

There are one or two serious threats however to the freedom of movement of leisure craft. In the UK and Ireland, typical yachts don’t have to be registered and in theory at least, you can sail an unregistered boat across the Irish Sea and nobody will bother you.

But if you want to go outside the common travel area, say to France or Spain, you need papers. A boat registered in an EU country can be left indefinitely in these places with

no penalty (provided the owner doesn’t personally overstay the tax limit in annual days).

Provided it has been paid somewhere in the EU, no VAT is demanded. In practice VAT papers are very seldom requested; however registration certificates have to be produced in every port in Spain and Portugal.

Ireland has no Small Craft Register and does not appear likely to get one any time soon.

Registration on the Part 1 Register can be expensive, time consuming and sometimes downright impossible. Many small craft simply do not have the paper trail required, and the degree of difficulty can depend a lot on the intended port of registry.

The cost ranges from a few hundred to several thousand, and I know of one case where the process (for a brand-new boat) has taken two years and €4,000 so far and is not complete. I know four people who (as part of the procedure) were asked to fly out Irish surveyors to check on boats that they had bought abroad - despite the Department of Transport’s denial that they have any such requirement.

Bureaucratic complication

A new Irish Small Craft Register is likely to require proof of VAT payment on the boat, which many owners of used boats simply cannot provide. This is simply a bureaucratic complication and there is no need for it.

By comparison, the British system, either Part 1 or the Small Ships Register, is straightforward and quick.

Our boat came secondhand with British Part 1 registry and it took £80 and a week to change the registered ownership.

It is quite legal for an EU citizen to register a boat anywhere in the EU. As a result, many Irish boats (not only in Northern Ireland) are actually registered in the UK, and Brexit, for them, represents a major threat.

Their British boats will incur tax penalties if based abroad (and there are many of them in France, Spain and the Mediterranean).

One solution is to register under a flag of convenience, and the simplest and most popular alternative register is probably Belgium. We don’t particularly want to fly a Belgian flag, but we will if Irish registration turns out to be too difficult.

Further possibilities include:

»» EU countries might no longer accept proof of VAT payment in the pre-Brexit UK – our own receipt is dated 1999. Less likely, but a threat just the same »» The UK could abandon the EU’s Recreational Craft Directive on construction standards, which would be a threat to exports by British boatbuilders »» The RYA’s highly-respected system of qualifications, up to Yachtmaster could lose some recognition in Europe »» Any border controls in Ireland would presumably extend to the ShannonErne waterway »» Ireland will be the only EU country that still allows leisure craft to use marked diesel. The case is coming before the European Court, and the British, up to now, have been important co-defendants. Freedom to use red diesel by yachts in Britain is actually one of the few advantages of Brexit. (It’s not about the price, incidentally, the issue is availability.) »» The UK could choose to depart from EU guidelines on dealing with invasive marine species.

The national governing bodies for leisure sailing – the RYA in Britain and Irish Sailing in Ireland – are actively engaged in maintaining the interests of leisure sailors in both jurisdictions, are keenly aware of the threats, and are making sure we don’t get forgotten.

But with no apparent strategy or detailed proposals emerging from London, they can do little more than speculate.

Meantime, as a Scotsman long resident in Ireland, with grandparents from Donegal, my Irish passport is in the post. Brexit or no Brexit, I’m not leaving.

Zephyrus, seen here in her home port of Moana in Galicia is Belgian-registered as a flag of convenience, probably to avoid Spanish registration taxes on leisure craft. PostBrexit, British boats will probably be unable to register in EU countries as a means of retaining freedom of movement A British boat cruising in Spain post-Brexit could face time restrictions or taxes

8

inshore ireland Summer 2018

freshwater focus

Perfect sea fishing weather: warm and calm Brendan Connolly

R

ain and wind, according to the cliché, is good angling weather; indeed, salmon fishing in particular is best when rainfall has swelled the river. Lake fishing for trout is also helped by a good breeze that brings trout to the surface to take a fly.

But sea angling is at its most enjoyable in calm, warm weather.

So it was on Donegal Bay with a hazy sun warming the waters and the Atlantic swells abated after more than a week of calm weather.

First, the boat headed out to just off the headland to catch mackerel as bait for flatfish.

The water was clear and the mackerel feathers could be seen descending into the azure depths. Just before they disappeared from view, the silver foil of feathers could be seen doing a peculiar little dance as they moved with little sideways jerks, but no fish were felt on the line.

Then, suddenly, just as the feathers sank out of sight, the hard thump of three or four mackerel was felt. As the line was reeled in, the sight of four mackerel’s flashing silver sides could be seen underneath the boat, charging madly back and forth. A sight that is a bit of magic for any angler.

The mackerel appeared to attack the feathers first, hitting them hard from side

to side, but none became hooked. Then, as the feathers sank further they all became hooked.

Half a dozen mackerel were caught in a couple of minutes. The boat then headed to an area known as flatfish grounds. Two rods were rigged with a lead at the end of each line and an offset boom with a single hook above. The hooks were baited with mackerel strips.

The slight breeze slowly drifted the boat offshore with the baits trailing along the bottom.

Catchin’ the breeze Sitting back, the anglers savoured the calm waters and warm air. After a little while, one angler felt a twitch on the line like a light electric pulse. Then, a second twitch was felt, and he reeled in. A white shape rose into sight, a nice size flounder just hooked in the lip. The flounder was released and the hook rebaited.

Soon the second rod tweaked and this time a dab was lifted into the boat. As the boat drifted further from the shore, a stronger pull was felt, and then another firm jerk. Lifting the rod was now much more effort!

Slowly but surely, a square, light brown shape hove into view. This was more interesting. Coming close to the boat the fish flipped over to reveal a white under belly - a Spotted (Homelyn) Ray, its beautifully marked dorsal surface bearing out its

name. Next another Spotted Ray, followed by another flounder.

These fish were all caught in less than an hour as the boat drifted into deeper waters. And again, as a rod gave a jerk, the anglers peered into the water to see which species they had caught this time. Not until the fish was lifted into the boat did they realise that they had caught a turbot.

This surely was the catch of the day!

Turbot are an amazingly well camouflaged fish. On a sandy or gravelly bottom, it would be nearly impossible to tell where the fish ends and the ground begins.

Turbot are an exceedingly fine fish to eat, highly prized and priced. This catch was not returned!

As the boat drifted on, the anglers were hoping to catch more turbot, but none were caught. What they did catch was a Tub Gurnard — a rather exotic looking fish — the foremost rays of its pectoral fins extending like small fingers. This fish has exquisitely coloured pectoral fins that extend out from either side of the body. They were blueish in colour with bright blue fore margins and pink back margins.

As the boat drifted further from shore, a couple of small whiting made an appearance. In all, six species were caught within two and a half hours.

Sea angling in warm calm weather can really be very enjoyable.

A resplendent Tub Guarnard

Turbot; highly camouflaged and exquisitely tasting

Shannon water extraction project: ‘Based on calculation errors and a waste of money’ Gery flynn

A

n analysis of Irish Water’s proposal to extract water from the River Shannon and pump it 170km to Dublin at a cost of €1.2bn finds the project to be ‘An ill-conceived white elephant and a huge waste of money which is based on calculation errors.’

Emma Kennedy, founder

of Kennedy Analysis, who carryies out forensic analysis of companies and projects, examined the background to the proposal because the pipeline would cross her husband’s family farm near Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.

Irish Water plans to extract water from the River Shannon at the Parteen Basin in Co Tipperary, with supplies treated at a new plant in Birdhill, before being

piped to a new reservoir at Peamount in Dublin where they will connect to the existing network.

Dilapidated water mains

The Kennedy analysis contends that Dublin’s problem is not a lack of water but the dilapidated condition of its water mains which would cost much less to repair and replace.

‘The ancient and corroded state of Dublin’s water mains is the key factor undermining its water supply. Only around 43% of the water put into Dublin’s water supply system each day is actually used. Dublin’s problem is that its water mains are in a third-world state of decay, having been neglected for decades,’ Kennedy finds.

The analysis also notes that 57% of the water

put into the supply system pours through holes in its pipes into the ground and never reaches the taps. ‘ The level of leakage is astonishing and far from normal. Contrary to Irish Water’s inferences, its 2010-2014 water crises were not caused by a lack of water but by failures at its water treatment plants resulting from decades of under-investment.

inshore ireland Summer 2018

9

Freshwater Focus

FISSTA welcomes new agreement to protect wild Atlantic salmon Noel Carr, Federation of Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers

Orri Vigfússon

W

hen it was announced in July 2017 that international salmon conservationist and chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, Orri Vigfússon, had died in Reykjavík, FISSTA expressed serious concern for the future of wild Atlantic salmon stocks.

Orri Vigfússon was the architect of the 1991 buyout agreements scheme that saved millions of wild Atlantic salmon in their feeding grounds off Greenland and Faroes.

At Orri’s funeral it was clear to FISSTA that many of his friends and salmon conservationists alike wanted his legacy to continue by ensuring that the Faroese agreement, which expired in 2011, would continue and that a new agreement would be negotiated to protect wild

‘The state of Dublin’s water mains also means water outages and floods caused by mains bursts are a certainty as pressure in the system is normalised, and in low-pressure situations there is a risk of contaminated groundwater from the water-logged ground around the pipes re-entering the pipes carrying clean water to Dubliners’ taps, requiring extra disinfection to counteract the risk to public health.’

Kennedy calls for the Shannon project to be put on hold immediately and re-assessed. She says the proposal must include ‘a correctly framed “demand” prediction taking account of improvements to Dublin’s water infrastructure and a thorough, accurate investigation of groundwater.

salmon in North Atlantic waters.

Agreement

Following twelve months negotiation there is good news. On May 24, the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) and the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) signed new agreements with commercial fishermen in Greenland and the Faroe Islands that will protect thousands of adult wild Atlantic salmon from commercial nets and longlines, allowing them to return to North American and European waters.

The new Greenland Salmon Conservation Agreement was finalised by representatives of ASF, NASF, and the Association of Fishers and Hunters in Greenland (KNAPK) for 12-years (2018-2029).

The Faroe Island agreement between ASF, NASF, and the Faroese Salmon Fishing Vessel Association (Laksaskip) was signed on May 22 continuing a decades-long suspension of commercial salmon fishing dating back to 1991.

The new deal is hugely significant to FISSTA because it means that Irish wild salmon stocks will continue to be protected from being fished out in their feeding grounds.

The coastal waters of Greenland and the Faroe Islands are critical ocean feeding grounds for large wild Atlantic salmon from hundreds of rivers in North America and Europe.

Commercial catches in these areas are known as ‘mixed-

‘This is an ill-conceived project that will almost certainly in retrospect turn out to be a White Elephant and a huge waste of money – at which point the calculation errors made will come into sharp focus indeed,’ the report states.

Findings:

»» Irish Water’s analysis contained basic mathematical errors correcting just three errors shows there is no need at all for the Shannon Project »» Irish Water has made false statements about the need for the Shannon Project to the public, the media and the government »» Dublin’s water pipes are so ancient, corroded and full of holes that they have a 57% leakage rate - this is far from normal

stock’ fisheries because salmon are captured from relatively healthy populations as well as endangered ones.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Greenland and Faroese delegations to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) will declare zero commercial quotas at the international summit in Portland Maine in June. As a result, mature salmon that would otherwise be removed by commercial nets will begin returning to their home rivers in the spring of 2019.

return to abundance of our wild Atlantic salmon.”

“In Ireland today, we acknowledge and thank ASF / NASF for buying the protection of our fish in the feeding grounds of the North Atlantic for so long in the past and now in the future.

“We will continue with renewed confidence to lobby our government in the hope that the irresponsible policy of state licensing of netting and salmon farming are halted very soon to allow our wild salmon recover,” Lawton added.

The new deal is hugely significant to FISSTA; Irish wild salmon stocks will again be protected from being fished out in their feeding grounds.

A 2016 salmon genetic study published on the Faroes buyout impact confirmed that 15% of the total samples were of USA and Canadian origin and 84% as European.

Of the European fish, 62% from Northern Europe (Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden), 37% from Southern European (UK, Ireland, France and Spain) and 1% from Iceland.

Massive achievement

Welcoming the new deal FISSTA chairman, Paul Lawton said it was “great news for wild Atlantic salmon” at a time when stocks continue to decrease below the conservation limit.

“There is doubt that while the continuation of the 1991 Faroese agreement is a massive achievement, the announcement that the Greenlanders have agreed to sign up for two salmon life cycles of a 12-year duration means we can plan more long-term conservation programmes to research the climatic change theories being put forward as a recipe for NASCO parties to do nothing only watch our salmon decline even further”.

This announcement gives FISSTA and our fellow NGOs accredited to NASCO, the impetus to redouble our efforts to achieve the NASF goals of Orri Vigfusson for a

– comparable cities have leakage below 10% »» London (with leakage rates less than half Dublin’s) is replacing its entire Victorian water mains - Irish Water has no such plan - replacing Dublin’s mains will become unavoidable in the coming

Bill Taylor Atlantic Salmon Federation handshakes on a new contract with Laksaskip fishing Association from Faro islands.

years – the Shannon Project would be a very expensive sticking plaster »» Why pay twice? Replace Dublin’s mains now and save €1.2bn »» Irish Water’s reaction to the Kennedy Analysis is highly defensive – it avoids and denies the issues while

providing no substance »» The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Eoghan Murphy TD), the regulator, and all those who will rubber-stamp the Shannon Project must be called upon to challenge Irish Water before it is too late.

10 inshore ireland Summer 2018

Freshwater Focus

Plan ‘lacks ambition’ to improve Ireland’s water quality Gillian Mills

A

two-year overdue River Basin Management Plan “falls far short” of what is needed to protect Ireland’s rivers, lakes and bays, to bring them up to a healthy standard, according to the Sustainable Water Network of national and local environmental groups.

Despite best efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency, department, local authority officials and scientists, the Plan “lacks the political will needed to support Ireland’s claim to be a ‘green’ tourist destination” and threatens it capability to become a truly environmentally-friendly food producer through programmes such as ‘Origin

Q&A Inshore Ireland: How does the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine respond to claims that the scientific information / knowledge does not yet exist to determine whether the targets of Food Wise 2025 and Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth are consistent with meeting our obligations under the WFD and Marine Strategy Framework Directive?

Inshore Ireland: Is DAFM open to supporting the amendment and lessening of productivity targets under Food Wise 2025 and Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth if it is shown to compromise the meeting of WFD objectives for waterbodies DAFM responds: The Agricultural Catchments Programme (ACP) is a joint research and advisory programme operated by Teagasc in six agricultural catchments across the country. It was established to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the Good Agricultural Practice measures that Irish farmers are required to implement under the Nitrates Directive. Phase 3 of the ACP commenced in January 2016 and runs to 2019 and builds on

the gains and experiences from earlier phases of the programme.

New scientific knowledge coming from the ACP to date is indicating a positive response to Ireland’s Nitrates Regulations, i.e. reduced nutrient inputs, improved nutrient management and evidence of reduced nutrient losses from agricultural land to water.

However there is a time lag between improvements in nutrient use and an improvement in water quality.

In general water quality in Ireland had improved since the introduction of the Nitrates Regulations in 2006. Over recent years the situation has stabilised and there is a major focus on implementing effective measures under the second RBMP to achieve the Water Framework Directive objectives as well as the goals under FoodWise 2025.

All EPA monitoring stations for groundwater currently have mean nitrate concentrations below 50 mg/l; 87% are below 25mg/l.

All EPA monitoring stations for surface water have mean nitrate concentrations below 40 mg/l; 99.5% are below 25mg/l.

The recently launched RBMP 2018-2021 outlines the comprehensive programme of measures for achievement of water quality improvements as well as Food Wise 2025 objectives as follows Nitrates Action Programme (NAP), which implements the Nitrates Directive, is the main agricultural measure in the RBMP. The 4th NAP (2018-2021), recently agreed with the European Commission, contains enhanced and targeted measures for the protection of

waters from agricultural sources Implementation of the RDP 2014-2021 under which targeted support is provided to farmers for the protection of waters, above the baseline requirements of the NAP including under, as follows - GLAS (Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme is a targeted agri-environment scheme with a budget of €1.4bn and 50,000 participating farmers.

Prioritisation of farms within vulnerable catchments and ‘highstatus’ waterbodies is a key feature.

45% of GLAS actions benefit water quality; including fencing of watercourses to exclude bovines, low input farming, traditional hay meadows, catch crops and low emission slurry spreading.

TAMS (Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes) provides grant assistance to farmers for investments. €190m is specifically targeted at two TAMS schemes benefiting the protection of water: the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme and the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme.

This will lead to a significant investment in nutrient storage and improved nutrient utilisation.

Locally Led Agri Environment Schemes. There is a focus on the ‘bottom-up’ approach to delivery of environmental objectives by means of ‘Locally Led Agri-Environment Schemes’ with a budget of €70 million.

This includes a locally-led Freshwater Pearl Mussel (FPM) Scheme targeting 8 priority Freshwater Pearl mussel sites.

Knowledge Transfer. A

budget of €100m has been allocated for knowledge transfer (KT), targeting over 20,000 farms.

The KT programme is aimed at the adoption of best practice. This voluntary programme will help to ensure that participating farmers fully implement the relevant plans and practices for the protection of water, including the prevention of pollution from farmyards, effective nutrient management planning and identifying vulnerable areas and relevant measures.

Agricultural Sustainability Support & Advisory Programme, The ‘Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme’ (ASSAP) is an innovative Government/ industry collaborative initiative running from 2018 -2021. It is a new approach to achieving improvements in water quality and wider sustainability, building on progress made under the NAP and RDP. The ASSAP involves the provision of free agricultural sustainability advice by specialist sustainability advisors to farmers in 190 priority catchments, known as ‘Areas for Action’. This four-year programme supports the goals of the Food Wise 2025 strategy, facilitating increased productivity hand-in-hand with a more sustainable sector.

The sustainability and efficiency gains will be achieved through improved nutrient management with more targeted use of fertiliser, better farmyard practice, and the development of new approaches to reducing nutrient losses in critical source areas.

The ASSAP involves a resource of 30 Agricultural Sustainability Advisors. Twenty Advisors are being

Green,” claims Sinead O’Brien, SWAN coordinator.

Launching the Plan, Minister Eoghan Murphy (Housing, Planning and Local Government) said the four-year Plan would “protect and improve” water quality in groundwater, rivers, lakes, estuarine and coastal waters of 726 water bodies.

“The Plan represents the most coordinated and ambitious roadmap for improving water quality that Ireland has ever produced.

The Plan is in fulfilment of requirements under the Water Framework Directive.

Implementation will result in “social, environmental and economic benefits.

Communities will benefit from improved waste water treatment, stronger protection of drinking water sources and cleaner waters for recreation…with full recovery in water quality jointly funded by DAFM and the Department of Housing, Planning & Local Govt (DHPLG).

Furthermore, ten Advisors are being funded by the dairy industry who will work within the dairy processing structures.

The Government-funded Advisors will promote on-farm sustainability best practice to farmers in the 190 ‘Areas for Action’ as identified by the EPAs in consultation with other bodies. These Sustainability Advisors will work proactively with farmers to identify and implement on-farm solutions to these pressures — be it in the farm yard or on land. The menu of solutions will include improving farmyards to prevent nutrient runoff, making better use of fertilisers and focusing on critical source areas to reduce nutrient losses.

The Dairy Co-ops Sustainability Advisors will support sustainability best practice through the Co-Op structures, promoting best farmyard and nutrient management practice across all their suppliers.

There is potential that dairy expansion increases pressure on water quality which serves to emphasise the need for farmers to use nutrients more efficiently. There are opportunities to improve dairy productivity and output through better management rather than through increased inputs and this approach is evident on many farms already. As outlined above, there is a major focus on implementing effective measures under the second RBMP to achieve the Water Framework Directive objectives.

DAFM, other Government Departments and agencies will continue to closely monitor the effectiveness of these measures.

inshore ireland Summer 2018 11

fisheries status class expected in 152 water bodies,” he said.

In place since 2000, the legal requirement under the EU Water Framework Directive is to introduce new measures to bring rivers, lakes and bays up to good ecological state by 2021 (with some exceptions to 2027).

Inadequate funding

SWAN however contends this obligation is underresourced to the extent that 52% of Ireland’s rivers and lakes are failing to achieve the ‘good status’ required by the Directive.

“This Plan is sadly consistent with Ireland’s lack of ambition to date, proposing to fix only a small fraction (12%) of these.”

The ‘water environment’ is the final recipient of many human activity by-products such as discharge of raw and inadequately treated sewage; spreading of slurry, fertiliser and pesticides on farmland; unsuitable coniferous forestry; draining of peatland and wetlands and faulty septic tanks.

“Some are well-treated, but many are not and pose a threat to human and environmental health. Far more investment is urgently

needed to end this discharge.”

Grant-aid to farmers must shift to supporting farming that prevents water pollution, protects the rural landscape and contributes to sustainable flood management, O’Brien contends.

She added that the low targets for water quality improvement are not in line with legislation and that the River Basin Management plan exposes the Irish state to the risk of daily EU fines.

“This also means communities miss out on enormous benefits of a clean and healthy water environment for recreation, tourism, business, nature and enjoyment.”

Note: The Water Framework Directive 200/60/EU Directive commits EU member states to achieve good qualitative and quantitative status of all water bodies (including marine waters up to one nautical mile from shore) by 2021 with some exemptions until 2027. The directive requires each member state to publish a River Basin Management Plan setting out a summary of the programme of measures that will be implemented in order to achieve required water quality.

Inshore Ireland Qs to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government; no response was received: IMPLEMENTATION / MANAGEMENT

Will there be a management plan for each ‘Area for Action’ and how can the public have input to each of these?

What can the public do if a waterbody they are concerned about is not listed for specific action in the plan and they want to appeal this? E.g. Lough Carra in Mayo?

COASTAL AND TRANSITIONAL WATERS

Why are there no management measures for coastal and transitional waters to address non land-based pressures, in particular aquaculture; unsustainable inshore fishery practices; green energy structures; shipping; marine litter?

SEWAGE POLLUTION

The Plan describes how much investment in wastewater is being made and where; however it isn’t clear how far this will go to meeting Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and WFD obligations.

How much investment would be needed to achieve full compliance with a) the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and b) the WFD by 2021 and 2027?

How much investment in wastewater treatment is planned and what is the timeline for securing compliance with the UWWTD and the WFD under the current funding regime?

What is the decision-making process for funding for Irish Water’s work on wastewater between now and 2021 and 2027

PERVERSE POLICIES:

How does the Department respond to claims that the scientific information / knowledge does not yet exist to determine whether the targets of Food Wise 2025 and Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth are consistent with meeting our obligations under the WFD and Marine Strategy Framework Directive?

Phased replacement of inshore patrol fleet is “overdue and warranted”

T

he first of twelve new state-ofthe-art RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) to be delivered on a phased basis to Inland Fisheries Ireland for fisheries protection was launched at Rathmullan, Co Donegal.

Launching Delta 1, Minister Sean Kyne who has responsibility for the inland fisheries sector, said government was committed to augmenting IFI’s capabilities to protect “valuable inland fisheries species” as they migrate offshore and to enhance protection in larger inland lakes.

“I endorsed IFI’s view that the phasing in of a new fleet, which conforms to the highest standards of safety, navigation and communications equipment, is overdue and warranted.”

“This is the first in a chain of twelve protection and enforcement vessels to be based around the country… replacing the current ageing fleet at a total cost of €3.3m.”

Ireland’s recreational angling sector is worth €836m to the Irish economy and supports over 11,000 jobs nationwide “so it is vital for the protection of our national fisheries resource that we have a modern RIB

Ciaran Byrne CEO and Fintan Gorman Chairman, IFI with Minister for State Sean Kyne with Minister Joe Mc Hugh and Donegal County Mayor Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle, pictured with local IFI crew including coxswain Cornelius Mc Mullen, Dunfanaghy; Hugh Mooney, Ardara and James Doherty, Buncrana fleet capable of conducting patrols and responding rapidly to suspected breaches of our fishing laws.”

The current older fleet operates a system of twin boat patrols: one vessel recovering and confiscating illegal nets with up to three crew, and a second standoff boat for safety and security with two crew.

“In contrast, the new IFI model is a single boat patrol vessel with an average of three crew. It is also a substantially more sophisticated vessel with a length overall of 7.80 metres and is licensed by the Marine Survey Office to operate to 12-miles. This offers the additional capacity to assist the emergency

services, if requested.”

The new RIBS will be crewed by fully trained and warranted Fisheries Protection Officers who also carry the remit to board suspect vessels, as required.

Inland Fisheries Ireland also uses smaller water-going vessels for fisheries protection on Ireland’s lakes, rivers, and estuaries, including kayaks, jet-skis, and electrofishing and research boats.

The IFI’’s fleet comprises 23 RIBs the youngest of which was built and began operations in 2006. The new model is the DELTA 780HX Maritime Protection RIB, designed and built

by Delta Power Services of Stockport, UK.

First salt for Ilen as she inches ever-closer to full restoration

A

fter a short run down the Ilen River from Oldcourt in West Cork, Ilen launched quietly into the water at Baltimore where she had first slipped her lines in 1926.

Back at the boatyard at Oldcourt, Ilen has reassumed her role as a focus of attention for a team of craftsmen who continue to diligently work towards making her ready for a sailing voyage towards Limerick City later this summer.

Restoration

Ilen was designed and built by Conor O’Brien, mountaineer, patriot, architect, author, but most probably best known for his world circumnavigation (1923-25) in a 42ft ketch Saoirse, setting new standards of seagoing competence for amateur sailors in small ships.

Ilen was commissioned by

the pilot of Port Darwin who has seen Saoirse when O’Brien had ‘put in, most properly, to the Falkland Islands, being again short of potatoes’ in 1924. Two years’ later, Ilen was delivered to the Falkland Islands where she served for seventy years, enduring the Roaring Forties, the Furious Fifties and Screaming Sixties.

In 1997, Ilen was brought back to Ireland by Gary McMahon who began a painstaking restoration, beginning the journey in

Liam Hegarty’s boatyard in Oldcourt where shaken oak frames were replaced with Bavarian larch, fixed with bronze.

Blocks were fitted across the oak beams to receive the deck planks, quarter sawn and machined with a wide caulking seam and traditional beading on the underside.

Two greenheart supports were fashioned to support Ilen’s huge bowsprit and the deckhouses were fixed to scalloped hardwood sills.

12 inshore ireland Summer 2018

Fisheries

Figure 6. Examples of the young mackerel currently growing up all over the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and along the Norwegian coast. These were caught in a ‘washing set’ by the purse seiner ‘Brennholm’ at an arbitrary position 100 nm west of the Lofoten Isles in January 2018. At this stage these small mackerels are competitors to the postsmolt salmon, later they will be both competitors and potential predators.

Photo Jens Christian Holst.

Is overgrazing and predation to blame for declining Irish salmon stocks?

Jens Christian Holst* Ecosystembased

S

tocks of Irish wild salmon are dwindling and today most Irish rivers are closed for ‘normal’ fishing.

Hypotheses on the marine factors underlying the salmon collapse are many: marine climate, sea lice from salmon farms, inbreeding of escapees in wild salmon stocks and bycatch in pelagic fisheries.

The ICES Working Group on North Atlantic Salmon, WGNAS, is clear in its conclusions: ‘The continued low abundance of salmon stocks in many parts of the North Atlantic, despite significant fishery reductions, strengthens the view that factors acting on survival in the first and

second years at sea are constraining the abundance of Atlantic salmon.’

As a marine fisheries scientist, I have worked closely on the marine ecology of salmon and the factors affecting marine survival of Atlantic salmon since 1991.

Based on my ecosystembased research in the NE Atlantic, I have developed the hypothesis that overgrazing and predation are major factors behind dwindling salmon and sea bird stocks of western Europe.

Based on what I consider to be strong empiric evidence, the NE Atlantic mackerel stock has grown totally out of proportion due to gross underestimation, leading to overly cautious fishing quotas and underfishing as a consequence.

Because of this very large mackerel stock, the food resources of whales, seals, sea birds, salmon, other pelagic fishes and

the mackerel itself are now heavily overgrazed. Today, a 7-year-old mackerel weighs half of its weight of 10 years ago — a clear sign of the overgrazing and lack of food.

This lack of food has also led to starvation and very slow growth of young salmon at sea, the salmon postsmolt.

Postsmolts are now more vulnerable to predation and disease than before the mackerel ‘explosion’.

Voracious hunters

A 30 cm long mackerel will eat a 12.5 cm mackerel meaning a mackerel can eat a fish 40% its own length.

(Figure 1). This again means a mackerel at 50 cm can eat a 20 cm postsmolt salmon. In other words, mackerel today can prey efficiently on postsmolt salmon during much of the postsmolts first summer at sea.

Traditionally, the main spawning grounds of the NE Atlantic mackerel stock were in the North Sea and

west of the British Isles. In parallel with the strong stock growth starting around 2003, mackerel spawning areas swelled, particularly in the western areas and northwards.

From 2008 onwards, mackerel have also spawned in the Norwegian Sea and in Norwegian fjords, as far north as northern Norway.

The widening of mackerel egg distributions from AprilMay 1992 (Figure 2) to 2016 (Figure 3) demonstrate the increase of the mackerel spawning stock distribution west of the British Isles.

Figure 4 demonstrates how spawning mackerel have been caught yearly on research cruises in May in the Norwegian Sea since 2008.

Migration route

Mackerel and salmon postsmolts both use the shelf edge currents west of the European continent to speed up their northern feeding migration in late

spring, thus inhabiting the same waters and depths in late spring (Figure 5).

This ‘co-swimming’ of mackerel and salmon postsmolts during the entire 2,000-kilometre migration from Irish river mouths to north of the Vøring plateau in the Norwegian Sea at 68 degrees north creates the perfect predation opportunity for the starving mackerel on the now slow-growing and vulnerable Irish postsmolts.

Knowing that the migration takes about two months, I leave it to the reader to consider what the effect of predation from mackerel could be on postsmolts from waters off the island of Ireland, France and western Scotland during this migration period.

The southern salmon stocks have collapsed at much higher and more alarming rates than the Norwegian salmon stocks, despite about 1.3 million tonnes of salmon

inshore ireland Summer 2018 13

fisheries being farmed in Norway. All of the southern postsmolts have to ‘co-swim’ northwards with the now very dense concentrations of mackerel, more than double the distance and period compared with the average Norwegian postsmolt.

That said, this is not to defend today’s fish farming practices which I believe are unsustainable and should change to enclosed or semienclosed systems — from an environmental perspective and not the least in terms of sustainable growth potential for the industry. Sea lice is a factor for the marine survival of salmon but it is a relatively small factor today, and should not be the point of focus in the recovery of European salmon stocks.

Following two years of successful mackerel spawning in 2016 and 2017 in these northern areas, the Norwegian Sea and Norwegian coast is now ’full’ of juvenile mackerel (Figure 6). Consequently, the worst may well be yet to come for the Irish and ‘southern’ European salmon.

2007 and have dropped to around normal today.

Consequently, there is no correlation with temperatures and the Irish salmon stock collapse but there is very good correlation with the growing mackerel stock and its potential for competition and predation on the Irish postsmolt salmon.

Continuing decline

Despite the AMO having turned negative more than 10 years ago, Irish and Northern-Irish salmon stocks continue their negative spiral and fishing has almost ceased as the stocks are close to or under conservation limits.

In my view, this situation will probably continue to worsen until the heavy competition and predation by mackerel is reduced. The reduction should be done through an internationally agreed and closely monitored thinning fishery on mackerel, where

some of the extra catch goes into meal and oil.

Not to give the pelagic fishermen higher quotas but to bring the ecosystem of the north-eastern Atlantic back within ‘normal’ ranges where both salmon and seabirds dependent on plankton and small fishes will return to stock levels where they belong.

So I ask: What is most likely to kill a northward bound 15 cm Corrib postsmolt salmon today —temperatures close to normal or a starving mackerel?

Dr Holst worked as a management scientist on pelagic fish at the Institute of Marine Research in Norway.

Today he is an independent advisor and developer. To stay independent in the controversial field of wild salmon, sea lice, farmed salmon and pelagic fish, he has not taken on projects since 2016 and finances himself today. He is involved in a project on closed farming.

Figure 3: Distribution of mackerel egg, proxy for spawning mackerel, during period of the Irish smolt run in 2016. Left 9-30 April, right 1-30 May. Note that the survey does not find the northern zero line of eggs which correspond well with the observations in figure 4.

Reasons unknown

Some scientists claim temperature and climate change is the culprit. In my view there is no empiric basis for such a conclusion.

If we study water temperatures in the main feeding area of ‘southern’ European postsmolts in the Norwegian Sea, they rose from the 1970s to 2007 and have now dropped to close to or below normal, according to the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Norway.

‘The Norwegian Sea: The temperatures in the Atlantic water along the Norwegian continental shelf have since 2013 been close to or slightly above normal. The temperatures in 2016 were mainly above normal, except the south-eastern Norwegian Sea were the temperatures were lower than normal.’

This describes the temperature conditions in the centre of the European postsmolt feeding area during the summer.

Temperatures in the Norwegian Sea follow the socalled Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). This 60-year climate cycle bottomed in the early 1970s, peaked around 2007 and is expected to be negative over the next 20 years from now.

Climate change will probably lead to higher temperatures at the peaks and troughs of the coming cycles, but I expect the cycling to continue as documented in sedimentation layers on the seabed since the last ice age of 10,000 years ago.

So, during a period of continuous decline of Irish salmon stocks from around 1973, temperatures in its main feeding areas have been rising and peaked in

Figure 4. Observations of spawning mackerel in the Norwegian Sea 2008-2016. Spawning mackerel was never observed in this area before 2008 but has intensified strongly after, both in the Norwegian Sea and in Norwegian fjords way north to northern Norway. ICES WGWIDE 2017.

Figure 1: 30 cm mackerel with 12.5 cm mackerel in its stomach.

Photo courtesy of Ian Kinsey.

Figure 2: Distribution of mackerel egg, proxy for spawning mackerel, during the period of the Irish smolt run in 1992.

Left 13 April – 5 May, right 16 May-13 June.

Figure 5. Approximate swimming path of a Corrib postsmolt (red) to its Norwegian Sea feeding area (yellow line). Yellow bubbles are catches of postsmolts made in dedicated salmon trawl hauls during 1991-2011. Note how the postsmolts follow the shelf edge current northwards then spread out in the Norwegian Sea feeding areas, all in parallel with the mackerel as can be seen in the three maps above.

Original figure modified by author.

14 inshore ireland Summer 2018

Fisheries

Trudy Mc Intyre, Dunmore East

S

ummer is finally here, our coastal waters are teaming with activity, with the reports of whales, dolphins, basking sharks and other marine inhabitants which is wonderful to hear and see.

Plenty of photos and videos appearing on social media promoting our stunning coastline. How lucky are fishermen to have that experience almost daily in the summer?

The year, fishing-wise however, hasn’t been so good for many, with reports of brown crab being slow to show up. Could this be a side effect of the unprecedented stormy weather — weather that has made earning a living very difficult for inshore vessels?

The unsettled weather up to the beginning of May delayed fisheries: shrimp at the beginning of the year, then whitefish and now brown crab. The start of the crab season showed very good prices, but like all fisheries, when any quantity comes along, the prices drop.

Let’s hope that the demand for our shellfish picks up and fishermen get paid accordingly. I hope that fishing picks up soon for all.

Promoting the positives of the industry and the good it does should be a priority for all. Sharing these things with the general public and getting our national media involved is a must. Promotion on social media for example, the fishing for litter campaign (which is a huge success in Clogherhead and is an example every port should follow); the sustainable FIPs (fisheries improvement plans) and the work fishermen and women do with science, needs to be demonstrated.

Help yourself and our industry by sharing and promoting these positives.

LAST The Women in Fisheries Network has met on a number of occasions and has partnered with the charity LAST. The WIFN will work with the charity in its promotion and fundraising initiatives and help raise the profile around the coast.

LAST is the only Irish charity dedicated to the Irish fishing industry and its families. If anybody around the coast wishes to organise a fundraising event for the charity, please LAST on Facebook ‘Lost At Sea Tragedies LAST’, by private message, email: info@last.ie or visit the website: www.last.ie.

Trawling inside 6nm As I write this column, the deadline for the public consultation on the trawling inside the 6nm and baselines draws near. At this stage, many that have an active interest in the inshore waters will have made a submission. Everyone will state their case, to represent themselves or an organisation to put their ‘case’ forward.

I must admit, it has been a tense time around the coast for everyone: fear of the unknown and what will happen, along with scaremongering which has made for an unpleasant time for all. Not many like change, but sometimes change is good.

There are many rules and regulations in our wonderful industry which not all people like or all people qualify for, but fishing goes on.

Protecting the inshore grounds for the clear majority of vessels in the Irish fleet, is surly a positive thing.

Inshore boats at Cill Chiaráin (2003)

Inshore boats owners in Roaringwater Bay and around the coast await outcome of the public consultation on trawling inside 6nm Photo G Mills

Seasonal patrols to safeguard valuable inshore fisheries

T

he Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has commenced a nationwide inshore fisheries patrol programme as part of its measures to help protect Ireland’s valuable crab, lobster and whelk fisheries and public health.

Unlicensed operators will be specifically targeted during the programme, which will run until late autumn. The SFPA is advising that anyone found to be non-compliant with sea-fisheries or seafood safety regulations, will face prosecution.

Licensing, registration, operation of on-board vessel trackers where they are required and compliance with fishing within designated fishing areas, are among the issues being scrutinised. The SFPA will also be checking that accurate sales records are being maintained, to ensure traceability of product which is essential to protect consumer health and conservation of fisheries.

“Illegal fishing by a small number of fishermen is unfair to the majority of inshore fishermen who fish legally.

It jeopardises the future of the industry by threatening the long-term sustainability of Ireland’s valuable inshore fisheries on which many coastal communities rely for a living.

“It also poses a serious risk to public health, and potentially damage the excellent reputation Irish seafood enjoys both at home and abroad,” remarked Susan Steele, chair of the SFPA. This year the SPFA will deploy two AC750 7.5m Rigid

Inflatable Boats (RIB) craft with the capacity to winch lift and inspect lobster pots and keeps to facilitate detailed inspections. Their shore monitoring programme also includes vehicle patrols to small local ports and landing places so that sea-fisheries inspection officers can identify and monitor unlicensed and unregistered vessels that may be deployed during the summer months. Such vessels will be targeted for inspection at sea during subsequent patrols in that area.

Detailed compliance assessments of local fishing fleets have already been undertaken by the respective SFPA Port Office staff to identify the inshore vessels operational in their port area.

This will direct the patrols’ effort specifically against known unlicensed operators.

The inshore patrols began during the first week of June with the support of the Naval Service, Air Corps and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Anyone with questions or who would like Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers to focus on particular areas should contact their local SFPA port office.

Castletownbere Harbour Office, Castletownbere, Co. Cork tel: +353 27 70439 fax: +353 27 70094 castletownbere@sfpa.ie Ros an Mhil Lán-Ionad Ros a Mhil Co. na Gaillimhe tel: +353 91 572405 fax: +353 91 572585 Rossaveal@sfpa.ie An Daingean An Caladh An Daingean, Co. Chiarrí tel: +353 66 9152122 fax: +353 66 9151489 Dingle@sfpa.ie Howth Auction Hall, West Pier Howth, Co. Dublin tel: +353 1 8321910 fax: +353 1 8321911 Howth@sfpa.ie FMC Ireland Naval Base, Haulbowline, Co. Cork tel: +353 21 4378752 fax: +353 21 4378096 fmcireland@defenceforces.ie

inshore ireland Summer 2018 15

fisheries/late news

Selective fishing gears must be used to avoid early closure of mixed fisheries Dominic Rihan Fisheries Development Manager, BIM

T

he issue of choke species (i.e. where lack of quota for some species caught in mixed fisheries will force the early closure of some fisheries) has been highlighted by Member States, the Advisory Councils and the European fishing industry as the biggest single problem in implementing the landing obligation.

The demersal fisheries in the North Western Waters (NWW) are numerous and complex with many multiple species being caught in the same fisheries, making implementing the landing obligation extremely challenging.

A recent study completed

by BIM for the European Parliament’s PECH Committee describes and assesses the extent of the potential choke problems in the mixed demersal fisheries in NWW.

Mitigating measures Research for PECH Committee

– Landing Obligation and Choke Species in Multispecies and Mixed Fisheries – The South West Waters - builds on information from analyses carried out by the NWW Advisory Council (NWWAC) and NWW Member States Group. It identifies potential choke species and evaluates to what extent the existing tools and provisions available in current fisheries legislation can mitigate against the risk of fisheries being choked.

It also proposes possible solutions where the existing tools and provisions are not sufficient and notes that solutions outside the current ‘toolbox’ will be required. Such solutions are under constant discussion between the Commission, Member States and Advisory Councils, and this debate will intensify in the lead up to the December Council this year.

The study looked at thirtyfive stocks in NWW spread over the Celtic Sea, English Channel, Irish Sea and West of Scotland. Using a ‘Choke Mitigation Tool’ developed by the NWWAC, each stock was classified as a ‘high’, ‘moderate’ or ‘low’ choke risk taken as a whole across Member States.

The analysis identified twelve stocks with a highrisk choke issues. For six stocks: haddock VIIb-k, skates and rays VI and VII, cod VIa, saithe VI, whiting VIIa and skates and rays VIId,e, the available tools will almost certainly not prevent the fisheries of all Member States involved being choked prematurely. Five of these six are important stocks for Irish fishermen.

The analysis identified a further thirteen stocks (e.g. hake and monkfish) where there is a moderate risk of residual choke issues for one or more Member States.

The analysis showed that the available tools and measures could significantly reduce this risk for these species; however, for at least five of these stocks, the Member States impacted are reliant on swaps.

For the other ten stocks considered, the risk of choke issues is low. Important Irish fisheries in this category include prawns and megrim.

The potential choke issues posed by bycatch of demersal fish in pelagic fisheries — stocks where certain Member States have zero quota and also the special

case of spurdog — were also highlighted in the study.

Under-used tools

The study makes clear that some of the tools available to the Member States and the fishing industry are not currently being fully utilised. In particular, and as highlighted by the European Commission on a number of occasions, improvements in the selectivity of fishing gears have not been forthcoming since the landing obligation was introduced.

Fish in hopper

In many fisheries (e.g. prawn fisheries) in NWW there is evidence of high levels of unwanted catches of undersized fish so it is imperative that uptake of selective gears is priortised.

Considerable work has been completed by BIM in this area and many solutions have been identified. It is up to the industry to embrace these solutions or run the risk of early closure of multiple fisheries once the landing obligation comes fully into force from January 1, 2019.

Photos BIM

Non-stop around the globe with just a sextant to guide him Gillian Mills

W

hen Gregor McGuckin slipped his lines from the pontoon at Dun Laoghaire’s National Yacht Club and sailed quietly through Dalkey Sound, bound for Les Sables D’Olonne on France’s Atlantic coast, his hope was not to see dry land again after July 1 — for about nine months.

The young Dubliner faces a challenge of huge proportions, both physical and mental: a solo, nonstop voyage around the planet in the Vendee Golden Globe Race.

Gregor has a ‘glass halffull attitude’ not only thanks to Glendalough Distillery who presented him with a small barrel of 7-year-old single malt whiskey that is bolted to the foredeck, but in his approach to what lies ahead. With just

fourteen days solo sailing experience in his wake, his mental preparation has been to ensure the boat is completely ready “and that helps my confidence,” he said.

Companies he knew and some he did not, came forward to help Gregor get over the start line and for that he is “truly grateful”.

Solo sailing has been a live-long ambition “and is now a reality thanks to our main sponsor, Hanley Energy,” remarked Gregor.

“We share many of the same values in terms of work ethic, safety, drive and determination. Energy creation, innovation and usage will be critical to my successful voyage,” he remarked.

Managing director Dennis Nordon said the company was proud to be associated with Gregor: “This is a huge task; it’s the most courageous project we’ve come across.”

Nineteen sailors face a grueling 30,000 miles alone without outside assistance (except emergency) and minimal equipment (no modern technology GPS, computers, and electronic autopilots) to simulate what was available to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who completed the world’s first solo nonstop circumnavigation in 1968/’69.

Gregor has also partnered with Ireland’s largest primary school publisher, CJ Fallon and the Marine Institute to create an education resource that will use his journey “to engage, educate and inspire, young people” about our oceans and coastlines.

“The overriding goal is to create an army of ‘ocean literate’ young people. By instilling an understanding of the importance of our oceans, they are best placed to ensure a sustainable and sensible future for Ireland and the world.”

“I think this Golden Globe Race is a wonderful idea. Why dream of it and never do it? This is a challenge that has been created to achieve that dream.”

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Follow Gregor on https://www. facebook.com/ gregormcguckinracing/

16 inshore ireland Summer 2018

Interview

BIM’s Sustainable Seafood Garden which won overall prize at Bloom 2018. Designed by award winning gardener Andrew Christopher Dunne, the marine garden is a celebration of Ireland’s seafood industry and tells the story of sustainable Irish seafood from tide to table.

BIM STATEMENT OF STRATEGY A

BORD IASCAIGH MHARA

STATEMENT OF STRATEGY

2018-2020 ENABLING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Jim O’Tool, CEO of BIM spoke to Gery Flynn about the new strategy.

The BIM Strategy sets out a re-alignment of services to deliver strategic vision and mission. What does that mean, and how will it be achieved?

BIM’s new strategy aims to ensure that different strategic priorities interlink and perform cohesively

BIM’s Statement of Strategy 2018-2010 Enabling Sustainable Growth seeks to enhance the competitiveness of the sector to capitalise on increasing domestic and global demand for seafood. The approach adopted by BIM reflects the challenge of market uncertainty and places greater emphasis on product differentiation,value creation and profitability.

with one another. For example, BIM carries out gear technology trials in our Galway office in preparation of the Landing Obligation That could be viewed in the realm of sustainability alone. However, it can also be viewed through the lens of innovation as it aims to find new and smarter ways of doing things. Previously, BIM’s many stakeholders may have viewed our services as only relevant to certain segments of the seafood sector. The new strategy

and realignment strives to ensure that all aspects of the sector are served, so that everyone will see these priorities as relevant to them.

The Strategy aims to deliver value-for-money services under five strategic headings: sustainability, skills, innovation, competitiveness and leadership. What does each of these involve?.

Your question goes to the heart of the strategy - how can we get part of that action? The reason we have

set out these priorities is because we believe they are what the sector needs to do in order to perform competitively. Take for example the annual seafood trade show in Brussels. It’s a very big show, and there is representation from every continent. I was struck by the sustainability message that was coming through on trade stands no matter which country, be it India, China or the United States.

It really struck home that sometimes people might

not realise there is this burgeoning demand to demonstrate what efforts we, as a sector, are doing to comply with the demand from the marketplace to produce more sustainably.

In Ireland we do have a good story to tell in terms of the environmental standards that operate and the voluntary initiatives people are involved in – whether it’s Origin Green, Fishing for Litter, the FIPS programmes, etc.

There’s a whole raft of initiatives that the Irish

inshore ireland Summer 2018 17

Interview

Minister Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine with Kieran Calnan, Chairman of BIM, and Jim O’Toole, CEO

seafood sector has engaged in and appreciates the significance of. From our point of view, we want to amplify that and make sure that we’re taking a strong lead in driving that agenda.

On the skills level, you can argue that the success of any business or sector depends on the quality of its people.

If we are to compete in this new landscape and make a difference for the Irish [seafood] sector at a time of growing global demand, we need a sector that has the appropriate skills, and that recognises the learning that people have already attained.

BIM wants to develop a career path for people, to enable them acquire accredited qualifications each step of the way.

If we talk then about innovation, obviously that’s about how we help make the sector more profitable by doing things differently and better because the world is changing. This is something that’s not confined to the processing sector, it’s something that must be available to everybody right across the fleet.

The competitiveness pillar relates to all of the data that exists and how we can better analyse it to identify

opportunities for the industry.

The fifth pillar is leadership. It’s important that the sector has a voice and that BIM, in collaboration with our sister agencies, the Marine Institute, Bord Bia, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and SFPA, collaborates with one another so that the sector is heard in the national debate.

This is something we already do but it important to be highlighted in the strategy.

The strategy notes that the aquaculture sector across Europe has been stifled by licensing difficulties, and it sees a need to integrate aquaculture into local communities to improve the perception and acceptance of aquaculture development.

Minister Creed promises 600 licence determinations by 2019. What will that mean for Irish aquaculture?

We need to communicate the positive impact that is affected by aquaculture and the responsible work that is done by the sector. We recognise there’s work to be done to encourage public acceptance of aquaculture which in some instances is negatively perceived. For example, BIM sponsored a

Sustainable Seafood Garden at Bloom which won the overall prize. I spent the whole weekend at Bloom and gained an invaluable insight into public understanding of what the seafood sector does and how this needs to be developed. We are also working with DAFM to support this process which is very focused on achieving the goal they’ve set in progressing determinations. This should lead to an improvement in licensing and allow expansion and growth in the sector.

You’ve been BIM chief executive for just over a year.

What have you learned about the Irish seafood industry that you didn’t know a year ago?

What I appreciate most is the strong entrepreneurial spirit that exists throughout the entire sector. If we say that Ireland is on the edge of Europe, the seafood sector is on the edge of Ireland, and the ability of that sector to make its mark on global markets, given the challenges that it has, is really impressive. The drive and ambition that exists among the men and women working in the Irish seafood sector is quite remarkable, as is their ability to meet the challenges they face.

18 inshore ireland Summer 2018

our ocean wealth

Marine Ireland to exceed 2020 GDP turnover target Gery Flynn

I

n the run up to the Our Ocean Summit 2018, Dr Peter Heffernan, Marine

Institute chief executive outlines what’s to be expected at this year’s conference. He also talks about the influence the Galway Statement on Atlantic Cooperation is

In association with:

Investing in Marine Ireland 28 & 29 June 2018 Investing in Marine Ireland will highlight the immense opportunities that our marine sector has to offer companies and organisations. Hear from business leaders, network with industry partners and influencers, and be part of the discussion that shapes Ireland’s future marine sector.

having worldwide, five years after it was formally signed on May 24th 2013 by Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and Commissioner Damanaki on behalf of the European Union, together with high-level representatives from the USA and Canada and which launched the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA).

What is your message this year?

I’ll be emphasising the tremendous support we have had for the event from across all government departments and the Marine Coordination Group and the agencies that are taking lead roles in assembling different sessions.

The challenge was to build on the scale and the quality of previous summits which I think we have achieved through a very exciting programme. I truly believe this year we have worldclass contributors and the best range of topics. In that sense I’m indebted to all our partners in the endeavor.

Ocean issues are increasingly populating the human mind, why is that happening?

We’re at a very interesting juncture with marine affairs both nationally and internationally. Internationally

Marine Institute CEO Peter Heffernan with Yvonne Thompson, Partner at PwC and Jim O’Toole, CEO of BIM in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin ahead of OOW 2018

there’s never been a greater awareness of ocean issues.

The BBC’s Blue Planet series coupled with Sky News’ championing of ocean issues for example, and then at a local level we have Ken O’Sullivan’s wonderful Ireland’s Deep Atlantic documentary.

Looking laterally, in almost thirty years working in the marine area, I’ve never seen anything that has grabbed public attention like the plastics issue right across the Atlantic region, North America and Europe.

Plastics is the ‘buzzword’ that has connected a global awareness of the oceans and the relevance of oceans to life on earth.

The potential impact of Brexit on Ireland’s marine economy features prominently in OOW 2018. Outline the challenges the marine research community might face? Do you see any positives in Brexit?

Directly related to fisheries, the Marine Institute’s key role with other agencies is to support the government’s negotiating position and inputs to the EU. That involves serious effort on the Institute’s part. Depending on how the whole Brexit debate evolves, you could envisage a scenario where a significantly greater demand and workload could fall on the Institute in undertaking surveys and assessments of stocks. That could possibly require enhanced partnerships with scientists in France and Spain. But all that remains to be seen in the context of the broader Brexit negotiations.

Right across the spectrum of marine research Ireland, traditionally this sector would have had very strong relationships with UK partners. In the future, with Ireland the only remaining English-speaking country in the Atlantic area of the EU, this could open opportunities for scientists. A lot of water will flow under the bridge before we know exactly how that plays out however.

Nevertheless, Ireland is well positioned in terms of scale and range of its partnerships and the research we’ve been engaged in so far. All in all, we’re bearing up well for whatever eventualities may come post-Brexit.

Is Marine Ireland Inc on target to meet the 2030 target to contribute almost 2.5% of GDP? Yes, according to the latest

figures from 2016. The target figure in Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth was to achieve a turnover of €6.4bn by 2020 and we already reached €5.7bn by 2016 - that’s very encouraging. If the current trend continues, Ireland will be well on course to not only achieve but exceed the 2020 turnover target. And we’re well on course, I would say, for the 2030 target which is that the marine economy will be contributing 2.4% of GDP. What new research alliances can you reveal?

Ireland is very well positioned; we have a great research track record of partnerships with all EU key partners. We also have bi-lateral agreements with the UK, France, Norway and the US. Then in the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA) we’re very central to the whole Galway Statement and its implementation, and that brings another order of magnitude to the partnership and the scale of collaboration efforts being planned and executed between the EU, Canada and the US. And in the last year I was privileged to be invited to chair an international review panel of global experts for the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany. As a result, we’re now exploring opportunities and enhanced partnerships with Germany.

The Galway Statement was signed five years ago; how effective and influential and relevant has it been for marine research?

It’s one of the achievements I would be most proud of in my time with the Institute in the international arena. Earlier this month as part of the first series of events marking 20 years of the formal research partnership between the EU and the US, a dedicated event was held in the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington DC to celebrate the fifth anniversary of achievements under the Galway Statement.

This event was attended by the highest-ranking EU and State Department officials.

So, in terms of international science diplomacy the Galway Statement has been very influential. It has been replicated in the South Atlantic with the Belém Statement last year on Atlantic Research and Innovation Cooperation between the EU, Brazil and South Africa modeled very much on the Galway process.

inshore ireland Summer 2018 19

our ocean wealth

O

ur Ocean Wealth 2018 has lined up a dozen expert speakers who will explore the challenges that Ireland could face in the wake of Britain’s decision to leave the EU. In advance of the conference, Inshore Ireland spoke to John O’Loughlin, Global Trade and Customs Director with PwC who outlined some of the risks that seafood exporters are likely to encounter.

“Prior to the Brexit vote our expertise in PwC was in assisting companies to get their goods across international borders in the most effective manner both from a cost and timing perspective. As a result of Brexit, customs and trade is high up on everybody’s radar and agenda.

“And from an Irish Inc perspective, Brexit is raising major challenges because a lot of companies don’t have expertise in-house to deal with customs issues. Why don’t they have it?

Because they’ve never needed it as there hasn’t been a customs border between the UK and Ireland.”

O’Loughlin believes the companies in Ireland with the resources and the knowledge to deal with issues around Brexit are mainly US multi-nationals who typically have personnel who can support the business on these issues.

There’s real money and real initiatives available for over five hundred research teams working across five key priority areas. That has achieved investment to date from Horizon 2020 EU funding of more than €140m.

It has also seen very significant research programmes both in the Science Foundation and in NASA aligned with Galway. Canada has also made massive strides to align with Galway by creating a federal alliance on ocean research resulting in up to a quarter of a billion Canadian dollar investment in the maritime provinces of the Atlantic that are fully aligned with Galway, and are being mobilised now.

So the ambition levels for the next decade are very substantial. Among the key priority areas being focused

“Irish PLCs by and large don’t have customs and trade knowledge; they would have dealt with customs and trade very much operationally but have nobody within the business who is strategically responsible for these obligations. For example, SMEs certainly have never had to deal with customs agents because their export market has mainly been the UK where there’s never been customs formalities.

“So, before we even get into the details around Brexit, we’re seeing a knowledge gap that companies will have to come to grips with. Ireland is facing a big challenge to deal with the new trading environment between Ireland and the UK which is, effectively, now between the EU and non-EU from a customs perspective.”

Inshore Ireland put the following questions to John O’Loughlin: Outline the post-Brexit trading relationship between Ireland and Britain Fundamentally, the trading relationship between the UK and Ireland will change whereby trade between the two countries will effectively become re-characterised. Today, for the movement of goods to and from the UK, the main issue we consider has been VAT from an indirect tax perspective. But given that the UK becomes a ‘third country’ post-Brexit, effectively the border goes up and all trade between the UK and Ireland will be subject to customs formalities.

What about the new terminology around Brexit?

We see a lot of confusion in the terminology being used in the sectors. For example, ‘hard Brexit’ versus ‘soft Brexit’ will mean different things to different people. What’s meant by orderly/disorderly; the backstop;

on will be large-scale targeted mapping of the Atlantic Ocean undertaken and mobilised by the Alliance, inspired by Ireland’s seabed mapping drive over the last decade and more. Ireland is held up as the exemplar on two levels: that the survey has been committed to and is executed in a managed long-term process; that it survived the worst of our economic crisis and was persisted with by the Irish government during that time, and that it kept the open data policy. I can certainly see the drive in the next phase to have the entire Atlantic Ocean comprehensively mapped with technologies and approaches very similar to the Irish seabed mapping endeavor managed by Geologic Survey Ireland and ourselves.

maximum facilitation (maxfac) and all the other terminology that exists around Brexit is quite confusing.

Will Brexit mean extra costs for Irelandbased exporters?

When you strip back the confusion, it boils down to some key fundamentals. When goods cross an international border you have customs formalities. From a compliance perspective, when you export or import goods, you have to lodge a customs declaration. Companies don’t do that on their own behalf, they engage a third party —an agent, often a freight company to lodge declarations who charges for the service.

In simple terms, the market rate is between €50-€100 per individual transaction. So if you extrapolate the number of imports and exports in a year and multiply that by the market rate, you now have a cost that you’ve never had before.

What about VAT? The second issue that’s going to arise is import VAT. VAT is a duty of customs, and the rate of import VAT attaching to your product will be the same rate as if it was sold in a supermarket. A lot of fruit products, for example, could be 0% rated, but a lot of other products may actually attract the higher rate of VAT, 23%, which is a fairly substantial amount of duty to be paid out. Import VAT is regarded as recoverable, it’s an import credit, and you get a refund in many cases but you have to pay it first in order to reclaim — and that’s assessed at the border.

Do you envisage border delays?

Yes, this is the third issue that needs to be factored into trade. There’s a lot of focus on Northern Ireland and the openness of the border between

Have politicians and government finally grasped the potential of the ‘blue economy’?

It’s a qualitative judgement but I think we’re just about there.

Nevertheless, much more effort is required to drive that momentum but it is remarkably better.

Look at the international scene; there’s tremendous opportunity in the next decade through alignment of political interest and powers.

The oceans is now on the G7 Agenda; you’ve got a UN section on the oceans, you’ve got a proposed plastics-free ocean mission for research in the next framework programmes of the European programmes.

I also think there’s a

North and South. Looking eastwest however, we already have a hard border for trade between the EU or Ireland and third countries.

For example, goods transshipping from the Netherlands to Ireland move through four different hard border points: Callais; Dover; Holyhead and Dublin Port where potential delays arise because of the requirement to lodge customs declarations. There’s also a very strong risk that the necessary infrastructure will not be in place to deal with increased crossborder traffic after Brexit.

From an Irish perspective we envisage that Dublin Port’s infrastructure will be prepared; however we can’t be sure of such guarantees on the continent and certainly not in the UK. Reports from the UK suggest there’s a real worry that infrastructure at their ports and airports will not be ready to cater for traffic, and that trade will be delayed as a result.

Will extra duties apply?

That’s the Elephant in the room question — will duties apply or not. On the face of it, without a deal being negotiated, i.e. a free trade agreement between the UK and the EU, duties will apply.

For most industrial products, rates of duty can start at 0% and go as high as maybe, 14%. For agricultural products, rates can go up to 40% or even 50%.

Depending on your sector, and whether you buy raw materials to make product or import finished goods for consumption in the Irish marketplace, there’s a risk of duties applying.

If a free trade agreement is negotiated, there’s a strong likelihood that the rates will go to zero for some product; however that won’t be the case for all products. So it’s really productspecific which will determine the reduction of duties based on the existence of a free trade agreement.

real opportunity for the private sector, researchers, governments and for the public to be engaged in what is possibly the last great exploration on earth which is mapping our world oceans for the first time comprehensively and to put in place a forecasting system for the ocean that is similar to terrestrial weather forecasting. We take it for granted for terrestrial issues; we now need a similar momentum for the 70% of the planet which is ocean.

What is it about SeaFest that has made it so popular among the public in only five years?

I think three aspects have helped achieve its success to date: the huge voluntary effort by all of the partners

Are companies in Ireland prepared for Brexit?

The simple answer is no, many are not, and time is running out. A lot of companies are not prepared because they don’t understand the implications of Brexit and they’re delaying before they start making internal decisions. That’s probably a high-risk strategy given that the negotiations are not going particularly well, and that red lines issues on both sides are not really being resolved. That’s an over-arching comment of course, some companies are indeed thinking about Brexit and some are adequately prepared.

Are there ways of mitigating some of the impacts?

Yes, there are, depending on the sector you’re in and the type of supply chain you operate.

If you’re a manufacturer, the likelihood is you could operate Customs Release to mitigate the customs duty. But you must first have the relevant procedures in place with the customs authorities.

Secondly, in relation to border delays, the concept of Trusted Trader Status, or Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) in the customs world, has been referenced by politicians on both sides as being a solution that mitigates border delays. AEO is akin to Fast Track passenger boarding at airports.

Companies having AEO will have priority at ports and airports if there’s a logjam; those that don’t have it face delays.

Companies, particularly in the pharma, retail and agri-food sectors, are considering AEO now as a mitigation measure. So, companies exporting perishable goods or operating a just-intime supply chain are looking at Trusted Trader Status as a mitigating measure against border delays.

across the State; SeaFest is unique; it’s family-friendly; it’s a festival for all, and it delivers wonderful variety.

One of the things that inspires me most is the volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and interests who give freely of their time to help it be successful, especially last year.

And Galway has been just outstanding; I don’t know if any other city could have facilitated SeaFest’s growth in such a short time - 100,000 visitors in the first two years!

We’re leaving a permanent legacy in Galway – the Wild Atlantic Sea Science Gallery developed in partnership with the City Council at the Museum at Spanish Arch. It’s something we look forward to replicating wherever SeaFest finds its home in future.

20 inshore ireland Summer 2018

seafest 2018

Catch it all at SeaFest 2018

S

eaFest 2018 is offering the biggest programme of seafaring events to date. The there-day event has a packed programme of ‘must-see’ events that celebrate the amazing ways our oceans and seas enrich our lives.

Dr Peter Heffernan CEO of the Marine Institute said, “SeaFest showcases Ireland’s maritime resources and also conveys an important message about the value of our oceans. Not only a source of food and transport, our oceans also support diverse ecosystems and provide opportunities for tourism and leisure,” remarked Dr Peter Heffernan, Marine Institute chief executive.

“No matter how far you live from the shore, the ocean affects our lives.

SeaFest is a great opportunity to celebrate our marine resource, and to get people talking about keeping our oceans healthy, as it’s a resource we all depend on.”

“SeaFest 2018 is truly a

family festival. The range of exciting activities and attractions on and around the water aim to engage the young and the young-at-heart in the magic and mystery of the ocean. All events and activities taking place over the weekend are free, making it possible for the entire family to enjoy the festival experience,” outlined Dr Heffernan.

At a glance

This year’s SeaFest will offer an immersive visual experience with a series of engaging talks and films inspired by the ocean, taking place in the purpose-built marquee, The Atlantic Theatre. (see Sea of Theatre).

World-champion flyboarders will spin and spiral high into the air performing amazing tricks and flips three times a day in the heart of Galway Harbour. Festival-goers will be able to paddle a kayak in the harbour with more than 800 free kayaking sessions taking place over the three days.

Thanks to Irish Sailing, visitors can feel part of the

crew and enjoy keelboat trips on Galway Bay or step aboard a motorboat and take a close-up look at Galway Hookers sailing in the Claddagh. Sailing sessions are also available, also catering for disabled or impaired children and adults.

The Irish Naval fleet, LÉ William Butler Yeats, will be a spectacular sight in Galway Harbour and provide an opportunity for visitors to climb aboard and explore Ireland’s newest naval vessel.

The Marine Institute’s marine research vessel RV Celtic Explorer and the Commissioner of Irish Lights vessel, ILV Granuaile will be docked in Galway Harbour and open for tours across the weekend.

BIM/Bord Bia Seafood Experience will feature dynamic exhibits of live fish and shellfish species, and an under-the-sea, virtual-reality display where visitors can meet the creatures of the deep.

Joan Mulloy, the first Irish female sailor to compete in the world-famous Solitaire du Figaro race, will share how she will be undertaking this sailing challenge.

Ireland’s top chefs JP McMahon, Michael O’Meara and Oliver Dunne, and BIM’s Young Fishmongers of the Year will show you how easy it is to prepare fish and seafood at home through live demonstrations.

Seafood lovers will also enjoy cookery demonstrations on offer at the Gastronomy Showcase Van to celebrate

Galway as the European Region of Gastronomy 2018.

Learn tips on preparing and preserving seafood, as well as some simple seafood recipes for kids. The traditional festival favourites will also be on offer at food stalls around Galway Harbour.

Kids will be kept busy through a host of fun and educational activities taking place in the dedicated Kids Zone. Children and adults alike will enjoy building and playing with LEGO to make marine-inspired creations and kids can also get creative and crafty by making sea-themed crafts to take home and work together to create a giant aquarium from recycled materials.

Through the Explorers Education Programme, children can discover Ireland’s marine life at

touch tank displays and learn about marine litter through a number of games and interactive activities.

Galway City Museum’s interactive exhibition ‘Sea Science – The Wild Atlantic’ will also be open over the weekend. During the festival weekend the gallery will be enhanced by a resident scientist who will perform fun, hands-on experiments.

Kids can also create colourful fish and sea-themed creatures to take home at workshops in Galway City Museum. With the assistance of Galway Autism Partnership, five of these workshops will be specifically for children with sensory difficulties and their siblings.

The Defence Forces also make a welcome return by displaying their current equipment and capabilities.

SeaFest 2018 is a key part of Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth: An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland (HOOW) and its goal of increasing participation and engagement with the sea.

SeaFest 2018 has received support from BIM, Bord Bia, Commissioners of Irish Lights, Department of Defence, Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Port of Galway, Irish Coast Guard, Irish Sailing, Dept Agriculture, Food and the Marine, EMFF (Ireland’s European Structural and Investment Funds Programme 2014-2020).

To view the full festival programme visit seafest. ie To stay updated on all festival announcements download the free SeaFest Festival App and follow SeaFest on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

inshore ireland Summer 2018 21

Brexit »» from page 1

Questions without answers

The EU published a Note to Stakeholders on April 9, 2018, advising just what the detailed implications of a notransition outcome would be.

“This does not make for pretty reading. Making a working assumption for now that a transition deal will be agreed somehow, but the big question is what happens in 2020 and beyond?”

“Will trucks of fresh fish from Castletownbere to Madrid be subject to customs checks and more bureaucracy if transiting Britain?

Will trucks of frozen mackerel fillets leaving Killybegs be subject to the same going through Northern Ireland and again in Britain and France on their way to the continent?

Will Irish pelagic vessels be able to target mackerel west of Shetland or will Irish prawn trawlers be allowed to fish in the Smalls as they do now? And what about tariffs on exports to the UK? These are the real questions critical to Irish, French, Dutch, Belgian, Spanish, Danish fishermen and processors.” Ó Cinnéide believes it is vital that Ireland Inc – industry, government, representative organisations – use the opportunities and mechanisms which he says have been built up through EU membership.

“We must work closely together to sort out these issues while lobbying hard and effectively at EU level.

Our national position is we must preserve the existing arrangements in all these issues”. Ó Cinnéide is nonetheless satisfied that a lot of detailed work is ongoing at every level: “The Irish industry has had to elbow its way to the table to ensure that seafood interests are given due representation at a national level. The Irish government has had to do the same in influencing the Barnier negotiating team which is conducting the talks on behalf of the EU – and us.

“Most of the representative organisations have been making selective and effective alliances at European level, most notably through the European Fishing Alliance, but also through other structures. There is regular coordination with Minister Creed and his department to ensure that the Irish seafood position is advanced.

The Marine Institute and BIM have also conducted detailed analysis to further DAFM’s arguments”.

Ireland’s fishing representatives recently had an “extremely positive” meeting with Taoiseach Varadkar, Tánsiste Coveney and Minister Creed during which all critical issues were discussed in detail. Ó Cinnéide says it is clear from those discussions that “fisheries is a priority for government in the negotiations”.

“And so we go forward with strong government support; the proof of the pudding, as usual, will be in the eating.”

I

n the run up to the Brexit vote in 2016 SEMRU produced a Whitaker Institute policy brief outlining the likely implications of a Brexit vote on Ireland’s ocean economy.

The following is taken from an article by Daniel Norton and Stephen Hynes, SEMRU, NUI Galway published in Inshore Ireland 13.3, 2017: The current fish landings from UK waters by other EU member states, including Ireland, based on the data from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, (STECF) which is the advisory body for the EU Commission on fisheries management.

Ireland is reported to have landed 298,130 tonnes, valued at €356.6m from all waters.

The share of these landings from UK waters was 80,022 tonnes, valued at €80.9m (this includes one shared fishing ground off the Louth coast between the ROI and the UK).

These figures represent a share

of 27% of landings by volume and 23% of landings in value.

Landings in UK waters by all EU member states was 1.18 million tonnes in 2015; 53% of which was landed by non-UK member states. The largest takes after the UK was Netherlands (with 14.3% of landings); Denmark (13.7%) and France (8.5%). The 1.18 million tonnes landed from UK waters represents 30% of the EU’s catch in the NE Atlantic.

Affected species

Focusing on Ireland, the top six species most affected by loss of access to UK waters would be mackerel (46,464 tonnes); nephrops (4,916 tonnes); herring (11,297 tonnes); horse mackerel (7,789 tonnes); whiting (2,461 tonnes) and great Atlantic scallop (791 tonnes). These six species represent approximately 90% of Irish landings from UK waters in both tonnes and value.

For migratory species such as mackerel, horse mackerel and herring, management on a cooperative basis between the EU and UK and any other relevant

castletownbere

dunmore east

howth

killybegs

kilmore quay

Ireland’s Fishery Harbours

third countries will be required as specified under the 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement.

It may be therefore difficult for the UK authorities to exclude non-UK vessels from fishing for these species in UK waters.

For resident species such as Nephrops and scallops however, management should be under the control of the UK within its exclusive economic zone following Brexit.

Approximately 11% of Irish seafood was exported to the UK in 2015 – our second most important export market for seafood. Looking at a worst-case scenario, a fall back to World Trade Organisation trade rules could result in 25% tariffs on some of these fish products. In 2014, the tariff on frozen mackerel imports for example stood at 20%.

In summary, approximately 640,000 tonnes or approximately 15% of EU landings in the NE Atlantic are up for negotiation within the Brexit negotiations.

What the final outcome will be for fisheries in European waters is still hard to envisage at this stage.

22 inshore ireland Summer 2018

Seafood News

Irish seafood tops one billion in value for first time Gillian Mills

I

reland’s seafood sector recorded its third consecutive year of growth in 2017, up 6.4% on 2016, representing €1.15bn of Gross Development Product.

This strong growth was driven by a 12% increase in net exports (€331m), a 4% increase in domestic consumption (€429m) and significant private and public investment (€386m) to give an overall trade value that surpassed €1bn for the first time.

Speaking at the launch in March of BIM’s report, ‘The Business of Seafood’ report – a snapshot of Ireland’s Seafood Sector’, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, said the report significantly measured the value of the entire Irish seafood economy at all stages from sea to plate: “It clearly demonstrates the scale and importance of the Irish seafood sector to our economy, supporting over 14,000 jobs.

From a government perspective, it’s encouraging to note how public investment is helping to strengthen an already vibrant sector to the benefit of exports and job creation particularly in rural and coastal regions.”

BIM chief executive Jim O’Toole said Ireland’s seafood sector was “thriving” and its contribution to GDP had grown by more than 14% over the past two years: “The fact that trade sales have exceeded €1bn for the first time demonstrates the clear demand for Irish seafood. It is important we build on this impressive performance as we collectively work to achieve the targets for seafood in the government’s ‘Food Wise 2025’ report.”

In terms of trade, the EU remains Ireland’s main export market, valued at €392m (up 9%). Irish seafood is building significant growth markets across Africa, Asia and the Middle East which all report double digit growth.

Snapshot Fish and shellfish landed into Ireland’s main fishing ports by Irish and non-Irish vessels rose 7% to €40m, with Killybegs, Co Donegal, recording the highest value up 24% to €125m. This is largely attributed to a 13% increase in mackerel landings worth €83m.

Seventy-eight per cent of nonIrish landings valued at €118m comprised hake, monkfish and megrim. Forty-five per cent of these landings were from French vessels.

On the domestic market, Irish appetites for seafood grew by 4% valued at €429m from sales in supermarkets and shops as well as in restaurants, cafes and canteens.

Salmon, cod and prawns continue to be the favoured species with salmon valued at €96m and cod at €48m. Growing demand for pollack and hake increased by 19% in 2017.

Over 14,000 people are employed, directly and indirectly in the seafood sector. This value should not be underestimated, added Jim O’Toole: “As well as employment, seafood is a key driver in economic activity and in many cases is at the heart of the community. In Donegal alone, the sector accounts for 12% of total coastal employment.

“Seafood processing companies are growing in number and now account for half of the total employment in the Irish seafood sector.

“The revenue and employment seafood delivers to our overall economy and directly to our peripheral coastal communities is invaluable.”

Report Highlights • Irish seafood value surpassed €1bn (€1.15bn) for the first time, with exports valued at €666m • France is Ireland’s premier export market, accounting for more than 25% of total exports • wild caught and farmed

seafood combined increased by 12% to €609m • 29% in public investment to €170m (including increased

expenditure through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund) • 24% value growth in Ireland’s

aquaculture industry to €208m predominantly driven by the higher value of Irish organic salmon, up 69% in value.

Minister Michael Creed with Jim O’Toole, BIM chief executive, launch the 2017 seafood report

inshore ireland Summer 2018 23

Seafood News

Campaign to increase visibility of women in Ireland’s seafood industry Gillian Mills

L

ess than one in 12 employees in the fishing, forestry and agriculture sectors in Ireland is female, according to Ireland’s seafood development agency which has launched a campaign to profile the role of women in the seafood sector. At 11.7% female to male employees, this is significantly lower than the EU average of 36.9%.

BIM chief executive Jim O’Toole said the agency would assist the sector to capitalise on the ‘talents of women’ in the wider sector.

“In addition to training and mentorship, we are also working with women across the catching, aquaculture, processing and retail industries to develop a network to share information and ideas that will further progress and elevate their role.”

BIM’s campaign tells the stories of women in various roles and increases their visibility and “celebrates their contribution to this valuable industry,” he added.

BIM works closely with the catching sector where many women work behind the scenes managing the accounts for fishing businesses or are the key communicators and representatives in their fishing communities.

The agency has formed partnerships with international women’s groups to gain insights into how they have developed effective networks, including the Australian Women’s Industry Network Seafood Community (WINSC).

Jayne Gallagher, Director WINSC, said that while Australia and Ireland were “worlds apart” in circumstances and experiences, everyone wants their story to be heard: “We are passionate about our industry and we want to have an impact. Working together we can help ensure a viable future for the seafood industry. Ensuring women are recognised and supported in their roles takes courage and determination, and the fledgling network here needs nurturing from its members and its stakeholders to maximise its impact and potential for the wider seafood industry.”

BIM has launched a campaign #Irelandswomeninseafood which includes podcasts

that tell the stories of some of the women who work in Ireland’s fisheries sector.

Details on www.bim.ie or @BordIascMhara In 2017, Ireland’s seafood sector contributed €1.15bn to GDP. Siobhan Faulkner Clogherhead, Co Louth I’m passionate about our coastal village Clogherhead and its fishing community. I want to help ensure there is a future in fishing here for the coming generations. Most people in fishing communities are families with a history of fishing. My family are active members of the Clogherhead fishing community and my husband Barry and I have three trawlers and our son also has his own boats.

I volunteer and chair the Clogherhead Development Group and the group is a local driver for initiatives like ‘Tidy Towns’, ‘Louth Looking Good’ and ‘Pride of Place’. We help maintain the Blue Flag status of our beaches; a clean coast is vital for everyone. The Clogherhead Development Group works hand in hand with the local fishing fleet on all these projects as well as collaborating with industry specific projects like BIM’s Net Recycling and Fishing for Litter.

Catherine Moore Gorta Dubha, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh “I live in the heart of the West Kerry Gaeltacht. I have lived here all my life. At just 18, I took over the family farm after my father’s sudden death. I had two younger sisters so really without much thought I started milking cows and going to the creamery, the mart and all the work related to farming.

The Irish language is part of our identity and as a Bean an Tí, I welcome teenagers and young adults into our home for two or three weeks in the summer to experience our culture so they can improve their Irish in an enjoyable way.

In 1991 I married fisherman Eddie Moore who came from a fishing famil. As our family grew we bought our own boat, MVF Misty Dawn.

Fishing families are resourceful, hardworking people and we do what we can to make our living from the sea. It is a family business with a difference with long hours, physically demanding, sometimes dangerous, work, and always reinvesting to secure a future. We are at the mercy of the weather, with quota restrictions, and no financial support when there is no income for weeks on end due to bad weather.

But I feel lucky to be in a fishing family where there is a special connection with our past, our present and more importantly our future. What Eddie and I work for is to have a future for the next generation. We want to share our

knowledge and inform the public on our work and produce.

Caitlín Uí Aodha Co Cork I am the owner of two boats at sea. I had my first boat at 22 years of age and I am politically active in the fisheries industry. I am on the board of the Irish South & East Fish Producers Organisation and I am the chairwoman of LAST (Lost at Sea Tragedies).

My own husband Michael lost his life in the Tit Bonhomme tragedy in 2012 so I’m passionate about the work LAST does.

LAST provides a network of support to all the coastal communities around Ireland offering financial, practical and emotional support, including bereavement counselling, to the families of fishermen lost at sea. Have a look at www.last. ie to find out more about us.’

Trudy McIntyre Dunmore East, Co Waterford I’m the daughter of a fishing family and now the wife of a fisherman, Shane McIntyre, with two young daughters. I came into fishing through my father, spending time with him when he was out working on the boat.

For me what’s really important is making the case for the future of fishing, for its sustainability and for the unity of the fishing community. We must work together to get the story of fishing as an industry out to the public. By working together we’ll get far more achieved than working separately.

I volunteer with the Irish Coast Guard and with LAST (Lost at Sea Tragedies) and I am chair of the South East RIFF (Regional Inshore Fisheries Forum) and a member of the NIFF (National Inshore Fisheries Forum). I am also honoured to have elected by my colleagues to take part in working groups at both Ministerial and national level to represent the fishing sector.

Norah Parke Cobh, Co Cork Now settled in Co Donegal I work for the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, primarily with the shellfish sector. With my husband Malcolm, I ran a successful family seafood business in Donegal that specialised in the live transport of brown crab and lobster before joining the KFO in 2005.

I prepare background policy documents and develop transnational industry-based

networks to promote all aspects of the brown crab industry: catching, quality and promotion.

No one day in our business is the same. It is important for us to have a higher profile and I think women can have a huge say in changing the perception of what fishing is all about.

Monica Buckley West Cork With my husband Niall Deasy I own, and run, DC Fish in West Cork. I knew little about the fisheries industry until I married into it but for over twenty years now it has become my life. With so much of my husband’s catch going overseas I set up a business adding value to the seafood - Fish Seafood Deli- and between the businesses we employ over 25 people.

I am passionate about the future of our industry, about creating a sustainable economy for fishing and for the future of coastal communities like Union Hall. We have a great story to tell and a great food produce to share. I volunteer, like so many fisheries families, with the RNLI and with their essential work at sea.

Listen to their full stories at: www.bim. ie/our-work/projects/ women-in-seafood/

Siobhan Faulkner

Catherine Moore

Caitlín Uí Aodha

Trudy McIntyre

Norah Parke

Monica Buckley

24 inshore ireland Summer 2018

marine r&d

At SeaFest 2018, you’ll find marine science at the heart of the festival

A

s event coordinator of SeaFest 2018 (June 29-July1) the Marine Institute is looking forward to welcoming visitors to Galway for the national maritime festival to share the best of marine science.

At SeaFest, Galway Docks will become a hub of activity for three days with Ireland’s marine infrastructure and resources on show where visitors will have the opportunity to celebrate our maritime history and discover more about our oceans.

The Marine Institute aims

to put marine science and learning very much at the heart of the festival through aquatic displays, vessel tours and fun activities for all ages.

“SeaFest, as well as being a really fun weekend for families, provides a unique opportunity for the Marine Institute to promote the best of marine science where we can appeal to a whole range of people in a number of ways,” explained Dr Peter Heffernan, Marine Institute chief executive.

“From tours of the research vessels, marine activities at the city museum to the Explorers Education programme and more featured in the Kids

Zone, we believe an interest in the marine environment can be cultivated at any age.

With all events and activities taking place over the weekend free of charge, it makes it possible for the entire family to enjoy the festival experience and learn about the importance of our oceans.”

Tour RV Celtic Explorer

Tour the Marine Institute’s marine research vessel RV Celtic Explorer and speak to scientists about the research that is undertaken on board. The vessel is used for fisheries research, oceanographic, hydrographic

and geological investigations and seabed mapping.

Opening times: »» Friday: 2pm – 6pm »» Saturday-Sunday: 10am – 6pm Members of the public will get to meet marine fisheries scientists and see some of the marine species they have come in contact with through their work. People will also get to see where the scientists sleep, eat and socialise while on board and will get to meet the vessel’s master and crew.

Explorers Education Programme

Explorers Education Programme ‘Nobby Boat’ tank display and discover some of Ireland’s marine life including the smallest sharks. Also on display will be aquatic animals made from marine litter, and learn about the sources and impacts this litter has on our marine environment.

Visitors will also learn about how we can make #onesmallchange to help protect and care for our marine environments through games and interactive activities including ‘Fishing for Litter’ and ‘Ocean Jenga’.

Take a look inside the

Sea it all at the Atlantic Theatre

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mesmerising cinematic experience will showcase some of the best oceaninspired films and talks at SeaFest 2018. The Atlantic

Theatre will host free talks from renowned cameraman Doug Allan, as well as screenings of the documentary Ireland’s Deep Atlantic and children’s animation, Song of the Sea.

The Atlantic Theatre is an exciting addition to Ireland’s spectacular maritime festival (Galway Harbour) June 29-July 1. A purpose-built marquee accommodating 500 people will be erected at Galway Docks to create the Atlantic Theatre.

“Our ocean has always captured the imagination – from exploring the high seas to the mystery that lies beneath – the ocean has been inspiring writers, artists and musicians for centuries, “remarked Caroline Bocquel, Director of Corporate Services.

“As so much of our ocean remains unexplored, filmmakers have played an important part in capturing marine life on camera, helping us to discover more about animal behaviour and the affect humans can

have on our planet. The films and talks at this year’s SeaFest aim to deepen our understanding and connection with the ocean,” she added.

Centre stage

Taking centre stage for a series of engaging and inspiring talks is awardwinning wildlife cameraman Doug Allan. With eight Emmy Awards and five BAFTAs, Doug Allan has become one of the world’s best-known and respected cameramen.

His work alongside Sir David Attenborough on documentaries such as BBC’s Blue Planet and Frozen Planet has seen him venture to some of the wildest and most remote places on the planet. Doug Allan will share his memorable moments from behind the lens at three different talks: Natural Born Thrillers, In the Company of Giants and Freeze Frame.

“We are delighted to be able to host seven talks by Doug Allan, all completely free to SeaFest visitors. His shows have been known to sell-out quickly, and we believe this will be one of the popular attractions at this year’s festival,” Caroline Bocquel added.

Underwater cameraman Ken O’Sullivan will take us on a deep-sea journey in search of whales, sharks and cold-water coral reefs in the documentary, Ireland’s Deep Atlantic. The series captured the attention of the entire country last month when the two-part series aired on RTÉ with groundbreaking footage of sea creatures in Irish waters.

Irish audiences were wowed by the stunning imagery,

describing it as ‘hypnotically beautiful’, ‘magical television’ and ‘truly magnificent footage’. The documentary also explores the health of our ocean with the important message of conservation.

The Academy Awardnominated Song of the Sea is a film the whole family will enjoy. This animated feature, produced by Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon, is a fantastic tale that captivates audiences of all ages with its poetic animation and joyful storytelling.

The film takes inspiration for the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land. Song of the Sea will be screened four times over the weekend with one of these showings ‘as Gaeilge’.

The audio-visual attractions continue with the 3D Under the Sea Dome. This engaging interactive experience will take viewers below the ocean surface to view creatures of all sizes – from tiny microscopic organisms to the enormous Humpback Whale. The film Dynamic Earth narrated

by Liam Neeson explores the interlocking systems that shape our climate.

In addition to the Atlantic Theatre, SeaFest 2018 will also offer a host of activities on the water such as performances from World-Champion flyboarders, vessel tours, as well as sailing and kayaking sessions. Live seafood cookery demonstrations, a Defence Forces Display and kids’ activities are all part of the packed programme of free events.

For more information visit seafest.ie or follow SeaFest on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

inshore ireland Summer 2018 25

marine r&d Become an official SeaRover with a mission - Protect the Deep Ocean

Learn with the Marine Institute

Discover the animals and plants found along Ireland’s rocky shores at the Marine Institute Rock Pool. Look through the microscope to see the tiny marine organisms hidden under rocks, such as tubeworms and barnacles.

Marine Institute staff will explain to children and adults about the importance of these marine ecosystems.

Kids can also mould mountains and create patterns in kinetic sand with the INFOMAR Augmented Reality Sandbox.

INFOMAR staff will be on hand to explain about mapping Ireland’s seabed.

Visit ‘Sea Science – The Wild Atlantic’ at the Galway City Museum

Galway City Museum’s interactive exhibition will also be open over the weekend when a resident scientist will perform fun, hands-on experiments. Investigate the anatomy of a fish, find out about water pressure, ocean acidification, edible seaweed and more.

There will also be marine science experiments on the water cycle, how temperature and salinity affects ocean currents. Kids will also be able to create colourful fish and sea-themed creatures.

2018 is the International Year of the Reef and Marine Institute scientists will be sharing stories about using ROV Holland I to study Ireland’s coral reefs. Meet the scientists who explore the deepsea, and go on a fantastic underwater adventure, watch the video, see the coral, complete the mission and become a SeaRover!!

SeaFest is co-ordinated by the Marine Institute, on behalf of the crossgovernment Marine Coordination Group, working together with a wide range of agencies and organisations..

For more information on SeaFest visit www.seafest. ie and follow SeaFest on Facebook and Twitter.

Making a Statement about the Atlantic

F

ive years ago the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation was signed and the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA) between the European Union, Canada and the United States of America formed.

Just five years on and AORA has already been recognised as an outstanding success story in the Atlantic area, highlighting international best practices and promoting the key priorities of the European Union’s Atlantic Strategy and Atlantic Action Plan, embodied in the Galway Statement and its potential support to the ‘blue economy’.

Today more than 500 research teams are working in the Atlantic Ocean.

Transatlantic cooperation has been successfully embedded and embraced at the heart of the scientific teams working together in Atlantic-wide field campaigns

on seabed mapping, ocean observation, seafood, weather, climate and Polar research, marine biotechnology and marine spatial planning.

The Galway Statement has provided the first step in all-Atlantic cooperation, leading to the signing of the Belém Statement on Atlantic Research & Innovation Cooperation between the EU, South Africa and Brazil.

An all-Atlantic research community is also being built.

New transatlantic institutional structures have been formed, including an Ocean Frontier Institute in Canada that includes European and US partners.

Speaking about the achievements to date, Dr Margaret Rae, Director of AORA Coordination and Support Action at the Marine Institute said AORA was using the latest technology to map the Atlantic, “making groundbreaking discoveries like previously uncharted

undersea volcanoes and mountains, circulation patterns, and more.

“Our coordinated efforts are helping to create a blueprint for the next generation of ocean observation.

And, there’s still much to uncover — from new sources of energy and food to lifesaving medicines found in unexpected sources. By learning all we can about our oceans, we can create a world with better navigation, weather prediction, smarter search and rescue, health, and a thriving seafood industry that will feed generations to come.”

Transatlantic research teams with H2020 funding have unearthed new discoveries and knowledge including: Seabed Mapping »» Completed seven opportunistic transatlantic surveys by Irish, Canadian, French and Fugro vessels, resulting in discoveries

Transatlantic Research Cooperation to Treasure and Protect the Atlantic Ocean event to celebrate 20 years of EU-US Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement was held at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (June 2018), Washington DC. Panel Session – Where should our Atlantic Ocean Cooperation go from here? Left to Right: Craig McLean NOAA; Sigi Gruber EC DG Research & Innovation; Peter Heffernan Marine Institute; Lisa Levin Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Wojciech Wawrzynski ICES; MinhHà Pham Embassy of France; Vladimir Ryabinin IOC-UNESCO and Jon White Consortium of Ocean Leadership

of uncharted seamounts kilometres high, deep sea volcanoes, and ridges some hundreds of kilometres in length »» Developed a collaborative model for industry, research and government to promote Atlantic seabed mapping and open data »» Encouraged private sector participation for public good, resulting in Fugro contributing more than 65,000 km2 of high resolution data. (Fugro maps the seabed while transiting between offshore projects) Ocean Observation »» Completed an analysis of Atlantic-wide observation system capacities/gaps »» For the first time a team has formed to develop a blueprint for an Atlanticwide integrated ocean observing system with wide Atlantic participation (http://atlanticblueprint.net) Atlantic Ecosystems »» Coordinated expeditions to map deep-sea Atlantic ecosystems and advanced knowledge of key species, ecosystems and processes »» Discovered modern Atlantic Ocean circulation that is atypical of the longer term »» Deployed new sensors in eastern subpolar N. Atlantic to enable key advancements in understanding of ocean physics interactions »» Provided scientific evidence that temperature change, acidification, fisheries and their cumulative effects pose the greatest risks to ecosystem services »» Successfully tested a generic Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) framework to assess

spatially managed areas (SMAs) across N. Atlantic »» Seafood »» For the first time, climate vulnerability assessments of N. Atlantic fish and shellfish including the human communities dependent on these have been rigorously compared across the EU, US & Canada – strengthening scientific cooperation and building better forecasts »» Made the first steps to use marine algae to build blue belts for carbon/ nitrogen sequestration and sustainable aquaculture Ocean Education »» Developed a transatlantic ocean literacy strategy and a range of new ocean educational materials (videos, teaching modules, infographics) »» Weather, Climate and Polar research »» Worked together to study Arctic warming impacts, ecosystem productivity and ocean-climate dynamics to give new understanding to local populations »» Facilitated cooperative understanding of the impact of a changing Arctic on weather and climate across the northern hemisphere »» Worked with public and private users of climate information to help them incorporate uncertain scientific evidence into real-world decision-making processes For more information see www.atlanticresource.org For content and infographics see: https://www.youtube. com/channel/UC4V4Io6x5nyOTfQT4fKgCA

26 inshore ireland Summer 2018

marine r&d

Lost landscape hidden beneath the waves Eoin MacCraith, GSI

A

s well as providing data online to the Irish public on the project’s website (www. infomar.ie), the INFOMAR team at Geological Survey Ireland also feed data to the European online portal EMODnet (European Marine Observation and Data Network).

This online viewer, which displays multiple datasets

from across European seas (e.g. seabed minerals, substrates, bathymetry, geomorphology, etc.), is the result of gathering and harmonising data from a myriad of geological surveys and universities across Europe.

It is made possible by a network of organisations supported by the EU’s integrated maritime policy.

While these seamless maps are available to the public for free online, they also assist the European Commission

in terms of marine spatial planning. It is an example of the ‘collect once and use many times’ philosophy that is also followed by the INFOMAR project.

Submerged sites

A recent addition to the EMODnet portal is a work package called Submerged Landscapes. The importance of submerged archaeological sites has been growing steadily more apparent as human activity at sea has intensified – particularly

with respect to marine construction projects that can disturb the seabed.

In order to assist with responsible marine planning, maps of now-drowned landscapes, where ancient humans such as those during the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic once lived, are required in order to identify potential archaeological hotspots. These are landscapes that were exposed during and following the peak of the last Ice Age, before rising sea levels inundated

Past, present and future climate change impacts on the Irish Sea James Barry, GSI

C

HERISH (Climate Heritage & Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands) is a fiveyear EU funded project that will increase crossborder knowledge and understanding of the impacts (past, present and near-future) of climate change, storminess and extreme weather events on the cultural heritage of reefs, islands and headlands of the Irish Sea. The project will target data

and management knowledge gaps, employing innovative techniques to discover, assess, map and monitor heritage assets on land and beneath the sea. It will raise awareness about the impacts of climate change on heritage, train the citizen scientist and widely disseminate the results. It will also develop best practice and guidance, making recommendations for future adaptation.

The first year of the project has been a great success. Joint nation field exercises have been carried out as well as multiple aerial, terrestrial and marine surveys, using our toolkit approach. We have reached thousands of people

face-to-face at various events, seminars and presentations, and have increased our online engagement through social media.

The main highlight of the last six months has been our first free event, the CHERISH professional seminar in May in Llandudno. It was a hugely successful day, attended by nearly 80 delegates with position papers presented on UK climate change and coastal heritage policy from Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland as well as talks about survey, research and public engagement.

Speakers included the SCAPE Trust, CITiZAN, The Heritage Council

Seminar Presenters (L-R): James Barry (GSI), Sandra Henry (Discovery Programme), Anthony Corns (Discovery Programme), Louise Barker (RCAHMW), Andy Godber (National Trust), Stephanie Ostrich (CITiZAN), Clive Walmsley (Natural Resources Wales), Joanna Hambly (SCAPE Trust), Hannah Fluck (Historic England), Jill Bullen (Natural Resources Wales), Ian Doyle (Heritage Council), Jim Hansom (Dynamic Coast), Tom Dawson (SCAPE Trust)

(Ireland), Natural Resources Wales, the National Trust, the Welsh Local Government Association, Historic England, Glasgow University and the CHERISH team. All the presentations from the day are now available to download from our website http://www.cherishproject. eu/en/participation/ conferences/122-cherishprofessional-seminarllandudno-2018 The CHERISH Project is

Cherish sites

a collaboration between two Irish organisations: Geological Survey Ireland and The Discovery Programme and two Welsh organisations, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and Aberystwyth University. It will receive €4.1m of EU funds through the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme 2014-2020 and commenced in January 2017 and will run until December 2021.

inshore ireland Summer 2018 27

marine r&d them and gave us the coastline we have today.

A strong example in the North Sea is the so-called ‘Doggerland’ — an ancient landscape hidden beneath the waves, once populated by prehistoric humans and now only visible through bathymetric and geophysical mapping.

The Irish seabed is no exception. While the extent of exposure of the shelf during and following the Ice Age is still being debated and requires further analysis, there is certainly evidence for potential submerged landscapes in both INFOMAR data and surveys carried out by various universities.

The question remains, however: How do we define a submerged landscape?

This recently required consensus among members of the EMODnet network and was agreed to during a series of international meetings. In

short, a submerged landscape in this context is any seabed feature, be it on the seafloor or buried beneath, which can reasonably be deduced to have been a dry landscape feature during and following the peak of the last Ice Age (approx. 20,000 years ago).

Examples of such features are ancient river channels

(known as palaeochannels), relict shoreline deposits, wave-cut platforms, ancient lake deposits and drowned forests and peats. Some of them are not visible even on the seafloor and must be detected through sub-bottom profiling with shallow seismic equipment (Figure 1), where the valley can be

Figure 1: Shallow seismic profile revealing a buried palaeochannel (indicated with arrow)

seen cutting through the layers below it.

Other palaeochannels are still present and visible in the seabed data, such as the incision in the bedrock that extends out from the mouth of Waterford Estuary (Figure 2) dating from when the coastline was further south

during lower sea level.

There is an entire lost landscape hidden beneath the waves along the Irish coast. With further mapping

by INFOMAR vessels and analysis of data collected, the team hopes to assist in piecing the country’s rich prehistory back together.

Figure 2: Multibeam bathymetry showing palaeochannel extending southwards from the mouth of Waterford Harbour (top-right of image)

INFOMAR 2018 inshore fleet operations Ronan O’Toole, GSI

2

018 marks an important year for the Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource (INFOMAR) programme. Building on the successful deployment of two new research vessels in Q4 2017 (RV Lír and RV Mallet) have added significant capacity to the existing operational inshore fleet that is operating on the Irish southeast and south coasts throughout the 2018 survey season – which runs from March to September/October.

This year the INFOMAR inshore fleet consisting of four high-performance seafloor mapping platforms has increased the scope of its activity out to the 30 nautical mile limit to complement the impressive coverage achieved to date by Marine Institute survey vessels RV Celtic Explorer and RV Celtic Voyager.

Complete seafloor understanding

Between Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute, these combined efforts aim to completely survey and map the Irish seafloor, continental shelf and inshore waters, providing Ireland with a unique and

state-of-the-art understanding of its marine resource and will form the baseline for future development and sustainable management of the Irish and European marine sectors and associated activities.

Expanding the scope of the inshore operations in this way brings new challenges in terms of logistics, and communications issues.

Evolution of the scope of work however also presents significant opportunities for efficiency gains, knowledge development and increased seafloor mapping coverage - all of which are envisioned to be of great benefit to project stakeholders and the public alike.

New developments for 2018 include the addition of several new offshore team members who are complementing INFOMAR’s existing experienced operations team.

The combination of this invaluable experience with the enthusiasm and desire to learn from newer team members is proving to be a formidable asset for the project.

Knowledge developed over the previous decade of operations is imparted to the next generation of Irish marine geoscientists, who in turn reap the benefits of this know-how while helping to consolidate the gains made by the project in this area.

Enhanced communications Communications

issues associated with the requirements of modern survey operations for continuous broadband access and the increased range of offshore survey activities will be addressed throughout the 2018 survey season with the objective of establishing reliable long-range broadband communications between survey vessels and shore- based support.

If sufficient progress can be made in this space, operational efficiencies can be further increased and will provide the project with more flexibility and access to essential knowledge — from procedures to logistics to remote troubleshooting and expertise.

With the second phase of the INFOMAR programme running until 2026, the challenge of mapping the remaining areas of Ireland’s seafloor remains significant, especially in shallow water areas and shelf seas. By adopting best available technology and methods and continuous training and development, the project is well positioned to do its best for the country in this crucial and exciting scientific endeavour.

It is envisioned that the efficiencies and capabilities developed throughout the 2018 survey season will add further to the foundations of INFOMAR seabed mapping operations and set the groundwork for completion of the challenge ahead.

RVs Mallett and Lir surveying

RV Mallett alongside at Dunmore East

28 inshore ireland Summer 2018

marine r&d

Choking on the Landing Obligation: mixed messages, tough questions and dissenting views in Brussels Brian O’Riordan Low Impact Fisheries of Europe (Life) Platform

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he Landing Obligation (LO) is one of the most far reaching and controversial measures to be introduced into the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) of 2013.

Designed to address both ethical (food waste) and conservation (selectivity/ overfishing) issues, it arrived like a bolt out of the blue following a highly-charged campaign directed both at the public-at-large and at European decision-makers and led by TV personalities.

It was not at all anticipated in the 2009 Green Paper, and little time was allocated to working out how such a measure could be implemented in practice.

The LO was originally meant to be implemented through a gradual bottom-up process but it didn’t happen that way. Far from it, DG Mare’s preferred approach to implementation has been to gradually phase in the LO over a four-year period (2015 to 2019), addressing issues and solving problems as they arise, rather than trying to anticipate and to solve problems in advance.

For many, both on the implementation and on the receiving end of the LO, such an approach is destined to fail.

Three and half years into implementation and with just seven months to go before its full entry into force, if the DG Mare approach is to be successful, most of the wrinkles on the LO should have been ironed out by now.

This was the impression of Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and

Fisheries, in a speech to the Fisheries Committee of European Parliament on May 15: “The rules are clear: as of 1 January 2019, the landing obligation will apply to all catches of species subject to catch limits and, in the Mediterranean, subject to minimum sizes. These are the rules of the CFP, agreed by all, and well-known to everybody for more than four years now.

“Rules cannot be changed half-time through a match….

It would undermine the reformed CFP. And it would damage our credibility.”

Shortcomings

Such clarity of vision and purpose however were lacking from discussions in the European Parliament on the previous day during a workshop on the ‘Landing Obligation and Choke Species in Multispecies and Mixed

Fisheries’.

Following the presentation and discussions of three case studies from the Northwestern Waters, the North Sea, and South-western waters, Alain Cadec, Chair of the Fisheries Committee summed up by stating: “The diagnosis is very clear: uncertainty, difficulty, complexity... I don’t regret voting against the Landing Obligation”.

Not one of the nine MEPs who spoke during the discussion defended the LO. One highlighted that no solutions had been offered by the scientists, and that the LO was not implementable on January 1, 2019.

Another talked about confusion and problems, calling for a longer transition period and more flexibility.

Yet another stated the LO was not compatible with a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) / quota system and was

difficult to square with mixed fisheries. There was even a call for a Plan B. The DG Mare representative agreed there was insecurity and chaos but opined that the LO ‘tool box’ (quota swaps/ flexibility, de minimis provisions, TAC increases, exemptions, etc) is not being used sufficiently.

She also observed that scientists were unable to give a full picture of the choke problem: “Chokes are not choking because the LO is not yet fully implemented”. [A choke species is a term used to describe a species with a low quota that can cause a vessel to stop fishing even if they still have quota for other species.]

Given that the LO is being implemented progressively, more time and patience are needed to see how things evolve. The LO should be looked at “differently”, she concluded.

Climate Change – Ireland’s Arctic call Michael Kingston

I

t is timely that the two keynote speakers at Our Ocean Wealth Summit (Galway, June 28-29) are focusing on ‘Investing in Marine Ireland’ with a particular focus on ‘Climate Change and Sustainability’: the 7th President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, who has contributed so much to the international regulatory process of the United Nations, and

Kathy Sullivan, Former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This coincides with Ireland’s potential application to join the Arctic Council and follows the hosting in May of these states by the Irish Cultural Centre in London in their recent launch of the Arctic Shipping Best Practice Information Forum Web Portal, www. arcticshippingforum.

Michael Kingston with An Tánaiste Simon Coveney in advance of the visit of the 8 Arctic States to Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith for Arctic Shipping Forum

is for the harmonised implementation of the UN’s Polar Code for Shipping.

At the London meeting, the Irish Ambassador to the UK, Adrian O’Neill, addressed the Arctic States to promote Ireland’s cause. The United States representatives were instrumental in this meeting and portal launch, two of whom work with NOAA; Capt Robert McCabe, Commissioner of Irish Lights also attended this meeting.

North horizon

Ireland’s focus in relation to climate change is constrained and side tracked by a constant vision in general towards the south east of Europe.

While we hugely value this relationship for so many reasons, there is another horizon to the north that we must also engage with as a matter of priority, to gain the critical knowledge needed to help make informed decisions about coastal erosion and flood defences, planning, agriculture, fisheries,and safety, all of which depend on local weather predictions.

We need the best information and we do not have that without speaking to our Arctic neighbours.

Additionally, there are significant economic opportunities for Ireland in attending these meetings.

Established in 1996, the Arctic Council is the leading inter-governmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States on common Arctic issues, in particular sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. The Arctic States are USA, Canada, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, and Iceland.

The organisation is not a law-making body; however much of the consensus reached is pursued in national legislation, and in international forums.

The Arctic Council allows ‘Observer Member Status’ without a fee. States have joined for access to discussions and information about the effect of Arctic weather patterns on the lower latitudes, but also for access to discussions on economic collaboration.

There is also major focus in active Working Groups on monitoring the Arctic Environment, including ice

melt, changing ocean flow and weather patterns.

The current Observers are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, China, Poland, India, South Korea, Republic of Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Despite being such a close neighbour and indeed with natural historical links to the Arctic nations, Ireland is not a member. Yet, Ireland’s climate is critically dependent on the regulation of the Gulf Stream by the Arctic, along with the balance of the Jet Stream which are being discussed in depth in these Arctic Council Working Groups.

The Gulf Stream hits Ireland’s shores bringing warm water from the Gulf of Mexico and across the Atlantic. Ireland sits very high up in the world — higher than St John’s in Newfoundland Canada — yet when it is freezing in St John’s and at a similar latitude to Ireland’s in Siberia, it is moist and warm in Ireland with sub-tropical gardens on Garnish Island in Bantry Bay and more flora per square metre in the cracks and crevasses of the Burren than anywhere else on earth.

inshore ireland Summer 2018 29

Outside Ireland Case studies

The North Sea case highlighted the complexity of defining specific fisheries, categorised as by a variety of métiers, seasons, species etc. The presenter, a French scientist, highlighted that fishing mortality in the North Sea was rising again and that past gains may be lost.

She also noted that choke issues will only become a problem if the LO is strictly implemented. Currently choke problems have not been observed or reported to the STECF, she observed.

The South Western Waters case highlighted that the combination of FMSY (Fisheries Maximium Sustainable Yield) and LO will create serious problems and will close fisheries. Choke is a dynamic issue, especially given climate change, it was observed. Choke impact would change over time – a complicated situation that is likely to remain complicated, it was concluded.

Quota distribution

Various questions were raised by the MEPs, including one from a Galician MEP on the impact of the LO on small-scale fisheries given the inequality of quota distribution. In Galicia — Europe’s most important fishing and most fishery

dependent region — 90% of the 4,500 strong-fishing vessel fleet is classed as ‘artes menores’, comprising vessels averaging 8.8 metres in length using passive gears. Most of these vessels operate in mixed fisheries where both quota and non-quota species are found.

As in other European Member States however, the small-scale passive gear fleet has little access to quota as the fleet lacks the necessary catch history to qualify for such. Quota management was introduced as a measure for larger scale fleets and is now being imposed on smallscale fleets through the LO, despite most of the quota being allocated to the larger scale fleet. This makes quota management, and thus the LO, unfairly discriminatory against smaller vessels.

There was also a question asked on behalf of the Scottish demersal trawler operators, for whom one of the main target species is cod, and who will be heavily impacted by chokes. They asked which ‘pillar’ of the CFP should be sacrificed: the fishing levels set at MSY, the implementation of the LO, or the fishermen.

The North Sea case presenter observed that scrapping the LO would not solve anything and that the

Michael Kingston, a London based lawyer from Goleen, Co Cork is a special Advisor to the Arctic Council’s Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Working Group, working closely with the United Nation’s International Maritime Organisation and NOAA and was on the organising committee of the Arctic Council’s recent Forum in London at the Irish Cultural Centre, where he is a Director. He has also given evidence to the House of Lords Arctic Committee and is on the Advisory Council of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Polar Regions. On 23rd May Michael made a presentation at Westminster at their Plastic Poles debate on behalf of the Arctic Council’s Marine Litter Expert Group that is focusing on a regional approach to the plastics crisis. He has just returned from their Workshop in Akureyi, Northern Iceland. He is currently engaging with An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney in relation to Ireland’s Observer Member Status of the Arctic Council.

Further information michaelkingston@ michaelkingston.org and www.michaelkingston.org The Arctic acts like a refrigeration system: when the Gulf Stream has warmed Ireland, then Scotland, then northwest Norway it goes into the Arctic Circle and back down the Western Atlantic.

By then, of course it is much colder, having intermingled with billions of tonnes of ice.

But due to record ice melt in the Arctic Circle, the Gulf Stream’s regulation is changing. As it returns south of Greenland it is less cold.

Therefore, there is more evaporation and more rain, causing more turbulence as the meteorological balance in the mid-latitudes is affected.

Due to ice depletion, the warmer seas in the north are also affecting the balance of the Jet Stream above Ireland.

So, we do not have time for

‘fire side chats’ on this issue.

The best information about weather saves lives and a lot of money based on informed decisions. The good news is that An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney is heavily engaged on the issue. He understands the critical importance of climate information as well as the many other opportunities being an Observing Member will afford Ireland in other areas.

It is pleasing to see Ireland’s new National Climate Change Adoption Framework. Observing Member Status of the Arctic Council will majorly assist these objectives and will also demonstrate Ireland’s responsibility in helping to protect the world’s last frontier.

Everyone must now row in behind Ireland’s Arctic Call.

discard problem will not resolve itself on its own.

The LO had been a useful tool for raising awareness about the problem of discards she felt, but now it was time to look at two different but linked objectives: the desire to reduce discards, and the desire to land all catches The latter is often seen as the worst option, but uncontrolled discarding also means uncontrolled fishing effort. She felt that “accurately documenting discards at sea is of higher priority to achieving sustainability than the obligation to land ALL fish caught”.

Small-scale fisheries

As regards small-scale fisheries (SSF), she felt that a lot of research had been done, and that the issue of SSF discards could be encapsulated by the maxim that, like children, small boats = small problems, big boats = big problems.

Such a view is not reflected in the different realities that the different fleets have to deal with, especially the restricted location and seasonal nature of small-scale fishing operations compared to the highly mobile nature, wider range and yearround activity of larger scale operations.

Whether large or small in scale, LIFE considers that for all fleet segments, the treat of imminent bankruptcy is a big problem irrespective of the

size of the vessel.

Such a view was expressed by the Spanish scientist presenting the South Western Waters case. He felt that as SSF and LSF were quite different, a different approach was needed for each fleet segment.

The North Western Waters presenter, an Irish scientist, responded to the Scottish question by saying that if the fisheries sector did not fish in a sustainable way, it was not a matter of giving up on fishermen, but rather fishermen would lose their markets due to consumer pressures. That was the choice he felt: either comply with the LO or lose your markets.

On SSF, allocation was a national issue he felt, and it was for States to decide how they allocated quota and treated SSF. In the view of the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) the LO will have a disproportionate impact on small-scale polyvalent passive gear fishing operations (vessels under 12 metres in length using nontowed gears).

In the main, these operations are highly selective, with very low rates of discarding compared to trawling and other towed gears. Just because there is less discarding in the SSF doesn’t mean that they are impacted less by the LO. The LO has surely been designed with the large-scale

mobile gear sector in mind, not the low impact passive gear sector.

This is reflected in the fact that in the last few decades, of the 3,924 scientific papers published relating to the discard issues; 3,760 focused on large-scale operations and only 164 considered the implications for SSF. Lack of access for smallscale fishing operators to quota necessary to remain viable when the LO is fully implemented in 2019 makes them highly vulnerable to ‘choking’ and being forced either to tie up and go bankrupt — or to break the law and face the consequences.

For SSF, LIFE fears that the zero-discard policy could well become a zero-fishing, zeroincome policy for the SSF. LIFE therefore advocates a two-pronged approach to the LO for SSF. First and foremost, a requisite and fair quota allocation is required to enable SSF to plan and manage their operations. Such an allocation should involve some quota pooling which can be drawn on as needed to deal with the choke problem as it arises.

Secondly, for the inshore segment of the SSF fleet, a move towards effort management may provide a fairer and more effective way to deal with the problem of access and that of discarding, particularly if combined with a co-management based approach.

Maltese inshore fisherman

Further information: Vella’s speech to the Parliament on May 15 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/ commissioners/2014-2019/vella/announcements/speech-commissioner-vellaeuropean-parliament-pech-committee_en DGMare information: https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/fishing_rules/discards/ Pêche Committee Workshop on the Landing Obligation and Choke Species: https://research4committees.blog/2018/05/28/pech-workshop-landing-obligationand-choke-species-in-multispecies-and-mixed-fisheries-2/ Small-scale fisheries and the zero-discard target. European Parliament DG for Internal Policies. 2015 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ STUD/2015/540360/IPOL_STU(2015)540360_EN.pdf

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coastline news

State funding committed to support Ireland’s offshore islands Rhoda Twombly

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omhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann chairman Simon Murray opened the AGM by welcoming delegates, Minister of State Joe McHugh and department officials, as well as representatives from Cork Co Council, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Comhar na Oileáin.

Minister McHugh announced further funding to support COE administration, enabling Comhdháil to move forward with research and projects benefitting the off-shore islands.

During the Q&A session, Minister McHugh heard about the many challenges affecting island sustainability.

While the Minister said he was looking at a 5-year capital plan for the Islands, the fact is that although an updated development plan (the last being published in 1996) has been urgently requested many times over, there seems to be no forward planning for the Islands.

While it was encouraging to hear that the Minister would like to instigate links between Comhdháil and other relevant Departments (e.g. Education, Health and Communication) he did not however respond to the suggestion that re-instatement of the Interdepartmental Committee on Islands would be a productive way forward.

Discussion topics

Several issues were brought to Minister McHugh’s attention. It is well known that the cost of living on islands is approximately one third higher than on the mainland. This is of course relevant to all living on islands but in particular regarding the cost of education.

Tomás MacPháidin, representative from GRETB (Galway and Roscommon Education Training Board) to Comhdháil, told Minister McHugh that education costs were about 40% higher than on the mainland and that the Department of Education should be aware of this when dealing with education initiatives.

Islanders also expressed concern over availably of housing, especially affordable housing which continues to be a serious problem. Lack of broadband throughout rural Ireland was highlighted and can be even less available and at very low download speeds on the islands.

It is known that IT jobs suitable for island living are being lost due to this inadequacy, therefore reducing island attractiveness as places to live. Anecdotally, several families have decided not to live on islands as their work –from-home jobs demand high-speed broadband.

Mairtin O Méalóid of Oileáin Chléire has been working to keep the rural transport scheme on the islands but is running into serious funding issues and finds it next to impossible to replace public transport vehicles.

“This situation is totally against European policy,” he said. “This is an extremely important service on the islands, so support is crucial.”

It was his opinion that modes of sustainable transportation must be investigated.

Health-care survey

Islanders were encouraged when the HSE conducted an all-Island Primary Health Care survey in 2016. The report produced a year ago however has not been launched and it is feared there will be no positive changes to primary health care as recommended. Mr. McHugh made a note of this, stating he would push for the launch of this report with the Department of Health.

Members were updated on activities of ESIN, the European Small Islands Federation, of which Comhdháil is a founder member and newlyappointed secretariat for the organisation.

John Walsh, representative from Bere Island, outlined several projects ESIN is involved with including Clean Energy, BluSocial Growth, Slo-Adventure Tourism, CHERISH, Island branding

and water conservation projects for Islands.

“European connections are more important than ever so we are delighted to be a central player in this 11-nation organisation,” he said.

As part of the AGM was a seminar on the importance of education provision.

Speakers included Dr Peter Gill (Professor Emeritus of Education at Gävle University, Sweden), students from Coláiste Ghobnait/Scoláirí Choláiste Ghobnait, Inis Oírr (Muireann Ní Fhlatharta, Michéala Ní hAodha and Dara Ó Maoláin), Tomás Mac Pháidín, GRETB, Michéal Ó Culáin, Priomhoide Coláiste Naomh Einne, Teresa O Sullivan CETB and Dr Glenn Loughran DIT. As COE is keen to include and learn from the island’s youth, participants were interested to hear what the students had to say about their education on Inis Oírr.

They expressed enthusiasm for the secondary school grant system (where mainland students are paid a grant by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to cover boarding costs when attending an island school), delighted to be able to continue their education on their home island and to be taught through Irish. They were also keenly aware of the constant battle for resources to support their education.

Closing the meeting, Simon Murray noted the islands were at a “crucial stage” in their history, and that “commitments to our future” were needed now from the top down.

Minister McHugh pledged to work with Comhdháil on policy issues but said these policies must come from islanders and Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann itself.

Inis Oírr students contribute to the AGM

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áire Uí Mhaoláin, former CEO of Comhar na nOileán Teo and current head of Comharchumain Inis Oírr, asked the students about their thoughts on the AGM and island education in particular: Education is of paramount importance but increasingly our schools are under threat.

Island schools are subject to all the disadvantages of small, isolated rural schools. The effects of school closure, or of limited subject choice has however far more devastating effect on island communities.

Children are the life blood and the future of any community.

If schools close or if children have to leave the island to go to school, their families may follow and island populations will fall. Providing education on islands therefore requires an innovative and flexible policy approach from the Department of Education. Unfortunately, the Department has been extremely lacking in recognising the special case of the Island Schools.

Among the speakers at this year’s AGM were three fifth-year students from Coláiste Ghobnait Inis Oírr: Dara Ó Maoláin, Michéala Ní Eochaidh and Muireann Ní Fhlatharta who gave a refreshing insight into the particular challenges they face.

The second-level schools of which there are only five on the offshore islands are constantly having to fight for resources to keep their doors open. The same assessment and measurement is used to allocate resources as is used on the mainland.

The specific challenges that occur on islands is not recognised or taken into consideration. The students spoke about the allocation of teachers, the extra costs involved in teaching on the islands, school budgets, and in particular the importance of scholarship schemes to the Gaeltacht island and how it expands their horizons.

The students also spoke about the importance of being able to get second-level education to avoid the stress of having to move to the mainland at the age of 12 year to attend school. They highlighted the importance of education through Irish and of an education through

the medium of Irish at home, on an island, where Irish was a living language.

Being their first AGM, Dara, Michéala and Muireann said they did not realise that many of the challenges islanders face (e.g. ferry services and air subsidies, health services, education etc) had to be fought for by islanders themselves.

When explained that the AGM was only the tip of the iceberg of events that happen all year around, attempting to challenge and bring about policy changes, they questioned whether they could be more involved.

Words such as ‘policies’, ‘strategies’ were alien but now they can relate them to actual day-to-day services, teachers in the schools, more subjects, health services and ferries, making it all more real and an essential component of the life they live on Inis Oírr.

Visiting Sherkin and learning about the other islands interested the students greatly who said they would relish more inter-island events.

They all spoke of how much they learnt over the day and questioned whether they should have been made aware of some of the major issues affecting their education that came to light during the presentations.

The students added they had been apprehensive about meeting Minister McHugh but and all three later stated he was approachable and had expressed genuine interest in them and the islands.

One of the girls said she never thought a politician would be bothered to acknowledge the students as Minister McHugh had done and were very impressed he had the best interests of the islands in mind. They also loved that he conversed with them in Irish.

We tend to protect our young teenagers from the issues regarding government policies and their effects on the islands.

Perhaps it is time we involved them more. It also behoves politicians to take the time to interface with island youths and perhaps for Comhdhail Oileáin na hÉireann to create more opportunities get their input.

Now Minister McHugh, try not to disappoint those young people, who you instilled such confidence in you. They believe that you will truly deliver for their schools, their community and their islands.

inshore ireland Summer 2018 31

Coastline News

Proposal to safeguard a traditional and eco-friendly fishing tradition Gillian Mills

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he future of harbour fish weirs in the Waterford estuary is uncertain and without a plan to rejuvenate this ancient method of subsistence fishing, these wooden traps will become “uneconomical and will be lost,” says fisherman, Seán Doherty.

A generation ago, 15 weirs operated at Cheekpoint, Co. Waterford, where only two remain today.

Sean believes these fish traps may provide a sustainable alternative to conventional commercial gear for “efficient harvesting of eels and targeted salmon stocks” and would enable recovery of listed stocks mixed within salmon fisheries.

Scientific research regarding such methods is taking place around the world and a realisation that knowledge contained by indigenous fishing communities is invaluable for all stakeholders, he added.

Doherty is proposing a fundedexperiment for the Waterford estuary, involving the weir eel fishermen and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

“Potential benefits include cultural preservation, tourism, education and marine pollution monitoring involving government departments and stage agencies.”

Waterford also lacks third-level marine research, says Doherty.

“A maritime-related, level-8 course in Waterford Institute of Technology for example, could help preserve local maritime education,” he contends.

Sean believes these fish weirs also represent a “hidden culture” and are a “living link” to Ireland’s

ancestors that could be developed into a marine heritage tourism project.

“The Waterford estuary weir and associated eel fishery could become a central component of such a project while maintaining fishing-associated activities in villages such as Cheekpoint,” he contends.

elements,” he contends.

With plastic becoming an ever-increasing problem in water bodies, the fishermen would keep and record all plastic caught in the weir during the fishery.

“As the weirs are static, we could gather data on the amount

Carrybridge RNLI’s new inshore Atlantic 85 class lifeboat

Pilot study Local fishermen are proposing a pilot study where the few remaining weir fishermen would be licensed from June to midOctober to fish eel using baited pot and weir methods.

Education is also seen as very important: “The fish weir fishery is the only example of a zero-carbon footprint fishery in existence. All elements are renewable and this knowledge will one-day need to be relearned if our rivers, seas and oceans are to survive as living

A

t a special naming ceremony and service of dedication (June 9), Carrybridge RNLI officially named its new Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, Douglas, Euan & Kay Richards, at the lifeboat station on Upper Lough Erne.

Christopher Brooke, member of the RNLI Council of Ireland, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the charity, before handing her over to Carrybridge Lifeboat Station president, Sam McCreery.

Mr McCreery it was a proud day for the lifeboat station, adding that the crew were most grateful to The John and Elizabeth Memorial Trust for the generous gift that had funded the lifeboat.

The president also acknowledged the service of the station’s outgoing Atlantic 75 class lifeboat, Duckhams 2001, which had launched 64 times and had brought 113 people to safety.

“While we’re sad to say farewell to Duckhams 2001 which served the station faithfully for two and a half years, we look forward to writing a new chapter in the station’s history with

Left: Cheekpoint harbour in the 1970s. Note the number of salmon punts working the river.

Today, a few punts remain, along with the odd pleasure boat. It is said that Cheekpoint men were the first deckhands aboard vessels to go across the Atlantic to exploit the Newfoundland cod fishery (P.J. Cummins, Waterford). Right: Photo Courtesy of the Munster Express.

Progress on eel fishermen support scheme as consultation with Revenue begins

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eán Kyne, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment with responsibility for Natural Resources and Inland Fisheries has confirmed his department is to introduce a support scheme for former eel fishermen.

“My Department has notified the European Commission of our intention to fund a support scheme for former eel fishermen who were impacted by the European-wide conversation measures necessitated by the serious decline in eel stocks a decade ago.

“The latest scientific advice to my Department from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas [ICES] confirms that the status of the eel remains critical and that all activity regarding silver eels, such as fishing, be kept as close to zero as possible.

“Minister Denis Naughten

and I fully understand and recognise the difficulties that the conservation measures resulted in and we have worked to progress the issue of support measures and have secured funding for such a measure.

“The European Commission has been notified of our intention to proceed with the support scheme and consultation with the Revenue Commissioners has started this week”.

Background

Eel conservation measures were introduced in 2009 in Ireland’s Eel Management Plan under EU Regulation 1100/2007.

The European eel is a single, panmictic stock distributed from southern Europe and the Mediterranean to Northern Norway and Iceland, including the Baltic Sea. Unlike many other migrating fish, eels begin their lifecycle in the ocean and spend most of their lives in fresh water, returning to the ocean to spawn and then die.

The Sargasso Sea is the spawning ground for European eels. The new-born juveniles drift towards Europe in a 300-day migration. When approaching the European coast, at the ‘glass eel’ stage, they enter estuaries and start migrating upstream. After entering fresh water, the glass eels become elvers.

After 5–50 years in fresh water, the eels become sexually mature. At this stage, the eels are known as ‘silver eels’ and begin their migration back to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. Eels that enter warm water rivers and areas around the Mediterranean mature within five years; in colder northern water (Scandinavia) maturation can take up to 50 years. In Ireland and UK etc in waters of moderate temperature the maturation period is 15-20 years.

Given the continent-wide nature of the single stock it is considered important to consider international scientific advice in stock management.

of plastic moving in the estuary.

“And as a cultural, preservation, educational and scientific tool, the pilot would maintain traditional skills required for this fishery that go back over one thousand years.

“This is ancient knowledge and irreplaceable if lost.”

the arrival of this new B class Atlantic lifeboat.”

The Atlantic 85, is capable of speeds up to 35 knots and is “ideally suited” for rescues close to the shore and “could withstand challenging conditions on inland waterways such as Lough Erne, making it an exemplary search and rescue craft,” he added.

“The Atlantic 85 along with the Rescue Water Craft will be well suited to the waters of Upper Lough Erne because of the complex maize of islands that it will have to navigate, using state-of-theart navigation equipment.

Its range of cover from Belturbet to Enniskillen is a total of 26 miles.”

The service of dedication that followed was led by Canon Mark Watson.

The lifeboat was then officially named by Dr Barbara Stewart and her daughter Kay. The lifeboat was funded

by The John and Elizabeth Allan Memorial Trust. Dr Barbara Stewart represented the donor along with her daughter Kay after whom the lifeboat is named. The inshore lifeboat has launched 13 times since going into service last November

Photo: Nicholas Leach

THE NAME SAYS IT ALL

WEAR ONE NEAR OR ON WATER. ALWAYS.

iws.ie