Inshore Ireland 2.6 December 2006 by Inshore Ireland Publishing

Bimonthly

incorporating

News from the coast and inland waterways

Aquaculture Ireland

Value for money?

Island living

What happens to the plethora of commissioned reports? Page 8

Major island marketing campaign for 2007 Page 16

Aquaculture News Myths & legends about farmed salmon Page 20

December 2006 Vol 2 Issue 6

Water Framework Directive — update . . . . 11 Inshore Fisheries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 - 14 Aquaculture News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 - 25 Marine R&D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 - 33

Salmon drift-net ban: processors likely to be the first casualties By Gery Flynn THE outright banning of atsea drift-netting for salmon has been slammed by one of the country’s most exclusive processors of wild fish who says that her only alternative now is to close down a business that took 25 years to build up or else start importing wild salmon from Iceland or Latvia. Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery in Castletownsend told Inshore Ireland that a business like hers, which relies completely on wild sea-caught salmon and which had been flourishing and ripe for expansion, is now likely to become one of the first casualties of an Irish Government decision forced on it by Brussels. She says that her future now looks bleak and she is seriously considering having to close because the raw material will not be available to buy legally from 1 January, 2007. ‘‘I have just won three prestigious awards for my smoked wild salmon and that could have taken Woodcock Smokery on to a completely different level. Instead of which, it’s all been pulled from under me by this ban. The reality is now that I either source my wild salmon elsewhere or close the business.’’ Barnes says that her annual throughput of about 2,000 salmon means that she is a relatively small salmon smoker. She is quick to add, however, that her focus has always been passionately on quality rather than quantity, and she is proud of having created a business which manages to turn over €180,000 annually in an area where business opportunities

Questions for the DCMNR Inshore Ireland put these questions to the DCMNR: 1, How was the €30 million compensation package calculated? 2, Was the compensation package worked out in a way that was a genuine attempt by Government to help alleviate the hardship to be faced by the 877 drift-net licenceholders and their families around the country at the banning of salmon driftnetting? 3, Did Government then present the ISG with this figure, and instruct it to find a way of making the package fit?

MAJOR ISLAND MARKETING CAMPAIGN * An Blascod Mór, Co Kerry, from Mount Eagle on the Dingle Peninsula — a haven for birdwatching, fishing and walking — will feature in a major island marketing campaign in 2007. Photo: Fáilte Ireland are rare. She dismisses outright farmed or river-caught salmon as being possible substitutes for the wild-caught variety: ‘‘Farmed salmon is not the answer, I have never used farmed fish and I never will. Nor will I use river-caught salmon and, for a variety of reasons, there’s no way that I’ll buy fish from anglers, the principle one being no traceability, and the fact that the fish could have been lying on the river bank for hours. The qual-

ity is just not the same once these fish leave pure seawater to enter the freshwater system. By then they have burnt up all those lovely oils that are such a fundamental part of the smoking process.’’ Barnes is increasingly despondent that the processing skills that have taken her 25 years to perfect, and which she was passing on to her 27-yearold daughter who works with her, will have been wasted: ‘‘Joleine has spent her whole

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life in training and is a highlyskilled young woman. Now what is she going to do with those skills because neither of us wants to go down the route of artificial fish? What’s going to be her future in a peripheral coastal community where there is no work — that’s the bottom line?’’ Billy Dodd of K.R.D Fisheries in Killorglin, another renowned wild salmon smoker, says that the ban on drift-nets is bound to impact on his busi-

ness, but he is still unsure how this will happen. He agrees to a point with Sally Barnes about freshwatercaught salmon but disagrees strongly that there are no alternatives to the sea-caught variety. ‘‘It may be true of fish that are caught further up the river and might have been in freshwater for some time, but I would totally disagree that seacaught salmon are superior.

DCMNR response: 1. A total fund of €30 million was established to provide for a hardship scheme for commercial fishermen and others severely affected by the curtailment of the wild salmon fishery on the lines set out in the Independent Group’s report. Their reasoning is detailed in Chapter 5 of the Report — ‘‘Addressing Financial Hardship’’, starting on page 35 of the report. * To page 2

* To page 2

Home of The Irish Salmon Growers’ Association The Irish Trout Producers’ Group & The Irish Shellfish Association

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

NEWS

Full enforcement of electronic vessel monitoring by 2011 Report by Gillian Mills AT the November Council of Fisheries ministers, agreement was reached on an EU regulation on electronic recording and reporting of fishing activity and on remote sensing of fishing vessels. The new measures, which will oblige vessels to record and submit logbooks electronically at least once a day to control authorities, will be mandatory for boats over 24 metres

two years after the rules have been adopted by the Commission. Vessels over 15 metres must be compliant 18 months later. The Regulation will also allow remote sensing to be used to detect and track vessels that may have turned off their tracking device. Speaking after the meeting, the marine minister John Browne said the new control measures will substantially strengthen Ireland’s ability to monitor and control all fishing

activity within its Exclusive Fisheries Zone. ‘‘This measure is particularly important to Ireland because it will give the Naval service access to catch data of all vessels operating within our Zone. This information will enable them to target fishing vessels whose catch records would not appear to correspond to the profile of their fishing activity as determined by the vessel monitoring system.’’ Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Mar-

itime Affairs, said the application of new technologies will facilitate the fight against illegal fishing activities: ‘‘The new regulation will lead to the replacement of existing paper-based tools at all stages of the fisheries chain (log book, landing declarations and sales notes). He added that once fully implemented, the results will be a system that is ‘‘quicker, more accurate and less expensive’’.

Processors likely to be the first casualties *

From page 1

‘‘There’s no doubt in my mind that the quality of our salmon caught in draft nets in the Laune estuary is every bit as good, if not better. In fact some of my customers specifically ask for Laune estuary salmon as distinct from fish that might have been caught elsewhere, even at sea.’’ For his supply of wild salmon Dodd relies on both driftnetsmen and the more traditional draft nets in the Laune estuary. He is unsure yet how the ban is likely to affect this form of catching: ‘‘My business will most definitely be affected by the driftnet ban. I can’t say what’s going to happen next year because we obviously won’t be able to buy from the drift-nets. So whether the draft-nets will be able to make up for what we’ll be losing I just don’t know. Obviously more salmon will be coming into the rivers and the draft-nets won’t be able to catch the same numbers as the driftnets for sure because a lot of them will be on quota anyway, and some rivers won’t be allowed to be fished because the stocks are too low, so I just don’t know. But as a business man I would be concerned.’’

Organisations critical Martin Kerins of the Irish Traditional Salmon Netsmens Association which claims to represent a majority of Irish commercial Salmon fishermen, rejects the new proposals, saying that the terms of reference used to set up the Independent Salmon Group had ‘‘prejudged the outcome. ‘‘They were not permitted to consider the validity of the scientific advice and in particular the recommendation that fishing at sea can not be allowed.’’ He says that his organisation would examine the scientific background which it felt was based on an ‘‘extremely flawed process. ‘‘Stock levels in rivers are being calculated largely on the basis of angling returns. Only some 50% of Irish anglers make returns and as a group they have a vested interest in suppressing the catches in the short-term to

ensure the demise of the commercial sector,’’ Kerins claims. He says that in 1997 his organisation had been promised that counters would be put in all the main salmon rivers so that accurate stock estimates could be made. Six years later however, he claims that only 15 such counters have been installed: ‘‘We cannot accept the elimination of our livelihoods on the basis of such flimsy evidence,’’ he declares. Kerins also rejects the compulsory buy-out saying that fishermen had been given no option to continue fishing for salmon even if stocks improve at some point in the future: ‘‘There has been no attempt made to consider a set-aside scheme or to research management options that we believe could deliver single stock drift-

netting. If our fishery is so unjustifiable then the Minister and the Marine Institute scientists should inform the public why it is that a drift-net fishery unlimited by quota and fishing out to six miles offshore continues in the UK without any sanction from Europe: ‘‘All licences should have an equal value assigned to them with an additional premium being paid based on catches but the system the Minister is using will result in the majority of fishermen receiving a tiny payment regardless of how long they have held their licence. In some cases fishermen who have held licences for over 40 years and who have not been permitted under the quota system to catch many fish in the past few years will only receive what they paid for their licence in the past five year — approxi-

Questions for the DCMNR *

From page 1

2. The Independent Group was appointed to examine the implications of alignment with the scientific advice for the commercial salmon fishing sector in 2007 and beyond. As part of their remit the group made recommendations to address any financial hardship that may be experienced by the sector. The approach they adopted to determining the hardship payments is robust and convincing. In their report the group commented that the level of hardship likely to be experienced would vary both in extent and scale. Taking all factors into account, noting particularly that there is no legal obligation on the State to provide compensation in a situation where it is imposing management measures that are fundamentally in the public good, they proposed to provide a measure of relief to each individual in line with

the level of hardship likely to be experienced. 3. The only thing the Government presented the ISG with were their terms of reference. These were to: *

Advise the Government of the implications of fully aligning with the scientific advice and in particular the hardship that may arise for individuals in coastal communities. Determine the scale of financial loss which will be experienced as a result of measures imposed on the commercial salmon fishery Make recommendations, if appropriate, to address any financial hardship experienced Consider the extent to which those stakeholders, who would be the main economic beneficiaries of more salmon being returned to the rivers, should contribute to any scheme, whether in cash or in kind including improved tourist access Determine the implications for the angling sector.

mately €2,000. [see panel] Kerins contrasted this with the UK where he claims that a settelement had been reached through negotiation with fishermen being paid between £50,000 and £80,000 sterling for their licences. ‘‘There has been no negotiation here. The system used is based on catches over the past five years when quotas have been cut by 60% and is a deliberate attempt to put the very lowest possible valuation on the fishery. ‘‘We cannot accept the current offer and we will be taking this message to both government and opposition politicians. The Minister can rest assured that he has not heard the last of this issue yet.’’

Outside agencies had input In a hard-hitting statement from the Irish Fish Producers Organisation attacking the conclusions of the ISG, its spokesman, Lorcán Ó Cinnéide predicts tough times ahead for fishing communities ‘‘which will feel even more marginalised than ever. ‘‘That the report is proposing a €30 million compensation [see panel] package offers cold comfort indeed to the smallscale coastal communities that have fished for salmon with drift-nets with little impact on stocks as compared with other factors. That €30 million — if it arrives — will be soon dissipated and the void created in those communities will be longterm,’’ Ó Cinnéide claims. He also criticises the report for what he describes as its ‘‘heavy dependence’’ on the views of outside agencies like the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) and the Salmon Commission’s Standing Scientific Committee (SSC). ‘‘[This] is perhaps understandable from the Group’s point of view but questionable in many fishermen’s eyes as to the agenda of these groups. ‘‘The report, if implemented, poses major threats for inshore fisheries who will be affected by the long-term loss of income and the displacement of fishing effort onto other key stocks,’’ he concluded.

* Controlled explosion at Burtonport, Co Donegal, part of a development project by Donegal County Council’s Marine Division to deepen the harbour basin for a proposed marina. Photos: John Rafferty

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

NEWS

Umbrella federation to unite voice of fishing industry

Cut in deep-sea quotas to conserve stocks

By Gillian Mills

THE four main Irish fishing organisations have joined forces to create the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) to ‘‘articulate our position; serve our members more effectively; provide robust input into policy and management and to overcome percept i o n s o f f r a g m e n t a t i o n ’’ commented its chairman, Lorcán Ó Cinnéide. The initial board comprises the chairmen and chief executives of the constituent organisations, namely: Brendan O’Rourke, Lorcán Ó Cinnéide, Martin Howley, Seán O’Donoghue, Peter Carlton, Jason Whooley, Seán Radford, Michael Walsh. ‘‘Our industry has taken a hammering in the past year and is facing very serious threats to its future. We remain convinced that our industry has a positive, sustainable part to play in Ireland’s future economic development,’’ remarked Ó Cinnéide. Commenting on the announcement, marine minister John Browne TD said he has ‘‘consistently urged fishermen’’ that their interests would be best served by speaking with one unified voice: ‘‘This will help them not only in dealings with the Irish government but perhaps more importantly when it comes to dealing with the myriad of

* Fishermen unite to establish the Federation of Irish Fishermen: (l-r) Seán Radford, Michael Walsh, Martin Howley, Seán O’Donoghue, Lorcán Ó Cinnéide (chairman), Peter Carleton, Jason Whooley

THE Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO); the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO); the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation (IS&WFPO) and the Irish South and East Fish Producers Organisation (IS&EFPO) together represent over 90% of fulltime fishing vessels over 12 metres in length. The organisations will continue to operate independently on a day-to-day basis.

issues that arise at European level.’’ Labour’s marine spokesperson Tommy Broughan said a unified voice was essential to achieving the best results for coastal communities, and highlighted such issues as the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, establishment of the Se a Fi s h e r i e s P r o t e c t i o n Authority and the Seafood Strategy Review. ‘‘It is also critical that fishermen and coastal communities are united in their approach to Election 2007 given the deplorable attacks on the industry by outgoing Minister Dempsey and

2007 fishing quotas SPEAKING ahead of the annual fisheries negotiations in Brussels, FIF chairman Lorcán Ó Cinnéide said the Commission’s proposals represented a ‘‘serious challenge for the Irish negotiating team’’. ‘‘While proposed increases in major demersal stocks such as hake (+15%) and monkfish (+6%) are significant, they are vastly outweighed by massive cuts in Celtic Sea herring (35%); Celtic Sea cod (-35%); northwest cod and Irish Sea cod (-25%); haddock (-15%); ling (-30%), Irish Sea whiting

(-68%) and Celtic Sea plaice (-15%).’’ He added that the proposed increase of 15% in Rockall haddock was ‘‘far lower than the scientific advice on this stock suggests as being sustainable.’’ Regarding pelagic species he said that the proposed increase in mackerel (+12%) would be countered by ‘‘massive cuts’’ in Celtic Sea herring (-35%), northwest herring, (-27%) and horse mackerel (15%). Ó Cinnéide added that the proposed days at sea reduc-

tions in the Irish Sea and in the Northwest would be difficult. ‘‘The Commission must take on board major industry generated initiatives in terms of conservation and management of the Celtic and Irish Seas. ‘‘The rug cannot be pulled from beneath the industry prior to promised assessments in 2007 of recovery measures which have been in existence over the past five years and which are largely discredited in our view.’’

* At the height of the early December storm that caused damage all around the coast, a trawler at Burtonport broke from its moorings and was washed up on rocks at Edernishfree Island. Fionnuala Anne had only been recently moved to moorings at Rutland Island because of blasting work at Burtonport harbour by Donegal Co Council’s marine section. The accident is further evidence that a breakwater is urgently required to protect vessels that are moored in the vicinity of the harbour. Photo: John Rafferty

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Fisheries enforcement body to be independent of marine department AN independent statutory Sea Fisheries Protection Authority comes into force from January 1, 2007, and will be legally charged with the State’s sea fisheries law enforcement functions. The Authority, which will be operated by a board of three independent commissioners, will enforce the EU Common Fisheries Policy and sea-fisheries law generally, in addition

to food safety law relating to fish and fishery products. A system for dealing with individual complaints and concerns is also to be set up through the appointment of individual complaints officers. The Authority will be fully accountable to the Joint Oireachtas Committees on Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, and a fully representative (14 person) statutory

consultative committee will be appointed to ensure the sector can formally input to the work of the new Authority. Headquarters of the SFPA will be in conjunction with the new National Marine Headquarters in Clonakilty, Co Cork, due for completion in 2008. In the interim the Authority will be in a temporary location, also in Clonakilty.

AT the November Council of Fisheries Ministers, Ireland’s deep sea quota for 2007 was cut to 902 tonnes from 1,416 tonnes in 2006. The decrease was on foot of scientific advice for ‘‘significant cuts’’, commented the marine minister, John Brown TD. Reductions of between 15% and 20% in deep sea species (sharks, black scabbard, tusk and forkbeards) for 2007-2008 were adopted unanimously on foot of scientific advice that the deepwater ecosystem was close to collapse and that stocks were being fished unsustainably. Minister Browne said that the agreement represented a ‘‘good balance between the need to strengthen conservation’’ and to deliver ‘‘reasonable opportunities’’ for vessels that specialise in deep sea fishing. The Commission is also expected to propose a further 5% cut in fishing effort at the December council meeting.

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INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

NEWS

Busy schedule ahead for the fisheries management advisers Patricia Comiskey, BIM, reports

THE work of the North Western Waters Regional Advisory Council (NWWRAC) is progressing smoothly as it moves into its second year of operation. The last executive Committee of the NWWRAC for 2006 was held in November, at which the future TACs and quotas featured largely on the agenda. In brief, the NWWRAC recommended a number of well considered initiatives for the fisheries in ICES area VI and VII. These recommendations include the implementation of an internationally agreed management plan for Rockall Haddock; a long-term management plan for northern Hake; a multiannual management plan for sole in the English Channel, and an innovative programme to improve cod stocks and monitor discards in the Irish Sea. All of these measures were presented to the European Commission on 29 November and were very much welcomed as sound and forward-looking measures. The NWWRAC however, has expressed extreme disappointment in the lack of apparent support for the Trevose closure. This industry-led closure has been implemented for

THE NWWRAC is one of the seven RACs established by the EU Commission to bring together stakeholders with an interest in fisheries matter to discuss issues of fisheries management. The stakeholders include representatives from all sectors of the fishing industry and other groups such as NGOs, consumers, and anglers. the last two years in the Celtic Sea. Fishermen feel it is really working and have seen good returns in juvenile fish in this area. Reports from IFREMER confirm these claims and the Commission has agreed to consider this information as part of the up-and-coming TAC and quota negotiations. During 2006, the NWWRAC also commenced work on nonquota species such as scallop and crab. A workshop has already taken place to review current management measures for scallops. The NWWRAC has agreed to commission a number of studies and trials on various management measures for scallops during 2007. Work on crab management has just commenced and a workshop to look at crab management is proposed for next year. In 2007, a working group meeting is planned for the end of January in Bilbao at which long-term measures will be discussed. The Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initial proposals for TCMs will also be considered early in the new year. Over 9-10 March, the

NWWRAC and the North Sea RAC will host a symposium in Scotland to review the Cod Recovery Programme and in particular to examine why it has not worked and what should be done next. The event will take a realistic look at possible causes for the reduction in cod stocks in EU waters, such as; fishing, climate change, predation and pollution. Furthermore, the intention is that this forum will encourage all stakeholders to provide a practical way forward on how these fisheries should be managed effectively. The symposium will take the format of an interactive meeting with keynote speakers followed by working groups for each area affected, i.e. west of Scotland, the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea and North Sea/Kattegat. This will provide the opportunity for participants to fully engage in the meeting. Further information on the NWWRAC from website nwwrac@bim.ie or by contacting the secretariat in BIM at (01) 2144278 or nwwrac@bim.ie

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

COMMENT

SO it has come to this. We suspected that no Irish government would ever have the resolve to manage wild Atlantic salmon on a single stock basis because this required the termination of the drift-net fishery. And we were right. The European Commission has made the decision for us by warning Ireland of the consequences of failing to comply with the Habitats Directive which demanded the end of drift-netting for salmon from 2007. There will be no mixed stock fishery from 2007. This implies a complete cessation of driftnet fishing or any other form of harvesting outside rivers and estuaries. The Independent Salmon Group has proposed a compensation package for drift-net

licence holders that is inadequate and unbalanced. It proposes the greatest compensation awards to those who made the highest catches in recent years Ð in other words, rewarding those who plundered the commonage, thereby underpinning the philosophy `greed is good'. A different approach is needed to ensure that all licence-holders are happy with their compensation package at the end of the day and that they feel they have been treated fairly by the State.

Management

The next phase in the management of Ireland's wild Atlantic salmon resource will heap additional responsibility on the commer-

tnemmoC

A new beginning for salmon management in Ireland

rod-caught fish, presumably to provide raw material for the wild salmon smoking sector. Such a retrograde step will result in the reemergence of wild rod-caught salmon as a social welfare supplement for many. Better use can be made of these magnificent fish. The average price paid to commercial fishermen for a wild salmon in 2006 was 46. This price will increase in line with reduced commercial catches. Access to managed salmon recreational fisheries will also become more expensive. This must happen if jobs in this sector are to be created and maintained and if the recreational fishery sector is expected to contribute to the compensation fund.

cial and recreational fishery sectors in estuaries and rivers/lakes, respectively. It would be a good thing if these sectors could organise themselves to deal with this responsibility and also avail of the opportunity that goes with it. Here, responsibility means every licenceholder complying with the law and opportunity means the chance to exploit salmon on a sustainable basis. In future, wild salmon caught by commercial nets in estuaries and on rod and line in rivers and lakes will underpin employment and wealth generation opportunities. It would be a bad thing to replace the driftnet fishery with a commercial rod fishery. The Independent Salmon Group has recommended a change in the legislation to permit the sale of

Ð Dr Martin O'Farrell

We need to work together to Business heads prevailed over make the pipedream a reality heart to lead to settlement in Delphi/Killary Salmon case Dear Editor,

I write in response to two letters (vol2/Issue 4, O'Riordan, ICSF and Mantle, Delphi Lodge) regarding my article, A lep in the dark , published in the previous issue. Let me preface that I admire the work of the ICSF. My own impressions arise from personal experience in Chile and many bona fide reports, some of which, as Mr O'Riordan will be aware, do not paint a picture as black as his. In bench-marking the industry and the country, the fact that Chile is a developing democracy, only 16 years removed from repressive military dictatorship, cannot be overlooked. From that renaissance, Chile's progress has been remarkable indeed, by any measure. I also have a view that it is counterproductive to over-regulate an industry too early in its learning curve (regulation has its learning curve too). You only have to compare salmon farming in Ireland and Chile to see its impacts on innovation; the Irish baby has been all but suffocated (peak revenue 50m and employment 2,000, both falling), whilst its Chilean sibling has thrived (peak revenue

1,500m and employment 50,000, both rising). Referring to Mr Mantle's letter my understanding of the outcome of litigation taken by Delphi Fishery Ltd against Killary Salmon Co. from those who attended the hearing (unlike Mr Mantle) remains unchanged. Without doubt, had Mr Mantle really had Killary by the neck as he claims, he would have taken the opportunity to wring the living daylights out of it, along with the rest of the Irish industry. As for his reference to ``literally dozens of errors and misinterpretations'' (in my piece), are we not to gain from the benefit of his learned corrections? If he had anything better than gratuitous insult to offer, there may be some hope of progress as Scottish salmon farmers and wild fishery interests are achieving, together with Area Management Agreements. But sadly, this remains a pipe-dream and employment and wealth in Ireland's rural coastal communities are the worse-off for it. Contrary to Mr Mantle's opinion, peer review has completely discredited recent Cana-

Arranmore RNLI crew to receive honour for daring rescue

THE coxswain and crew of the Arranmore RNLI lifeboat are to be recognised by the RNLI for their role in a difficult and dangerous rescue in July 2005. In horrendous conditions, coxswain Anton Kavangh and the Arranmore lifeboat crew saved a lone yachtsman and brought his 10m yacht Nephele to safety. The lifeboat was at sea for almost 19 hours in severe sea conditions with force 10 winds. For his role in the rescue, coxswain Kavanagh will be accorded the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum. Crew members Philip McCauley, Jimmy Early, Martin Gallagher, Manus O'Donnell, Sean O'Donnell, Anthony Proctor and Kieran Cox will receive a framed letter of thanks from the chairman.

RNLI Portaferry helmsman Simon Rogers is to be accorded the RNLI's Thanks of the Institution on vellum for his role in the search for the missing crew of the fishing vessel Greenhill which sank off Ardglass, Co Down, on 19 January 2006. His crew will receive vellum certificates. The search and rescue operation saw one man saved but sadly two lost their lives after their fishing vessel sank. In recognition of their efforts, Portaferry Lifeboat Station will also receive a chairman's framed Letter of Thanks and recently retired operations manager John Murray and the Newcastle Lifeboat Station will each receive a Letter of Appreciation signed by the chief executive. the Irish Times, 24 Ð 28 Tara Street, Dublin 2

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dian `anti-salmon farming' as referenced in his letter. I for one cannot equate Norwegian findings (mainly on Hardangerfjùrd, which is about 180km long, with minimal tidal flushing and a farmed salmon production over five times greater than the entire Irish industry) with conditions here. Incidentally, Norwegians involved in that work agree with me. I remain convinced that highly dispersive hydrography and small industry size (even at its peak) negate any possibility that farm-born salmon lice could impact on wild salmonid stock health in most Irish loughs and bays. I will continue with efforts to substantiate this view and would very much welcome Mr Mantle's constructive contribution to that debate. What Mr Mantle fails to appreciate is that he and his contemporaries are not the only ones concerned about the status of wild salmonid stocks. Unfortunately however, on the present showing, that may be the only thing that they and Ireland's salmon farming community will ever have in common.

Roger Cole

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Dear Editor,

PETER Mantle, proprietor of Delphi Fishery, did not attend the 1997 High Court hearing of the litigation between Delphi and Killary Salmon Co. This may help to explain why his account of events (Inshore Ireland, Vol2/Issue 5) differs so markedly from my own recollection of the proceedings which I attended in my capacity as managing director of Killary Salmon Co. Delphi was the plaintiff in the action; however as the date of the first hearing loomed, it seemed to lose all the brash confidence that had been the principle feature of its media and legal campaign to date. Four days before we were due in court the Delphi legal team contacted ours and proposed settlement terms. These were not acceptable to us and we proceeded to court. During the hearing, Delphi continued to make modified offers behind the scenes and by the third day we felt we had something with which we could agree. The terms required that for the ensuing two years, Killary Salmon Co. would maintain lice at levels no higher than they had been for the preceding two years. Furthermore each side agreed to pay their own costs. These were hardly onerous terms for us and in our view represented a significant victory for science over rhetoric and anecdote.

TOMAÂS BURKE ON behalf of the chairmen, officers, members and staff of IFA Aquaculture, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and colleagues of TomaÂs Burke of BIM who recently passed away so suddenly. Our thoughts are with his family in particular at this shocking news. TomaÂs was a great friend and helper to the industry in his area of Galway and the west coast as well as those producers of new species in which TomaÂs had so much interest. Ar dheis DeÂ go raibh a anam Richie Flynn Executive Secretary IFA Aquaculture

At this stage our hearts would have preferred to allow the case to proceed to judgment but our business heads prevailed. Regardless of the apparent strength of the evidence you can never bank on a particular outcome in a court room. Peter Mantle asserts that `the presiding judge was hostile to Killary's claims'. In fact, the judge at no stage indicated whether he was leaning one way or the other. Indeed it would have been entirely inappropriate for him to be `hostile' to either side at such an early stage in the proceedings. Based on what I observed in court, I believe that the Delphi legal team found itself short of evidence good enough to withstand rigorous testing and had

no option but to request settlement. On the other hand, we had employed a team of expert scientists who carried out two years of exhaustive investigation into the biological and hydrographical processes of Killary Harbour and even Delphi Fishery itself. This established that it was physically impossible for the Killary Salmon farm to have the alleged effects on Delphi sea trout. The research also indicated that the sea trout population was in good shape and not teetering on the brink of extinction as constantly promulgated by the Delphi faction. Ð James Ryan, Ardoley, Westport, Co Mayo

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INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

* Backs to the future: Drafting netting on the Laune Estuary, Killorglin, Co Kerry. All commercial netting of salmon will be confined to estuaries in the future.

Photo: Martin O'Farrell

Verdict of the three wise men: greed is good Analysis of the ISG report by Dr Martin O'Farrell THE EU has finally put the gun to the Irish government's head. The Irish salmon driftnet fishery and other methods of salmon fishing at sea have been terminated. The Irish government deserves no credit in all of this Ð the decision has been forced on us by the EU. The European Commission's view (delivered in July 2006) was the last straw for the Irish salmon drift-net fishery Ð Ireland had to comply with the Habitats Directive and ban mixed stock salmon fisheries (defined as a fishery harvesting significant numbers of salmon from two or more stocks) from 2007.

The report of the Independent Salmon Group (ISG) is in some ways a substantial document, which has drawn extensively from the deliberations of the Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) of the National Salmon Commission and of other international organisations charged with conserving Atlantic salmon. In other ways it is deceptively shallow in its thinking with regard to compensation

District

payments to fishermen. The SSC advised that the best way to meet national and international objectives of meeting conservation limits in all salmon rivers was only to allow fisheries in estuaries and rivers as there was a greater probability that these would only be targeting single stocks. The SSC also advised that fisheries should only take place on stocks that were meeting their conservation limit. This implies a complete cessation of drift-net fishing or any other form of harvesting outside rivers and estuaries.

Compensation payments

The ISG recommendations have been endorsed by the Irish government. The principal recommendation relates to compensation payments for salmon drift-net licence-holders. It was the opinion of the ISG that `any hardship payment must be in line with the level of hardship likely to be experienced by an individual, and that this should,

therefore, be based on the recent catch history of the individual licence holder. Consequently only verifiable catch, that is catch based on tag returns, should count in this regard.'

The level of compensation payments available has been described as `generous by any standards' on national television by one of the report's authors, Padraic White. An analysis of tables 7.4 and 7.5 of the report shows the true situation (see attached). All 877 drift-net licence-holders will share a payout of 22,180,872 (an average of 25,292 per licence holder). Notwithstanding, the highest district average payment will be to the 39 licence-holders in the Kerry district who will each receive an average of 79,578. The lowest district average payment will be to the 16 licenceholders in the Dublin district who will each receive an average of 2,160.

Rush to ruin

In Vol 2/Issue 1 of Inshore Ireland, I characterised the Irish salmon drift-net fishery both as a `tragedy of the commons' and a `rush to ruin'. Should we be surprised, therefore, that those

fishermen who fished with the greatest effort are now being rewarded over their fellow fishermen, who for whatever reason did not make similarly high catches in recent years? What about long standing drift-net fishermen who did not have good health during 20012005, and consequently made poor catches? What about eastcoast drift-net fishermen who waited patiently each season for the remnant grilse to arrive in their fishery districts Ð after the licence-holders in other districts the length of the west coast had had their shot at them? Did anyone consider `means testing' compensation payments or relating compensation payments to the number of years for which a licence was held? Who can tell me that `hardship' will be different for a drift-net fisherman used to catching 500 salmon compared to one used to catching 50? It will be the same for both when they are not allowed to catch a single fish. I have never been a supporter of the Irish salmon drift-net fishery but I have always respected the fishermen who fished within the law and made a livelihood or a contribution to their livelihood from drift-net-

No. licences Average annual district Average annual catch (2005) catch (2001-2005) per licence (2001-2005) Kerry 39 21,929 562 Bangor 41 20,936 511 Sligo 10 4,783 478 Ballyshannon 28 7,671 274 Cork 106 23,454 221 Limerick 86 12,721 148 Ballinakill 40 5,718 143 Letterkenny 125 16,040 128 Lismore 81 10,112 125 Galway 37 4,449 120 Ballina 68 7,679 113 Connemara 29 3,010 104 Waterford 171 9,386 55 Dublin 16 23 1 Dundalk/ Drogheda / Wexford 0 0 0 TOTALS 877 Compensation package per licence holder: Average annual catch for the years 2001-2005 x 23 per fish x 6 years + 2,022 (6 years licence payment)

ting. The proposed compensation package in my view is inadequate. A significant number of drift-net licence-holders will be very disappointed with their compensation package. This does not bode well for the future.

Other fisheries

From the calculations made in the accompanying table, the Irish government has another 2,819,128 ( 25m Ð 22,180,872) to play with in the context of compensating other commercial fishermen who wish to participate in a voluntary buyout before the end of 2007. It should not be forgotten that there are some public draft-net fisheries operating at sea. These fisheries must also form part of the compulsory buyout, given there must be a `complete cessation of drift-net fishing or any other form of harvesting outside rivers and estuaries' from 2007.

There may be a few surprises around the corner for the government's planned compensation programme. They will have to deal with 877 licenceholders and an as yet indeterminate number of nominees of these licence-holders. (A nominee is a person who can fish in

Average compensation per licence ( ) 79,578 72,540 67,986 39,834 32,520 22,446 21,756 19,686 19,272 18,582 17,616 16,374 9,612 2,160

the absence of the licenceholder. For example, if the licence-holder was sick, the nominee could fish with another crewman and still be fishing legally Ð as the nominee of the licence-holder.) Nominees of commercial salmon licence-holders have legal status Ð as determined by the Circuit Court in a recent case involving nominees on the River Barrow. Judge Mary Faherty held that `nominees' have statutory rights under the 1959 Fishery Consolidation Act and thus had `locus standi' in this matter. The awards made to nominees in this case however, reflected the fact that whilst the plaintiffs were statutory nominees, they were dependent on the will of another for this status. Clearly, the 25m compensation fund and the 5m support fund for local communities are totally inadequate. I haven't yet made up my mind whether the authors arrived at this total after considering all the facts or whether they were told by government what the total should be and then made their calculations to fit this total. If it was the former, they were unwise, if it was the latter, they were foolish.

Total compensation per district ( ) 3,103,542 2,974,140 679,860 1,115,352 3,447,120 1,930,356 870,240 2,460,750 1,561,032 687,534 1,197,888 474,846 1,643,652 34,560 22,180,872

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

REPORT

The knowledge drain: do we get value from science? By Rick Boelens WHATEVER

Similarly, search

happens to all

and

recipients

grants

under

re-

national

environmental

pro-

tion they deserve; witness the ground-breaking report

Troubles

(GESAMP,

A Sea of 1

2001 ),

those reports prepared for gov-

grammes may never learn how

published jointly by eight UN

ernment agencies by Irish scien-

their findings were considered

agencies, which gave a hard-

tists? How many of them gather

or applied, if at all. The syn-

hitting layman's account of the

dust

bookshelves

drome is by no means confined

critical

while the contents are quietly

to those working in the private

world's oceans. There is no sign

overlooked?

sector as academics, advisers or

that governments have heeded

consultants;

the dire warnings it contains.

official

``To what extent are serious

the

many

fic community, and recommen-

within the State system whose

just

dations

considered

job it is to inform and advise the

employment of scientists. Pur-

when preparing budgets, poli-

administration on technical mat-

suit

cies or programmes,'' asks Rick

ters.

economic benefit is an equally

Boelens. I suspect that a hefty propor-

scientists

facing

issues identified by the scientimade

experienced

shared

problems

Value for money?

Investment in science is not about of

the

training

knowledge

for

and

socio-

strong justification. The

burial

carefully

tion of environmental scientists,

Government scientists often se-

drafted studies and advice is

myself included, who at some

lect the research themes to be

significant

stage in their careers have been

funded but are restricted when it

respects. First, it is an enormous

commissioned

government

comes to applying the results.

waste

agencies to investigate, analyse

Nor is this an Irish, or even

Research funding and the train-

or comment on particular en-

national, problem. Many valu-

ing of scientists accounts for

vironmental

left

able reports on environmental

millions of euros per year. If

issues produced by international

these

agencies fail to gain the atten-

yield dividends why are they

wondering

topics,

what

their efforts.

are

happened

money

investments

number and

are

talent.

not

made? Secondly, failure to heed Extract from article in

Sun-

accountable for the money it

day Times (12/11) by Matt

spends on scientific research?

environmental problems go un-

Cooper

the

taken to improve the situation:

solved,

subject of the GardaõÂ,

`Hardly a week goes by without the government being presented with a strongly argued and sensible report on some subject or other. The problem is what happens next or, in most cases, what doesn't. Faced with specific recommendations on action that needs to be taken, the government tends to drag its decision-making feet or opt for some bastardised version of what experts have proposed.'

One is to oblige agencies that

scientific messages and advice is

one

the

reasons

sometimes

why

continuing

needlessly for decades. Thirdly, there is nothing more frustrating for those in the applied sciences to

find

that

the

issues

and

problems they investigate, and the

solutions

they

offer,

are

ignored.

Mission impossible? For such reasons many specialists

are

reluctant

become

involved in environmental problem-solving unless their work can be published in the open literature. But let's be clear Ð the

argument

less

about

writing

At least two steps could be

commission studies to publish a synopsis of key research findings each year and for these to be circulated amongst all state and academic institutions. Another

response

commissioned

studies than the fact that there is no easy way to find out!

Inshore Ireland

Of interest to readers,

the

past

decade

has

seen a plethora of marine environmental studies funded under

government

programmes

such as the National Development

Plan

(NDP)

programmes

and

such as

INTER-

REG. The

majority

these,

appears, are destined for obscurity in the so-called `grey' literature

rather

than

tionally

available

interna-

scientific

tion, requesting the appropriate minister scientific

reports

any

m a de

funded

nate agency. 2

marine environment , for example, published in 1999, sum-

least

then

politicians

would have an opportunity to pursue the fate of any advice or

marised at least 20 points on

recommendations

which management action was

have merit for policy, planning

required. These assessments are

or management purposes.

an international requirement. A follow-up document

listed 10

key steps for improving marine assessments. The difficulty is that there is no obvious way to determine if, how or when the matters raised were followed up by the relevant departments or agencies.

Who is responsible?

available from agency websites,

climate; biodiversity; living re-

and copies of reports can be had

sources;

on request, this avenue is used

information

projects

re-

generally

more by scientists than managers and administrators.

matics; mapping and energy.

respond

his/her Department or subordi-

coastal management; fisheries;

infor-

r e c om m en d a t i o ns

response;

months of a report's publica-

Although

emergency

the

our case, the Da Â il), within a few

range of topics from integrated

mammals;

adopt

any member of the house (in

journals. They cover a diverse

marine

tary questions can be raised by

whether or not there has been a

approach by which parliamen-

Most studies present conclu-

So how do those we rely on

sions relevant to policy devel-

to develop and implement en-

opment, management or further

vironmental policy get to hear

research. The first major assess-

of new knowledge and ideas?

ment of the state of Ireland's

Should the Government be held

they

feel

[Let us know of any research reports

themes

that

generate

environmental

the

have

failed

response

to in-

tended Ð Editor]

1Joint

Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Protection - GESAMP (2001). A Sea of Troubles. Rep. Stud.. GESAMP No. 70, 35pp. 2Marine Institute (1999). Ireland's Marine & Coastal Areas and Adjacent Seas: an environmental assessment. On behalf of the Departments of Environment & Local Government and Marine and Natural Resources, 388pp. 3Marine Institute (2000). Quality Status Report 1999: experience gained - lessons learned, 7pp.

Joint co-operation to enhance understanding of key fish stocks stock

opportunity to develop a strong

providing

working relationship between

meaningful stock assessments

scientists and the fishing in-

can often be a difficult task.

dustry. Working together and

knowledge base for managers

This

sharing each others knowledge

of key fish stocks, namely the

deepen our understanding of

will provide new information

west

the

and insight that will help ad-

THE

fishing industry and the

Marine forces

Institute under

programmes

www.marine.ie

Foras na Mara

three to

join

research

improve

Ireland

the

anglerfish,

lied

accurate

information

``but

research resource

will and

seek

ultimately

area in the Irish Sea.

scientific assessments and ad-

All three projects are due to

vice, to the benefit of fisher-

run until the end of '07 and are

men and managers alike''.

being funded under the Marine

funding,

marine minister John Browne,

quality

the

dress key fisheries issues''.

improve

the

fish

Celtic Sea cod and the closed Announcing

Marine Institute Rinville Oranmore Co. Galway telephone 353 91 387 200 facsimile 353 91 387 201 email institute.mail@marine.ie

are

TD, said that sustainable man-

The minister added that the

agement of Irish fisheries re-

projects represented ``a great

Research sub-measure in the National Development Plan.

Waterways Ireland proposes new navigation for River Shannon INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

REPORT

Paula Treacy & Joe McMahon explain

AS part of its ongoing programme to develop the Shannon Navigation, Waterways Ireland proposes to extend the navigable channel from Lough Allen, where it currently ends, to Annagh Upper. Annagh Upper is located in Co Leitrim, approximately 3.5km from Lough Allen and is less than 2km downstream from Dowra village. This proposal forms part of the National Development Plan. Only two public mooring facilities are currently available to boat users on Lough Allen: Spencer Harbour on the western shore and the new moorings and amenity area on the eastern shore at Cleighran More. The site at Annagh Upper will constitute a third facility on the Lough, and will provide another destination for tourists exploring the Upper Shannon. It will also provide a safe haven in the event of a storm on the Lough. The proposal not only provides additional facilities for users of the navigation but a leisure amenity area for the general public and the local community. It will also make it possible to cruise from Dowra to Limerick on the River Shannon, and to Belleek via the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Erne System.

* Aerial view of Lough Allen to site.

WATERWAYS Ireland is one of the All Ireland Implementation Bodies established under the 1999 British-Irish Agreement Act. Waterways Ireland is responsible for the management, maintenance, development, and restoration of the inland navigable waterway system throughout the Island of Ireland, principally for recreational purposes.

Proposed works

In order to create a navigable channel from Lough Allen, Waterways Ireland will have to carry out dredging operations at a number of locations. In the lower reaches of the river, dredging will mainly involve removing deposited and compacted silt from the point where the river enters Lough Allen and from a number of isolated stretches along the river. In the stretch immediately downstream of Annagh Upper, bedrock is present and will have to be removed to provide navigable depth for boat traffic. A weir is to be constructed from this bedrock across the river to the same height as the existing rock shelf, in order to retain existing water levels upstream of the new moorings. The works also include creating a `lay-by' to accommodate a 16-berth public marina comprising floating walkways and finger jetties. An access ramp to the moorings specially adapted for disabled users of the navigation will be provided. In addition to providing water and sensitive lighting on the moorings, the area is to be landscaped and will have a car park, public footpaths and seating. The floating jetty configuration, as opposed to a fixed arrangement, will maintain a consistent freeboard between the water level and the deck of the jetty, allowing easy access for boat users using the navigation, regardless of water level. This arrangement for the moorings not only maintains the full width of the river for navigation but also provides shelter and room for boats to manoeuvre.

tion channel on fish communities was also conducted.

Hydrological assessment

* Drumshanbo Lock, Lough Allen.

Allen to Annagh Upper will pass through a proposed Natural Heritage Area at Kilgarriff Marsh. Waterways Ireland commissioned a comprehensive environmental assessment of the proposed development, the aim of which was to identify and describe areas of value for nature conservation, and to indicate those areas where that value may be compromised by the proposals to deepen the river channel, and if appropriate, propose mitigation measures to protect areas and species of interest. The study included an examBoats travelling from Lough ination of key flora and habi-

Environmental impact assessment

tats; bird and mammal surveys; water quality, aquatic flora and macroinvertebrate studies. Special emphasis was placed on evaluating the effect of the proposed development on vulnerable species including: wintering Greenland whitefronted geese; breeding birds; freshwater crayfish and lamprey; otter and two protected species of flora: a rare species of orchid called Irish lady's tresses and mudwort. A detailed study evaluating the status of fish stocks on the River Shannon between Lough Allen and Annagh Upper and the impact of creating a naviga-

To complement the ecological studies, a detailed hydrological assessment involving hydrological modeling was undertaken to determine if dredging would alter the hydrological regime of the area and thus impact on the habitats within the proposed Natural Heritage Area. This study also assessed the potential impacts of boat traffic on the river channel. In addition to examining natural heritage, the potential impacts of the project on archaeological heritage were investigated. An underwater archaeological impact assessment in the form of a geophysical survey was carried out in sections of Lough Allen and within the 3.5km stretch of the River Shannon from Lough Allen to Dowra. Finally, as part of a waste management strategy for the proposal, sediments within Lough Allen and the River Shannon were sampled and analysed to determine potential risks to the receiving environment of the watercourse during dredging and the best options for ultimate disposal. Disposal options examined

* Spencer Dock, Lough Allen

Photos: Waterways Ireland

* Cleighran More, Lough Allen.

by Waterways Ireland included the creation of bird habitat; reuse for bank stabilisation and erosion control; re-use as a soil enhancement and disposal at permitted waste sites. Given the potential for dredged material to be used for agricultural, horticultural and amenity purposes, Waterways Ireland intends to land-spread this material across the site of the proposed harbour and amenity area. The site will then be landscaped. The results of all of these studies were combined into an Environmental Impact Statement. In summary, the studies

indicate that the hydrology of sensitive habitats will not be adversely impacted by the proposal. Much of the ecological interest of the area is located at some distance from the river channel and will not be impacted. Appropriate mitigation measures will be put in place during construction and operation of the navigation, to protect river bank habitats and sensitive fauna. Waterways Ireland has recently lodged this Statement with final design plans for the development, to Leitrim County Council, as part of an application for planning.

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

WATER MANAGEMENT

Blight on the landscape must be resolved A new report on a recurring green tide that has blighted beaches in Courtmacsherry Bay for over a decade, calls for research to be carried out urgently to identify the pollution type and to pin-point its source, writes Gery Flynn.

Entitled Causes, Dynamics & Consequences of the Green tides in Courtmacsherry Bay,

the nine-page report was funded by Cork County Council and was written by Nicholas McMurry for a local action group Ă? Courtmacsherry Bay Environmental Partnership Ă? formed in 2003 to tackle the problem. Tracing the background, the report notes that some build-up of Ulva Ă? a green algae or seaweed Ă? was first noticed on beaches in the inner Courtmacsherry Bay in the mid-1990s Ă? mainly on the sheltered tidal flats onto which drain the Argideen and Kilbrittain rivers. By 1997, the build-up was so bad that in the words of the report, it was starting to become

significant, and by 2003, it had become very severe and a major topic of conversation and concern among residents and visitors to the area.

The report describes graphically how the rotting seaweed had impacted on what, up to then, had been a renowned beauty spot increasingly dependent on seasonal visitors at-

* The report describes graphically how the rotting seaweed had impacted on a renowned beauty spot increasingly dependent on visitors attracted by water-based leisure activities.

tracted by water-based leisure activities: By mid-June, on two major beaches, the algae built into a mass about one metre deep,

topped by a dry crust and with a putrefying mass beneath. The smell pervading a wide area was appalling. Unsightly and noxious-smelling green tide is

clearly a deterrent for those wishing to use the beach .. [and].. the smell pervades a wider area and was detectable up to 4km inland in certain conditions. People have been unable to sleep with the smell.

The report goes on to note that despite most of the seaweed clearing naturally as winter approached, with the bulk of it floating out to sea and dispersing by November, for several months, the sand remained contaminated in smell and colour where the deposits had been.

Minimal impact

* The Argideen and Kilbrittain rivers Ă? the two main rivers in the area.

The report acknowledges attempts by Cork County Council to physically clear the beaches of the rotting seaweed. However, such actions appear to have had only minimal effect, and do not point to the source of the pollution. Despite the short-term benefits, the report questions the methods used by the local

Water for Living, Water for Life"

WesternRiver BasinDistrictManagement Plan (Draft) andPublic Consultation

The Public Consultation provision in the EU Water Framework Directive requires active involvement by the Public, in all aspects of the implementation of the Directive and in the development of the Western RBD Management Plan (Draft) by June 2008.

Consultation Process

!! ! " # $ ! % & !!+ ! #$& ( ! ) * ! ! ) !! ! Contact Details: Email: info@westernrbd.ie Website: www.westernrbd.ie Tel: 091-746804 Fax: 091-762546

authority to clear the beaches of rotting seaweed:

This [clearance] has been done by non-specialist equipment and in the most recent period it has alleviated algal concentrations and reduced noxious smells. However, it is not clear what the long-run ecological effects will be of removing part of the stable top layer of the beach.

As to what is causing such an unusual algal growth, the report speculates that the limiting factor in the pollution is likely to be either phosphate or nitrate in the surrounding run-off water and rivers. It states that for truly unpolluted waters, both have to be addressed.

Phosphate pollution can be of agricultural origin, from the spreading of manure, and can be a severe problem arising from the clear-felling of forestry. However, it is more strongly linked to sewage, household pollution and industrual pollution.

The report notes that nitrate pollution on the other hand, is most likely to be of agricultural origin, [and that] forestry may be a contributory factor.

As for the Argideen and Kilbrittain rivers Ă? the two main rivers in the area Ă? the report concludes it is unlikely that industry would be a significant factor.

Background

The McMurry report comes on the back of a scientificallybased study in 2005 by Dr Robert Wilkes, then with the Irish Seaweed Centre at NUIGalway, and now with the Environmental Protection Agency in Castlebar. (see report Inshore Ireland vol 1/4, October 2005) Wilkes' report entitled, A

desk and field study of biomass estimation techniques for mon-

THE McMurry report calls for key research to be carried out urgently to:

* determine the type of pollution involved * establish the `limiting factor' Ă? whether phosphate or nitrate * pin-point the pollution source * establish if the pollution breaches EU bathing water standards (the Irish Seaweed Centre and others have expressed concern that faecal matter is being carried by the algae) * to assess the impact to date on wildlife and shellfish (significant because Kilbrittain is a designated SAC) itoring green tides in the Irish environment was the first in-

depth examination of a recurring green tide in this country. Dr Wilkes confirmed that the extent of the Courtmacsherry green tide was unusual, and that this phenomenon was more often seen in places like the Venice Lagoon or off the coast of Brittany where there was known to be a large amount of nutrient inflow. It was the sheer scale of the problem in the Argideen river estuary that so surprised Dr Wilkes. ``In Ireland, annual green tides have been reported in Belfast Lough and Dublin Harbour for many years. More recently they have increased in frequency and abundance on many coasts such as Cork Harbour and Strangford Lough,'' Dr Wilkes said. When asked how these compared in extent to the Courtmacsherry bloom, Dr Wilkes stated that: ``They were never on the scale that I've seen at the Argideen River Estuary.''

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

WATER MANAGEMENT

Advisory Council to raise public water awareness levels significantly Report by Gery Flynn

``I would say that apart from

LOW public awareness of the Water may

Framework be

about

Directive

change

through the establishment of the River Basin District Advisory

Councils

which

provide

this

year,

structured

forum for promoting the involvement of interested parties, senior managers at the WRBD have said. Pat Canney, project co-ordinator

the

WRBD,

told

Galway-based Inshore

Ireland

that since it was transposed into

Brussels

June

2007.

Its

the NGOs, only a very small

format

number of people around the

will be very general, and even

country know anything at all

simple Ð a kind of questions-

about this legislation. Our job in

and-answers format about the

the

pressures impacting on a water

convince them of how impor-

body, and what we propose to

tant

alleviate them. It will contain

RBDs this

will

body

now of

legislation

already

decided.

really is. It will be a difficult

information

task because many people have

likely

other more pressing issues such

particular problem; our propo-

as transportation, schools and

sals to solve the problem and an

health on their minds.''

indication

The WRBD covers an area of

might

detailed

metres,

who

what

This

the

will

science

but

costs

not it

be will

waken people up to their re-

counties Clare, Galway (includ-

sponsibilities under the Direc-

ing

tive and to some of the issues

Galway

parts

as:

impacted

be.

more than 12,000 square kilocomprising

such

City),

Leitrim,

Irish law three years ago, the

Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo.

i n v o l v e d , ''

WFD has failed to register with

It is one of Ireland's eight RBDs

plained. He revealed that some

the general public.

and

NGOs had been critical of the

has

over

two

thousand

Kavanagh

ex-

Canney said that in the lead-

lakes, numerous rivers and an

way

up to December 2015, when the

extensive marine and estuarine

handled up to now saying that

Directive will be fully imple-

area. Dr Paddy Kavanagh, pro-

it had been ``too scientific'' Ð

mented

Eur-

ject manager of the WRBD said

something which he said would

opean Union, milestones such

that a publicity campaign ex-

change Ð especially with the

the

plaining the WFD had not been

Advisory Councils feeding in

River Basin Districts in 2003,

undertaken up to now because

from the grassroots.

the Characterisation Report of

``we had to get our facts right

2005, and establishment of the

first before venturing into the

necessary for us to be quite

Advisory Councils have gone

public domain''.

technical

throughout

the

establishment

the

``Up

process

now but

had

been

has

the

been

Advisory

anyone

Kavanagh said that with the

Councils will be different. They

NGOs

Advisory Councils now in place

will be coming from the grass-

appre-

and with the Significant Water

roots, bringing in issues which

Management Issues Report Ð

people on the ground are con-

He said that the challenge

which all member states of the

cerned

now facing the RBDs was to

EU are obliged to submit to

from now on will be to explain

inform the public in a straight-

Brussels and is due next year Ð

in layman's language the sig-

forward way just how the WFD

the public would seem to be

nificant water management is-

was likely to impact on their

better informed.

sues in a short,

almost other who

unnoticed than

specialist

understood

and

ciated their significance.

daily lives:

``This

report

has

about.

The

emphasis

concise and

readable way.''

* The WRBD covers an area of more than 12,000 square kilometres, comprising parts of counties Clare, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo. It has over two thousand lakes, numerous rivers and an extensive marine and estuarine area.

Nitrates regulations: a big step towards achieving Water Framework Directive targets IN the area of water protection,

each of the seven regions or

cornerstones the `active invol-

nitrates

River

vement' of the public in water

regulations

are

un-

Basin

Districts

the

another

of 2006. After protracted nego-

plans of action leading up to the

cant development this year was

tiations,

production

the establishment of seven re-

finally

for

each

management

came into force in August. If

plan

river

properly implemented, they will

catchment by 2009.

basin

gional water Advisory Councils. Members of these regional water councils are drawn from

contribute greatly to improving

These plans will map out all

the quality of rivers, lakes and

the water bodies in the region;

county

estuaries

the

outline

representatives

controlling

their

current

status,

council

members from

and

industry

and

identify the threats facing them

and farming to environmental

agricultural fertilizer that flows

and most importantly, will out-

and community interests, input-

off farmland into our waterways

line a set of measures that will

every year. They are only part

have to be taken to get water up

of the story however, being one

component of a wide range of

These include full implementa-

integrated

tion

amount

farm

water

effluent

management

measures planned by the government to meet Ireland's obl i g a t i on s

under

Directive

writes

2015,

O'Brien,

and

standard

enforcement

2015. of

the

can

nitrates regulations. Before

these

plans

Wa t e r

drawn up, however, an accurate

(WFD)

picture is required of the actual

Sinead

current state of Irish waters. To

the

Framework

WFD

Sustainable

Water

obtain

this,

vast

national

programme of water monitoring

Network (SWAN). The WFD provides a com-

was developed and published

prehensive water management

this year and is due to be rolled

framework aimed at ending all

out from the start of January

major water pollution by 2015

2007.

and meeting the WFD target of

matic improvement on the cur-

`good ecological status' for all

rent situation where many lakes

water

date.

are left unmonitored or there is

Whilst nitrates have been centre

testing only once or twice a year

stage, occupying headlines and

at a handful of sites.

bodies

that

This

represents

dra-

vital

As well as providing a more

technical and planning will be

accurate `health-check' of the

the bedrock for the most prac-

country's

tical, step-by-step approach to

tighter national network of test-

water protection ever taken in

ing

this country.

polluters.

generating

controversy,

sites

will The

bodies, close

shady

this

evening

and weekend activity of rogue

Roadmap

operators

This approach was laid out in a

document published for public comment last June. The Timetable and Work Programme for making a River Basin Management

water

Plan

was

produced

for

will

efficiently

Before going afloat, always wear a personal flotation device and get training to stay safe

signifi-

country.

regulations

They outline official

management;

doubtedly the big news story

picked

and

if acted

on effectively by the authorities, can be stamped out.

Public participation The WFD has as one of its

ting

into

decisions

water

management plans for the district. These people will be on the `front line' of the challenging decisions that will have to be made to address water pollution and reach WFD targets. Reports

from

the

Councils

are mixed, with some frustration from members that there

THE MARINE SAFETY WORKING GROUP SAYS ‘Before you go out, check the weather and tides. If unsuitable, cancel your trip and stay safe.’ • • • •

Plan your trip carefully and never go out alone Let someone ashore know where you are going and when you will be back Carry a means of communication and for raising the alarm should you get into difficulty Check the Safety on the Water web site links (right) for advice and the full range of safety guidelines

Maritime Safety Directorate Marine Safety Working Group Links

has yet to be any real dialogue

In an emergency, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard

or discussion on actual issues. Of course, at this early stage it would be hasty to judge, as the issues

are

complex

and

the

Councils are still assisting their

Marine Safety Working Group

members in getting up to speed. Whether these Councils evolve to represent true public participation in water management or simply

stagnate

into

rubber-

stamping bodies remains to be seen.

AIM To use its collective expertise and experience to create and communicate marine safety information and messages to endeavour to reduce accidents and to prevent the loss of life in Irish Waters.

So whilst this year's Water

OBJECTIVES

Framework Directive activities may

not

have

been

high

profile as the nitrates regulations, their implications will be

•

To establish strong working relationships with other National and Local Organisations to create/promote accident prevention programmes

•

To establish cause and trends in accidents at sea

for

river

•

To develop accident prevention programmes

plans

that

•

To measure effectiveness of prevention programmes

will change the way Ireland's

•

To provide a coordinated approach to the dissemination of safety information in response to individual enquiries

felt for years to come and are the

building

basin

blocks

management

rivers,

lakes,

coastal

and

estuaries

groundwaters

and are

managed and protected in the future.

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

INSHORE FISHERIES

The Stock Book 2007 also serves as a reference book at fisheries management meetings and is relevant to all stakeholders involved in the fisheries resource

Scientific advice warns of over exploitation across many fish stocks MOST commercial fish stocks in Irish waters are currently not being substainably harvested and are at low stock sizes, according to the latest scientific advice from the Marine Institute. The Stock Book 2007, which

is an annual review of fish stocks for 2006 with management advice for 2007, warns that very few small cod are entering the Celtic Sea which are needed to boost numbers to allow the fishery to survive. Such is their concern that scien-

tists have called for a closure of the fishery. The scientific advice for the northern hake stock however is for a minimum 15% increase in the TAC to 50,485 tonnes, since fishing pressure has declined to sustainable levels and the stock

Single fisheries authority

THE inland fisheries sector is to be re-organised whereby the existing central and regional boards will be merged into a single national inland fisheries authority (NIFA). It was originally envisaged that the legislation required to establish the NIFA would be in place by the end of 2006. According to the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, however, ‘due to the complexity of the legislation required and competing priorities, not just within this Department but also across government departments generally for a slot in the Oireachtas’ legislative calendar, it has not proved possible to introduce the legislation this year’.

is rebuilding. In more than 400pages, advice and information is presented in text, image and graphic format covering:

The statement adds that it has therefore been decided to use the additional time available ‘to examine how the existing seventeen pieces of fisheries legislation (dating from 1959) can be modernised and possibly consolidated into a single statue.

New legislation The Department hopes to be in a position to publish the new legislation establishing the NIFA in the latter half of 2007’. Farrell Grant Sparks Consulting has been re-engaged to undertake Stage II of the review of the inland fisheries sector, which will involve a more indepth study of the structures, resources, funding and policy approaches needed to fully implement the restructuring.

Consultations ‘This process will involve full, transparent and comprehensive consultations with all of the stakeholders during which the principles and structures to deliver the new model will be fleshed out. The findings of Stage II of the Review will inform the drafting of the legislation required to establish NIFA.’

Correction Volume 2/Issue 5 incorrectly captioned a photo on page 14 to J Rafferty. The photo was taken by Don Cotton, IT Sligo.

Key issues and future direction for Irish marine fisheries — the role of research Landings from waters around Ireland Importance of sampling to fish advice Misreporting and other unaccounted removals Impact of number of days-atsea regulations upon fishing effort and mortality Implementing maximum sustainable yield in EU fisheries Integrating the ecosystem approach into fisheries advice

* *

The form of ICES advice EC proposal on fishing opportunities for 2007 Ecosystem overview for waters around Ireland Fisheries Science Services advice for widely distributed and migratory populations

The Stock Book provides vital information for the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resource negotiating team ahead of the annual TAC and quota negotiations in Brussels. It also serves as a reference book at fisheries management meetings and is relevant to all stakeholders involved in the fisheries resource.

* The Stock Book 2007 is available from the Marine Institute, price €75 (inc p+p) or on CD (€35 inc p+p) Contact: 091 387 200.

Fisheries Boards pivotal to implementing wild salmon fishery AT the official opening of the new headquarters for the South Western Regional Fisheries Board in Macroom, Co Cork, marine minister John Browne TD, said that the fisheries boards would be ‘‘instrumental in implementing the changes

required in the management of the wild salmon fishery from 2007’’. He added that an additional €4m over three years, 2007-2009, would be made available to supplement enforcement and protection effort ‘‘while the new man-

agement regime for salmon becomes established’’. Minister Browne said he intends to equip the regional fisheries boards with ‘‘appropriate resources’’ to undertake river habitat improvement and fish stock rehabilitation.

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

Supporting Measures for Sea Fisheries Development Towards Innovation and Sustainability in the Fisheries Sector Bord Iascaigh Mhara wish to announce that applications are now being sought for a further tranche of grant aid under the Supporting Measures for Sea Fisheries Development as part of the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Since the programme’s inception in 2001, ninety seven projects have been approved with a total investment of over »23 million. Building on the success of the programme to date, BIM now invites proposals for the next round of aid under the following headings: N E-Trade and other IT Policies N Small Scale Coastal Fisheries N Producer Organisations N Quality Certification, Added Value, Traceability and Working Conditions N Collection of Basic Data for Fisheries N Improved Knowledge and Transparency N Sustainable Fisheries Management N Experimental Fisheries/Technical Conservation Measures. On this occasion priority will be given to projects where the applicant bears a varying proportion of the costs – those projects categorised as ‘private’ – and those considered to best support the aims of the programme. Private projects, that meet the mandatory requirements of the scheme, can receive grant aid of up to 40% of total eligible costs. It should be noted that all projects must be completed by 31st December 2007. Full details are contained in the programme brochure “Towards Innovation and Sustainability in the Fisheries Sector” which is available on the BIM website www.bim.ie or by contacting: An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Fisheries Development Division PO Box 12, Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin Tel: 01 2144100 • Fax: 01 2300564 • E-Mail: fisheries@bim.ie Or by contacting your local BIM Area or Inshore Officer. Completed application forms should be returned to BIM Head Office at the above address. This measure is part-financed by the European Community under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance

Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources An Roinn Cumarsáide, Mara agus Acmhainní

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

INSHORE FISHERIES

* Once a bustling fishing harbour, not a single whitefish trawler now operates from Burtonport.

Photo: John Rafferty

Does the closure of the commercial salmon fishery herald `happy days' for the poacher? John Rafferty asks the question

THE decision by the Department of Marine to permanently close the drift net fishery for salmon was unquestionably made without proper consultation with fishermen from within this sector and without the assistance of in-depth scientific advice. If they had sought the views from others outside of the lobby groups and angling fraternities Ð many of whom have vested interests apart from the salmon's welfare Ð he would have understood that a total ban is not the solution but is only a temporary reprieve. More complex situations need to be resolved if the salmon is to be saved from total extinction. For two decades, commercial salmon fishermen have been held solely responsible for declining salmon stocks. They stand accused of catching large numbers at sea and thus preventing them from reaching the rivers and their opportunity to spawn.

Restricted season

In a bid to stop this decline, the government introduced conservations measures. In days gone by, fishermen could fish from the 1 Feb to 15 August, 24 hours-a-day, five days-a-week. In recent years, the season has been restricted to June and July, four days-a-week, from 4am to

9pm, and yet the salmon are still declining. These restrictions are rigorously enforced by the marine department through the local fishery boards, and until now the commercial salmon fishermen have been involved in one of the most highly legislated fisheries in Europe. Fishermen now have no choice but to accept the paltry payout which the Department claims is `fair'. In truth, this is based on catches over the last five years when the fishermen were squeezed into submission and have very little to show for all their effort. Chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) Orri Vigfusson has welcomed the driftnet ban: ``We have campaigned for this day for the last 14 years and we are delighted that the Irish cabinet has taken the action we have long recommended. It was not an easy decision to take in the face of vested interests that have shown no concern for the future of the salmon resource. ``Providing proper enforcement is introduced to prevent illegal netting and the rules of the scheme are fair to both nets men and anglers, the Irish government can be assured that NASF will use its influence internationally to help the buyout scheme succeed.''

Focus on real problems

Now that the decision has been

made, will the focus ever turn to the core causes of the salmon's demise? Industrial fishing, it is claimed, kills many juveniles, which are caught as a by-catch in the sand eel fishery. No figures are publicised for the numbers of juvenile salmon killed this way. Seal predation is another threat to salmon populations. On the west coast of Scotland it is estimated that the grey seal population consumed 77,000 tonnes of mixed fish species in 2002. Widespread pollution in rivers and estuaries, which is killing large numbers at juvenile stage, is another unknown entity. And let's not forget poaching. Poaching for salmon has been a way of life for centuries, as a means of survival for poorer families who were unable to survive without it: even to this day most people have no problem with someone rustling `one for the pot'.

Lucrative business

The difficulty lies however with poachers who have turned this activity into a business with some claiming to have poached 240 salmon or more over a season. Their passion for poaching can be heard in the way they talk and describe their escapades, trying to portray themselves as lovable rogues playing `cat and mouse' with fishery officers. It is well documented that

wild salmon stocks do not receive adequate protection once they have reached certain rivers, especially along the north-west coast. Two rivers highlighted by both fishermen and anglers for high levels of illegal fishing and poaching are the Crolly and the Clady, which according to local anglers and residents, are not properly policed at any stage of the salmon season. At the flag pool on the Crolly river, one angler likened the poachers to the bears on some of Canada's rivers, blatantly picking their favourite spots and waiting to pounce as soon as a salmon is seen. Genuine salmon anglers are unified in their frustrations with the marine department and the Northern Regional Fisheries Board whom they say are not putting enough resources into policing.

Poor law enforcement

Current laws are also to blame for the situation. Poachers are not prosecuted unless they are caught setting the net or removing fish from it. These laws need to be changed so that suspected poachers can be charged with intent. In addition, if an angler is caught with prawns in his possession then he too should be prosecuted. Many anglers believe that a ban should be imposed on the use of large landing nets, which are the favoured instrument of the poacher. If these nets were deemed illegal and anglers were

encouraged to use a smaller triangular type net, this would surely have a very positive effect. It is widely believed that the fines levied on convicted poachers are too light. Last year an angler in the Midlands in England was fined £1000stg and ordered to pay £300stg costs after he was found guilty of catching and killing salmon during the closed season. English anglers who fish without a licence face tough penalties including fines of up to £2,500stg and a ban from fishing. The total closure of the mixed stock salmon fishery and the hardship caused by this autumn's slow starting mackerel fishery has left many coastal communities in meltdown mode in the lead up to Christmas. The only support to date offered by the government is 5m to help generate new projects to alleviate hardships caused by the closure.

Knock-on effect

One such community is Burtonport, which 20 years ago was one of the largest exporters of whitefish in the country. In the late eighties and early nineties, large catches of spur dogs (a member of the shark family) were landed, several thousand salmon were taken ashore every week and boxes of whitefish were brought to market by the hundreds and over 450 people were employed in the fishing

industry. Sadly those days are gone. This year during the summer season, 42 people were employed and now not a single whitefish trawler works out of the port. The knock-on effect has seen the closure of two of the village's six pubs and Campbell's shop. Gone also is the seaweed plant and fish-processing factory and the supermarket has shut its doors for the last time. There is real sadness and a sense of helplessness in all those who live in coastal areas as they watch in dismay as the next generation heads towards the building trade in Dublin, London and beyond. A real sense of disillusion and desolation is felt at this current government's heavy handed approach towards the fishing industry and its static reaction to the disintegration of the fishing fleet and their ports. The wild Atlantic caught salmon and their fishermen are now gone forever, it is hard to believe that these fishermen would be the only men in Europe to be punished by their government for being too good at their jobs. Tourism is the way to go, small coastal communities are told. However, those that live there know that the coast is where the sea meets the land and in the future it seems that every step you take may be measured in lost golf balls.

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

APPRECIATION

Kevin McHugh Ð gone but not forgotten

THE first line is always the hardest to get when you put pen to paper to tell a story that expands over four decades. It is harder still when you want to pay tribute to a man such as Kevin McHugh Ð fisherman, colleague and friend. He was larger than life and an international player in the global fishing game. His name was always to the forefront, in terms of catching fish, building boats, competing with our European counterparts, or just plain fishing controversy. An apprentice electrician at an early age, he was ambitious enough to want to put his own name up in lights in the fishing industry, rather than changing light bulbs on poles in the dark of the night on Achill Island. From 1964 to 1966 he was a trainee with BIM, and served his apprenticeship on the MFV Escira Riada out of Balbriggan. In 1966 he went to Iceland where he spent two years gaining experience in large vessel operations and deep sea fishing. This, according to himself, was one of the most rewarding moves of his career. On his return in 1968 he purchased his own boat, the MFV Wavecrest, fishing herring, whitefish and prawns. Even in those early days he showed promise of what he could achieve, and always paid tribute to BIM for his first start. In 1976 he became involved in the design and construction of a 90ft steel boat, MFV Albacore, in Holland at a cost of £1.2m. This was the first

* The late Kevin McHugh

modern steel boat to join the Irish fleet. In 1979, the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation (KFO) was established and Kevin was one of the first directors. He later became chairman and always played an active part in its development. It was during this period and thereafter that I came to know him well, and we became firm friends. Unfortunately, in the environment I worked in and being a local, I was not supposed to have friends. Nevertheless, there was a band of fishermen that I admired greatly and still do; Kevin was one of them. He was a businessman of vision and courage. Most of all, he was his own man, and the constant attention of begrudgers only served to ignite his ambition to succeed. 1980 and thereafter saw the birth of a new departure for the Irish fishing industry. Fisher-

men were fed up watching the Dutch fleet off our coast reaping rich benefits on pelagic species while the local fleet had not the right type of boats to compete. Kevin was one of the early pioneers along with Seamus Tully (Western Viking); Des Faherty (Atlantean); Michael Doyle (Paula and Teddy O'Shea (Sheanne). A new Irish pelagic fleet was thus born, with chilled seawater tanks that completely revolutionised both the catching and processing sectors, creating hundreds of new jobs. I have said many times that if it was not for these men, who had the vision and courage at the time, the Dutch would now be catching our total pelagic entitlements. From 1980 to 1986, Kevin successfully fished the MFV Antarctic, but even then he was looking with an envious eye at the Dutch freezer vessel operation. This was the playing pitch that he wanted to be on and they were the opposition he wanted to be competing against. 1987 saw the launch of the £12.5m, 76m freezer vessel, the MFV Veronica, and I shared the enjoyment with family, friends and colleagues of being there. Tragedy struck in 1992 when the Veronica, which was undergoing routine maintenance in the Harland & Woolf shipyard in Belfast, caught fire and was totally destroyed. I can recall travelling to Belfast with SeaÂn McNelis, marine surveyor, and meeting Kevin. We stood on the dockside as the vessel still

Party in waiting sets out its marine stall

burned Ð the steel plates along the full length of the boat were red hot. Pat the Cope Gallagher TD, who was Minister for the Marine at the time, joined us. We stood in silence for a while until I heard Kevin muttering under his breath: ``Don't worry boys, we will rise from the ashes.'' Later that day, I sat in as an observer at Kevin's request, at a meeting in the Stormont Hotel to discuss the issue of compensation. Around the table were all the `suits' Ð shipyard personnel, insurance brokers, lawyers and barristers Ð everyone out to protect their own backside. Kevin was wearing a pullover and shirt and carried a distinct smell of smoke that he had picked up from the vessel. If anybody ever wanted proof that Kevin McHugh was not just a fisherman but a tough negotiator, this was the place to be. Rise from the ashes he did in 1993. He ordered a new supertrawler from Norway. The new Veronica was delivered in 1995, and became one of the most successful vessels in Europe, competing with the Dutch in the international marketplace, which to me was one of his burning ambitions. I can clearly remember the day he asked me to come to the office, saying he had something to show me. This was the drawings of a boat Ð a very large boat! We had a long discussion. I then also had a view of the future but it was not as prosperous as Kevin's vision.

But, true to form, he was the eternal optimist, and believed that the way forward was to get involved in `third-country operations' outside the EU, which the Dutch were already exploiting. Thus the Atlantic Dawn was born. Enough has been written about the Atlantic Dawn Ð a lot of which was malicious, vindictive rubbish, spawned out of misinformation. Even in death it followed him. Reading some of the obituaries one would wonder at some of the issues raised and what relevance they had to the death of Kevin McHugh. The Atlantic Dawn was Kevin's pride and joy and I, with his family and many other friends, shared in that joy during the launch and the homecoming of that ship. Kevin never intended that the boat should operate on anything other than third-country agreements. If Brussels had treated the Atlantic Dawn in the same way as they had treated other European countries under this agreement, the controversy would never have arisen. Yet, there was the lighter side to Kevin. When the pin-striped suit was left at home we would go out to play. There are too many fun moments to recall them all but one does stand out ahead of the rest. Along with our `resident entertainer' Ð Kevin's office manager and great friend, Pat Rowan Ð we headed for Genoa and Italia `90. Twenty-four hours of sheer fun and enjoyment; and in the years

to come when people asked: ``Where were you when Packie saved the penalty?'' We could answer: ``We were there.'' Kevin McHugh was a good man who operated in a highlycharged business environment at home and abroad. The fishing game is a seriously competitive way of life, which at times puts strains on the best of friendships. Unfortunately that is the nature of the business. First and foremost, Kevin was a family man. He and Vera were more than just husband and wife; they were brilliant friends as well. When there was a week in the sun called for he could always find time, no matter what the schedule was. He was more of a big brother to his children than a father, as I observed on many occasions. The last time I saw Kevin was on July 22, 2006. I was leaving Harvey's Point in Donegal after attending young Kevin and Alana's wedding reception, when I remembered that I had not said goodbye or said thanks to Kevin or Vera. I retraced my steps and as I approached him, he was sitting with his back to me having a drink with his brother, Eamon. He instinctively turned and shook hands with me. No words were spoken. I still cannot believe that he is dead. `To the oceans now I fly and those happy climes that lie where day never shuts his eye up in the broad fields of the sky'

Ð Joey Murrin

By Gillian Mills

``FINE Gael is committed to creating a stand alone Department of the Marine with a senior minister who will sit at the Cabinet table,'' party leader Enda Kenny TD told a gathering at the launch of their blueprint for the marine. He added that their commitment would ``meet action with enthusiasm'' and would end ``the atmosphere of crisis that surrounds the industry thanks to government neglect. ``Based on a bottom-up approach, rooted in subsidiarity and partnership, this country and her immense marine potential can really win. ``Fine Gael wants the chance to help make that happen. If given the mandate, we will deliver,'' he said.

Seafood venture capital

Marine spokesperson John Perry TD said that in government in year one, the party would increase funding in key policy areas by 25m to establish if additional resources were delivering on their key priorities of employment, output, tourism and research. ``We are also committing to establishing a seafood venture capital scheme underpinned by NDP investment and a highpowered communications and marketing drive to encourage private investment in aquaculture and seafood processing.'' Deputy Perry added that despite ``grotesque mismanage-

* Pointing to the future: Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny TD with marine spokesperson John Perry TD at the launch of Ocean of Opportunity, the party's `Blueprint for a Viable and Susatainable Marine Sector'.

Photo: Maxwells

ment'' of the sector, he was optimistic that ``time remains to rescue this great natural bounty. ``The sector needs `innovative and joined-up thinking' in addition to targeted (though not open-ended) investment to yield a `real return' to the State,'' he said.

``Ocean of Opportunity is Fine Gael's contract not just with fishermen, not just with anglers and not just with all who can and will benefit directly from its proposals. ``We believe the sector is a sunrise industry Ð not a sunset one,'' he stressed.

Fine Gael's five-point plan

* Implementation of a biologically, environmentally and economically sustainable fishing industry development plan, in full consultation with the stakeholders, covering the period 2007 to 2013 * Audit of the nation's fleet and resources * Introduction of quality assurance and eco labelling schemes for a range of species * Revolutionise the structures to boost the fishing industry and introduction of management measures for inshore fisheries * Secure necessary funds from European Fisheries Fund sources during period 2007-2013 to implement identified priorities.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us in AIB

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

ISLAND LIVING

COMPILED BY GILLIAN MILLS

Take me to the islands . . .

THE islands of Ireland possess a rich treasure-trove of natural and cultural heritage, and island communities are eminently capable of exploiting it in a sustainable manner. That was the message that rang out loud and clear from a recent seminar on island tourism held in GMIT Galway, writes Enda Gallagher, Ireland unwrapped. Entitled Developing Tourism on the Islands, the seminar focused on the importance of networking, and commenced with a ‘call-to-arms’ of islanders, by Éamonn Ó’Cuiv, TD, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Noting that the islands have the best natural resources, Minister O’Cuiv called on islanders to meet the growing interest in heritage, and pledged that Comhdháil would receive substantially more funding as a result of a possible tripling of LEADER funds in the next programme currently being framed. Minister O’Cuiv stated, however, that the economic agenda was now so imperative that initiatives must be economically viable and must benefit the wider island communities. He commended the initiative by Fáilte Ireland to sell islands as a group rather than individually, and suggested that ‘on-theground’ service providers should emulate this co-operation.

Island marketing Ciara O’Mahony of Fáilte Ireland (West) provided background to the Ireland’s Islands Campaign, explaining that Fáilte Ireland would be marketing the islands as a product in much the same way as golf. She added that a contemporary identity now existed for the islands through their dedicated brochure and website: www.irelandsislands.com and through advertising. Alan Kelly, also of Fáilte Ireland, spoke on the effective

Oileán Cléire, Roaringwater Bay, Co Cork.

presence of the web. Perhaps the best news he had for small island communities, and indeed all small business, was that a little bit of thinking goes further than money when developing a sound e-business strategy. He added that this process should include an assessment of what one wants to achieve, an awareness of what the competition is doing and co-operation with existing channels such as established local sites. Maria Murphy of GMIT noted that tourism SMEs were often disadvantaged through limited access to training and technology transfer. She encouraged islanders to join the proposed island’s Tourism Training Network, pointing out that workshops had already taken place in other networks covering marketing, tourism environment and management. Liam Ó Cuinneagáin from Oideas Gael - an organisation that provides Irish language and heritage courses in Glencolum-

cille, Co Donegal - ably demonstrated the levels of hard work involved in getting projects off the ground.

Customer service He explained that Oideas Gael’s origins stemmed from a letter issued on Christmas Day 1984 to relations and friends in America and to which a surprisingly good response was received. Among the secrets of success he believes is the ability to retain customers and to entice them to return. Keeping with the cultural theme, Anne-Marie Nic Ruaidhrı́ gave an overview of the Tory Island Maritime Film Festival - an annual event she initiated with her partner, French filmmaker Loı̈c Jourdain, in 2005. With her own background in public development and Loı̈c’s in films, she described how this fusion of skills helped to develop a successful niche film festival themed on the island and its

Photo: Fáilte Ireland culture. Trı́ona Nı́ Lionáin of Cléire (Cape Clare Island) presented the Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival, which has been operating since 1992. One of the most remarkable things about this festival is that it has no specific centre but instead is an interactive partnership with islanders. Highlighting a common source of concern for island communities, she explained that the festival was held in September in an effort to lengthen the short tourist season. She noted the potential numbers of visitors to Cape Clear, based on the fact that Cork Airport handled more than 2 million passengers in 2005; current projections for 2006 are closer to 3 million.

Self-guided walking tours Gerry McCluskey of Connemara Safari provided an interesting presentation on the

Photo exhibition on Arranmore

Exploring by foot: an integral part of island holiday experience. Bere Island, Co Cork. Photo: Fáilte Ireland

AN exhibition of marine photography by John Rafferty, Burtonport, is on display on Arranmore Island and runs until the New Year. John’s photo exhibition of marine and landscape images from all over northwest Donegal was previously held at Ionad Tempall Croine, Dungloe and at An Crannóg in Gweedore. A member of the NUJ, John is a freelance photo journalist whose assignments include work for The Irish Skipper, Fishing News and Inshore Ireland. He also writes sea angling articles and takes photos for the Irish Angler’s Digest. John is currently putting the final touches to his first sea angling book due out early next year. Contact John on 086-8320007; jrafferty@eircom.net or website: www.johnraffertyphotography.com

Major islands marketing campaign for 2007 IN 2007, a joint Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland ‘islands marketing campaign’ will involve raising the profile both domestically and internationally and highlighting the many diverse activities available. Tourism Ireland will be concentrating on projecting the islands ‘product’ into the international marketplace, through PR campaigns in the UK, USA, France and Germany, in particular. Cultural events are also planned to highlight the island ‘brand’. On the home front, a

planned PR campaign will target national and regional newspapers and a two-week radio campaign in spring. The ‘Ireland’s islands’ website (wwww.irelandsislands.com) will soon include feature articles; sights and sounds, short film/TV documentary footage, and links to approved accommodation. There will also be a ‘plan your trip’ section. Currently, 85% of traffic to the website is international with more than 2,500 visits per month, highlighting the importance of a website with comprehensive information.

Dolphins at Arranmore Island.

island’s walking product. Describing the increasing problem Ireland has regarding access, he said that, whilst walking holidays were on the increase worldwide, in Ireland they were very much on the decline. His clear message, however, to the floor was that if the islands supplied the walking then walkers would come. He added that packaged walking tours were just a small segment of the market and that major emphasis now was on selfguided tours. He stressed that islanders must agree defined walks and provide additional comforts such as dry rooms. PJ Ó’Flaherta of Óstán Árann spoke on the hotel sector. He commented on the development of tourism in line with improving economic conditions to such an extent that he was able to open a small hotel a few years ago alongside his existing restaurant.

Forrest believes that internet promotion is imperative to the success of his venture, and explained how the company’s site had received more than 1000 visits from all over the world without ever having been formally launched, including one Spanish cyclist who had actually gone to the island in search of the micro-brewery! Given the informality of the audience, it was a suitably amusing way to bring the curtain down on what was an exceptionally important and successful seminar.

Hand-crafted beers The seminar concluded with a presentation from Gerry Forrest of Árann Mhór Brewing Company on his company’s efforts to launch a range of ‘handcrafted beers’ and the concept of a ‘micro-brewery’ as a visitor attraction. He outlined how the Scottish experience, particularly the Isle of Arran, had been a source of inspiration. He discussed the lengthy testmarketing phase for the two beers being launched, and explained the thought processes behind their label design (Irish but contemporary) and the use of the shamrock and slogans.

IRELAND unwrapped is a small tourism and heritage product development company based in south Sligo. Earlier this year they co-operated with Inis Oı́rr Co-op to publish a heritage booklet about the island. Further information is available at www.irelandunwrapped.ie or Enda can be contacted directly at 071 91 85198.

Island farmers call for higher payments Majella Nı́ Chrı́ocháin, CoE reports FARMERS on offshore islands are calling on Mary Coughlan TD, Minister for Agriculture, to increase payments to take account of the added costs associated with farming on the islands. The government has announced a package of over €7bn for rural development for the next seven years. Increasing payments to islanders would represent a tiny fraction of this expenditure but would level the playing field so that islanders were no longer at a disadvantage compared to mainland farmers. Mı́cheál Ó Céadagáin from Cléire in Co. Cork explains: ‘‘Between the cost of taking animals out on the ferry to the market, maybe having to house them in another farmer’s place overnight, and the fact that buyers know it is not worth our while taking the animals back to the island, we are at a real disadvantage. It is often a buyers’ market and unless we can be compensated for these added costs, my fear is that younger people will simply opt out of farming.’’ Simon Murray, chair of Comhdháil supports the call for compensation: ‘‘We are the only farmers in the country caught for VAT twice. All stakes, wire, machinery, feed, bag manure etc. is subject to VAT at the point of

purchase and also on the freight out to the islands. I’ve been farming sheep (and cattle) on Inishbofin and Inishshark for over 20 years and it’s getting harder to stay in the business. Farming on the islands goes back thousands of years. It would be a shame if it were to die out completely because of a lack of support from the Minister.’’ The draft National Rural Development Plan (NRDP) and EU directives on the environment and rural development recognise the importance of farming — not only in sustaining rural populations but also in taking care of the environment and ensuring biodiversity. Farmers are crucial to maintaining island landscape. Where farming ceased on Scottish and French islands, the land soon returned to scrub and brush. The compensation available under the Less Favoured Areas scheme currently includes three categories of disadvantaged farmers; Those farming on Mountain Type Land, More Severely Handicapped (lowland) and Less Severely Handicapped (lowland) lands. Simon Murray recommends a fourth category — Land on Offshore Islands (not connected by a bridge or causeway to the mainland). Comhdháil does not specify how increased payments should be made but suggests that the Single Farm Payment, which most farmers already receive, could be increased by 50%.

INSHORE IRELAND

What future for the European islands?

December 2006

MaÂire UõÂ MhaÂolaõÂn, CoE reports from the conference

THE first conference to address the needs of small island communities throughout Europe was hosted on the Scottish Isle of Islay in November. EÂamon OÂ CuõÂv, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs led the 21-strong Irish delegation of 200 from Scotland, France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Greece, and delivered a keynote address on the role of government in supporting small islands: What future for the European Small Islands?

Councillor Ian Gillies and convener, from the island of Tiree and Scottish Islands Network, observed: ``We might never expect to realise the full potential of our islands unless they are represented at the highest level with the Scottish parliament by a Minister responsible for their development, fate and future, as the Irish islands are represented in the Irish parliament.'' Ireland is seen as a model, with a dedicated island section within the Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Department, and senior civil servants having responsibility for island development. It was evident during the conference that other Island Federations needed this conference to showcase the example of Ireland as a model. John Morgan, director of services, Galway Co Council, said the biggest advantage in

* Bowmore Round Church, Isle of Islay.

having a minister with an island portfolio was direct access to government funding. ``You can have the best plans in the world, but it still takes somebody at government level to implement them,'' he remarked. The conference also discussed island development from ecologically sustainable models to the crucial role of culture, identity and islanders sense of place and community. Coastal fishing and agriculture were recognised as being central aspects of island life but were ISLAY Ð 25 miles long by 20 miles wide, is famous for its numerous whisky distilleries, pristine beaches and numerous historical sites. It has a population of approximately 3,400 and is home to over 60,000 geese.

constantly under threat by overregulation and bureaucracy. It was also felt that in the face of increasing environmental awareness and a future where some tough lifestyle changes may be required, small islands needed to develop as ecologically sustainable entities and societies, and that models should be developed which large population centres could learn from and adopt. Another important issue discussed was whether residents of small islands were entitled to the same essential public services as their counterparts on the mainland. A full conference report will be available shortly at www.europeansmallislands.net. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those agencies who participated with us.

Study to assess status of fishing SeÂamus OÂ CnaÂimhsõÂ,

CoE, AÂrainn MhoÂr, reports

FOR countless generations, fishermen have been the keepers of lore about the sea its creatures and secret places. Seamanship, the names of rocks; reefs and cliffs; of weather signs; the omens of good luck and the harbingers of bad; this knowledge has been handed down from fishermen long passed to those who harvest the sea today. Major challenges lie ahead for the fishing industry and these challenges are magnified ten-fold on the islands. Fishing is under threat from various quarters, with the result that many islanders are finding the prospect of making a living from the sea increasingly difficult. The burden of legislation and bureaucracy; high fuel costs; habitat destruction from pollution and over-fishing; low market prices and a lack of investment are all taking their toll. The life of a fisherman is not easy, and the long, hard apprenticeship required to achieve even basic competence in seafaring has become less of an attraction for generations of islanders.

Fishing audit

To address these problems and to assess the current state of fishing on the islands, ComhdhaÂil OileaÂin na hEÂireann in association with Comharchumann OileaÂ n AÂrainn MhoÂ ir, has commissioned a study in the Gaeltacht islands with a similar study for the remaining

* An Atlantic storm on ÂArainn MhoÂr Island, Co. Donegal, highlights the

difficult conditions under which island fishermen operate. Photo: SeÂamus OÂ CnaÂimhsõÂ

islands due shortly. The study, which is funded by the National Rural Development Programme, will seek to propose practical measures to help island fishermen, who will be consulted on the various issues affecting them. The proposal to end the offshore wild salmon fishery from 2007 will have a major impact on the islands, with knock-on effects to a number of fisheries including crab, lobster and other shellfish species. With no alternative employment opportunities or other means to carry out their livelihood, island fishermen will be hard pressed to maintain their traditional way of life.

Roadmap

Nautilus Consultants in association with MERC Consultants will compile and analyse the information gathered from island fishermen, fishing industry representatives, government and EU officials, and will employ their experience with fisheries worldwide to suggest a practical roadmap for the island

fishing industry. It is expected that this document will provide the groundwork for specific actions to improve access to the basic infrastructure and supports that are very often absent from island communities. The study will also examine best practice from other areas, particularly other islands, and determine if these can be replicated on the Irish islands. Many positive examples exist such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification programme (http:// eng.msc.org/) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), as tools for long-term management of fisheries. The end result should be that islanders will be more familiar with the positive steps that each of them can take to improve their livelihoods. Managing the various fisheries in a sustainable way will allow us to maintain the way of life that has been an integral part of island life for countless generations. The results of the study will be made available in February 2007.

Rugged, wild and beautiful, Ireland's islands are steeped in history and shrouded in mystery and romance. For information on what to do and where to stay, visit...

www.irelandsislands.com

An Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

INSHORE IRELAND/HERITAGE COUNCIL

The forgotten cultural heritage of the seashore: coastal place-names in the Hook, Co Wexford UNTIL the late 20th century, every rock and inlet around the Hook was identified by a very precise naming system. This method of identification was essential for the local community as the seashore made a vital contribution to everyday life. During the summer, fish were caught from the rocks with rod and line using a `goat-hair' or `torgan' (made from goatskin) as a lure. Shellfish, particularly limpets and periwinkles (known as `barnachs' and `peehauns') were also collected as food. Seaweed (known as `woar'), deposited on the beaches by spring storms, was collected for use as a fertilizer. Carraigeen moss and dillisk were gathered to supplement a diet of fish and potatoes.

The limestone rock was quarried extensively for several centuries for building purposes and also to supply the many limekilns on the peninsula. Wreck-hunting also played an important part in the local economy as it was the principle source of timber for building and furniture, as well as firewood. This intensive exploitation of the seashore resulted in the evolution of a sophisticated naming system which allowed any location on the coast to be instantly identified.

where

most

the

coastal

names are concentrated. These names are a mixture of Irish and

Aith

English; the Irish word carraig

place from which boats were

(a rock) occurs frequently, and

hailed.

the

channels

between

are

lands of Churchtown and Slade

descriptive

and

ance of the places to which they

survey, names are spelled pho-

refer.

netically.

For example,

Baw Bheg

(Lit-

There are various categories

tle Bay) describes exactly the

of names; many refer to people

sheltered bay where boats were

who were associated in some

kept on the Churchtown side of

way with the particular feature.

the headland.

Charlie's Chan; Duffin's Road; Colvin's Chan, and Peggy Hurdis. Other placeThese include

names refer to activities such as

were washed).

today), the majority, who were

are

`holes'. For the purposes of this

Hall lived in the southern town-

(525 against approximately 120

Many

indicate the shape and appear-

tenants on the estate of Loftus

of the Hook was at its highest

(Limekiln Rock) and not a

referred to as `guts', `chans' or

Well Bay; Tobar na Staighre (Well of the steps); Hayrick Bay; Conigear (a rabbit warren); Kiln Bay and Poll na gCaoraigh (a pool where sheep

In 1841, when the population

Carraig Ahoy, for examCarraig an

tive:

ple, was originally

Other descriptive names in-

The Long Chan; The Big Bay; Black Chan; The Round Bay and Carraig-a-three-hole. Cool Cois (the back of the foot) clude:

very

apt

name

used

identify a small `chan' near the point of the headland and the descriptive

Seldom-go-on

is the

name of a rock accessible only

Some names can be decep-

at low spring tide.

* ABOVE: A sheltered inlet known as BaĂ&#x201A; Bheg (Little Bay) on the west coast of the peninsula has been used for centuries during the summer for mooring small boats. As this picture shows, it was not very suitable for this purpose in a south-westerly gale.

* RIGHT: A roadway quarried

though solid rock at Slade, to gain access to a beach, is still known as Johnny's Road. The name presumably refers to the man responsible for the creation of the roadway that was used for harvesting seaweed which was used as fertilizer.

* BELOW: This beach, known as

Dollar Bay, gets its name from a mid-18th century episode which involved the hiding of sacks of dollars here, stolen from a ship by mutineers. The mutineers were captured and executed and the dollars were recovered.

* This sea arch on the east coast of the Hook is known as Solomon's Boat. It is not known who Solomon was or how the place was associated with his boat.

Name association Local folklore THE and

origins of some names, such as

Pockhair

Petiegewer; Tantarara

will always be obscure. Others have an air of

mystery and romance about them. Did smugglers land their illicit cargoes at they hanged at

Hanging Hole?

Rum Hole?

THE mysterious aspect of these

Many continued to be familiar

coastal names is typified by a

with the place-names that are

story told about

mentioned here, and more be-

(Little Were

Many names have an intriguing ring to them: Cor na Gunner; Doornogue, Pursheen, the Blind and Claim, to mention just a few. Others, such as Wrack Hole; Chain Cable Hole and Packet Rock were probably the site of shipwrecks.

Green

Roomeen Glas

Room),

cave

near the point of Hook. Many years

ago,

story,

according

sides. As the economic necessity to

the

interact with the seashore de-

clined, however, and the coastal

the cave at low water to sing

zone no longer played a part in

and

proceedings

everyday life, the need for an

were interrupted when a black

intricate naming system dimin-

Reminders

hen with her chickens came out

ished.

Over the centuries the names of many local people were

old woman proclaimed this to

than

be an evil omen and warned

around the shore, most of them

crowd

dance.

The

assembled

of the sea and into the cave. An

recorded in coastal features with which they were associated.

Nowadays, ever,

perhaps

people

still

more walk

those present to leave immedi-

visitors to the peninsula.

ately. Some heeded her words and climbed up the rocks to

Traditional names

Johnny's Road out of Charlie's Chan? Other personal names are remembered in Jim's Gut; Dan's Chan; Hammond's Chan and Johnny Wallace's.

safety. Just as they reached the

Nevertheless,

top a huge wave swamped the

names of the rocks and other

cave

coastal features are no longer

Other names are more mysterious. Is there a hint of Viking

Until the late 20th century,

mer years. As a result, some of

people from the local commu-

the rich tapestry of place-names

nity walked around the rocks

which evolved over the centu-

frequently. Some out of habit

ries is in danger of being lost

looked for `wreck' or searched

and forgotten.

Some of these are reminders of a time when quarrying was engaged in on a large scale to supply rock for the many limekilns in the district.

Who was the Johnny who quarried

solid rock, or the Charlie who gave his name to

origin in the name

Sholaster

(it could possibly mean the

shallow place)? Who

was

the

Solomon's Boat?

Solomon

whose

boat

was

wrecked

Who was the piper who made the rocks echo to his music at

Piper's Hole

near the lighthouse?

and

those

who

stayed

behind were lost.

the crab-holes.

the

traditional

known as intimately as in for-

These names deserve to be

Others went for the enjoy-

recorded as they represent an

ment they got from walking by

irreplaceable cultural and social

the sea in summer or winter.

testament to past generations.

An initiative of

The Heritage Council

Text by Billy Colfer

* ABOVE: The value of the seashore as a communal resource in the

Hook led to the creation of an intricate system of coastal place-names of complex origin, many of them in Irish. As an intimate knowledge of the seashore is no longer necessary, the names are now largely irrelevant and will eventually be forgotten.

Map & pictures: Billy Colfer, The Hook Peninsula (Cork University Press, 2004)

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

AQUACULTURE NEWS

Tide ebbs and flows over future of `commercial' seaweed THE commercial harvesting of seaweed offshore is unlikely to be given the legal go ahead in the near future, and the likelihood of a change in the law to permit it has been firmly denied by two government departments with a role in the seaweed sector, reports Gery Flynn.

A statement from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (DCRGA) responding to a query from Inshore Ireland said that, other than the period July 2003 to October 2006 when it was responsible for the commercial State body, Arramara Teoranta Ð a company involved in the production of seaweed meal Ð it had `no role in such matters'. (The State shareholding in Arramara Teoranta was handed over to UÂdaraÂs na Gaeltachta with effect from 16 October last.) The statement confirms that primary responsibility for marine and natural resources on a national basis rests with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, and adds that it was `unaware of proposed legislative changes to be introduced to allow the sustainable mechanical harvesting of seaweed using boats off the Irish coast, as outlined by Inshore Ireland'. Top level meeting

The statement does, however, confirm that just five days prior to the Arramara Teoranta handover, a meeting was `hosted' by Minister EÂamon O'CuõÂv; Minister-of-State John Brown and Minister MicheaÂl Martin `to discuss the potential of the seaweed industry in the Gaeltacht'. This meeting was attended by representatives from four gov-

Ireland has already reported the enormous potential benefits which the sustainable offshore harvesting of seaweed could bring to the Irish economy. A report in 1998 by the Marine Institute describes the kelp (Ascophyllum) resource off the west coast of Ireland as one of our most valuable natural assets. The report, Mapping INSHORE

and Assessment of the Seaweed Resources off the West Coast of Ireland

* Norwegian kelp harvesting vessel Bremanger, Norway.

ernment departments (DCMNR; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; Enterprise, Trade and Employment and DCRGA). Also there, according to the statement, were representatives of Arramara Teoranta, and UÂdaraÂs na Gaeltachta. The statement adds that the meeting focused on `a presentation in regard to the potential of the seaweed industry in the Gaeltacht given by Dr Stefan Kraan of the [Irish Seaweed Centre] Martin-Ryan-Institute'. The statement concludes that `no discussion took place ..[..].. concerning proposed legislation' as outlined in the query from Inshore Ireland.

Novel proposal

A statement from the DCMNR responding to the same query confirms that it regularly issues foreshore licences for the cutting of seaweed by hand, and refers to the mechanical harvesting of seaweed as a `novel proposal in the Irish context'. The DCMNR statement added that such applications `would be subject to comprehensive evaluation, especially from an environmental perspective', and states that it is `not aware of any proposed legislative changes on the matter'. Perhaps significantly, however, this statement does confirm that the DCMNR has

Photo: MaÂirtõÂn Walsh, BIM

already participated in meetings with `a number of interested parties on this issue', and adds that it will `consider an application for research purposes, subject to being satisfied with the proposed methodology and other environmental related issues'. Commenting on the matter, MaÂirtõÂn Walsh of BIM said that for the Irish seaweed industry to prosper the issue of access and licensing would have to be addressed ``very soon''. He added that the age profile of seaweed harvesters was of ``serious concern to the industry. Seaweed harvesters are typically middle-aged and there appears little likelihood of

younger people being recruited into the industry, the current workforce is diminishing rapidly due to retirements. In order to safeguard the future of the industry, new methods of accessing seaweed must be considered''. He confirmed that kelps and wracks had been mechanically harvested in Norway and France for years in a way that was ``ecologically sustainable and economically viable''. ``The management systems in place in Norway and France can act as a model to allow the development of indigenous regulatory, management and harvesting systems here in Ireland.''

(Marine Resource Series, No. 5, 1998), claims that an area surveyed off the west coast had the potential to sustain an annual harvest of 75,000 tonnes of the knotted wrack, Ascophyllum nodosum. The current total Irish harvest of Ascophyllum is just over 35,000 tonnes a year Ð less than 50% of its estimated potential Ð according to the results of research carried out by the Irish Seaweed Centre at NUI-Galway. This compares to a world-wide seaweed production of 7.5 million tonnes, said to be worth more than US$4 billion. The Irish seaweed sector employs around 400 parttime and 200 full-time harvesters and has a turnover of less than 10m a year. The seaweed processing sector employs around 75. Over 85% of the total seaweed output is exported for use mainly in the European alginates industry.

Salmon farms: myths and reality FISH in salmon farms are kept in the equivalent of a bathtub full of water . . . . This myth is a favourite amongst those who love to publicise totally false horror stories about farmed fish. This particular myth could not be more wrong, writes Donal Maguire, BIM aquaculture development manager.

The fact is that Irish farmed salmon are typically kept at a stocking density of 15 litres per thousand litres. This means the sea-pens, where the fish are reared, contain 98.5% seawater Ð clean fast-moving west of Ireland seawater, nothing else! But if we do follow the bathtub analogy, it leads to an interesting calculation. If we humans were `stocked' in our baths at the same density as farmed salmon, it would be a very lonely experience. Imagine sitting in your bath in a giant bath house the size of a concert hall: The floor of the hall covered in bathtubs, row after row of them, white and shiny.

Shoaling fish

* A salmon's eye view of the world.

Now, if you were bathing at the same rate as a farmed salmon, you and your rubber duck would be the only creatures in amongst seventy tubs, sixty-nine of which would contain nothing but water. And if you were an `organic' bather that number would rise

to ninety-nine empty tubs! While it is fun to bust a myth like this it does not tell the whole story. The sheer volume of seawater enclosed by the nets of even one of the sea-pens moored off Ireland's west coast is difficult to visualise without first-hand experi-

ence. On average, the salmon have almost 10,000 cubic metres of water in which to swim; now that is a lot of space. Many of Ireland's largest churches have less internal volume than a single salmon sea pen!

What is really interesting, however, is how the fish choose to use all of this space available to them. Salmon are by nature shoaling fish and they exhibit this behaviour in the farm situation as well as in the wild. What the fish actually do is to group closely together and to shoal at a density of their own choosing. They leave a lot of empty water around the outside of the shoal as they swim purposefully around the giant space enclosed by the netting of the sea-pen. They are extremely active and athletic animals, swimming day and night facing into the current and constantly shifting position inside the hierarchy of the shoal. It has been calculated that an Irish farmed salmon will swim more than 13,000km while growing in the fast-moving waters off the west coast. That is the equivalent of crossing the Atlantic Ocean and coming back again. In fact, Irish farmed salmon actually swim

about the same distance at sea as their wild cousins because of the high wave and tide energy nature of the sites on the west coast. This degree of freedom to move about and the freedom to associate and behave in a natural way goes way beyond any of the standards set for `free range' or `nature equivalent' Ð the terms that are often used to describe the rearing methods for other farmed animals. Irish farmed salmon are probably a good deal closer to their wild brothers and sisters than farmed fish reared in more sheltered waters. All of which goes some way to explaining why Irish salmon are so delicious and such a good source of nutrition for us and all of our families. Fish in a bathtub 13,000km long? Now that is a myth! For lots more facts and figures about Irish farmed salmon, why not visit BIM's website www.bim.ie and click on `Salmon the Facts'

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

AQUACULTURE NEWS

* Hardanger Fjord in western Norway.

* A typical mussel farm adjacent to the shore with a depth of 90 metres.

Norwegian mussel farmer visits Killary By Joe McElwee LAST

September,

one

and what they see as necessary

prepared to waste money trying

to drive the industry forward.

squeeze

the

last

the

The Hardaland region is ex-

capacity out of the fjords. He

Norway's new generation of

periencing a revival and interest

felt that a more conservative

forward thinking and practi-

cal

approach using current produ-

mussel

farming,

and

Sven

manager of the region he has

Helge Pedersen of Hardanger

been tasked with the responsi-

Skjeldyrkarkag Mussels, vis-

bility of assessing and pursuing

ited Ireland and specifically

its development.

mussel

farmers,

the Killary Fjord area.

One

the

first

tasks

From the Hardaland region in

commissioned was a carrying

Norway in a fjord stretching

capacity assessment from 1999

220km inland with waters close

to 2002.

to 100m deep, mussel longline

The information gained from

farming is beginning to take off

this provided a practical and

with a planned production set to

economic basis from which to

top 4,000 tonnes by 2010.

form

cers with larger facilities and newer technology was the preferred way to go, and to allow the market dictate the rate of growth of each farm. Since

commencing

farming

1998

mussel

with

major

financial backing, the company has grown from an initial 150 tonnes to circa 3,000 tonnes in

Good husbandry

established logistics network of

French retail stores for 5.20

Pedersen attributes their current

the Norwegian salmon farming

per kilo Ð a price he felt could

industry to get their product to

well sustain the industry.

success

good

husbandry,

adequate unspoilt sites and an efficient licensing system that encourages

practical

develop-

ment based on commerciality rather than physical farm numbers. Growth time from seed to harvest is

15-18 months and

market.

By using simple but efficient

Most of the farms use wellknown and established methods and equipment for harvesting, similar

the

Irish

industry.

Pedersen, however, feels they have the advantage Ð not only in the growth time but also with prices

and

the

potential

they do not suffer from closures

develop each region with more

licences

biotoxin

problems

any

significance.

required.

This

done in conjunction with regio-

Due to the good growth rate 0

nal councils and existing farms.

2005. No new farms have been

in a temperature regime of 4 C

licensed; existing farms merely

Pedersen explained that MAP

to 16 C, the 15 to 18 month

that a similar assessment has

utilise

packing (1.2kg and 5kg packs)

cycle suits the industry in so far

with distinct Hardaland label-

not been done for Killary.

efficient manner having reduced

as exact financial planning al-

ling

the numbers of barrels per line

lows

way of selling product.

and to talk with farmers and

over-licensing meant that this

and the number of lines per

production.

processors on their experiences

time

hectare.

their

production

plan.

Pedersen was visiting Ireland

Pedersen was a bit surprised

to look at how the Irish industry has

and

developing

fjord

Pedersen's

areas (of which we have one!)

experience

around

they

were

not

the

fjord

the

market

dictate

AquaReg co-operation Bjùrgo who took

At the NSL I was dealing with

Geir Tevasvold: ``First I have to

over the helm at AquaReg in

national

de-

do a lot of listening. It's too

October, has hinted that de-

manded a lot of travelling both

early to start giving big over-

spite its programmes ending

within Norway and abroad but I

views at this stage, but it's clear

next year, many of the trans-

had very little to do in Trùnde-

that AquaReg has been judged a

national relationships would

lag itself.''

success so far. In my opinion,

likely

continue

frameworks,

under

Gery

writes

Flynn.

other

role

the

new

Ireland

particular

a key role developing the region and

having

international

focus at the same time.

project

Inshore

manager, Bjùrgo told

welcomed

which

the fact that he will now have

In Ireland for the first time in

his

issues,

acknoweldged

however

pro-

that the role will not generate

grammes would definitely end

the same stress as he sometimes

in June 2007 but there was a

had to endure at the NSL Ð

feeling that the three regions

especially when he was in the

that

the

four

involved Ð Trùndelag in Nor-

way; Galicia in Spain and the

Institute, Oranmore.

BMW

region

would

maintain

Ireland the

``When they finish in June I will then have six months, to end

2007,

wind

AquaReg down for good. But I already detect a strong desire in my own region in Norway in particular for the the co-operation with Ireland and Galicia to be carried on,'' he explained. Bjùrgo

added

farmers' fight against the im-

Photo: A Downes

that

partici-

position of a Minimum Import Price in Brussels.

relation-

ships initiated by AquaReg.

the

Sigurd Bjùrgo, at the Marine

thick of the Norwegian salmon

develop things further.''

an impressive wealth of career experience that equips him for his new role at the the head of AquaReg.

After

nine-year

stint with the Norwegian Seafood

Association

(NSL)

pentant. He supports the stance adopted

Norway

these

talks, and hinted that his country's arguments were sometimes misrepresented in the media in Ireland and Scotland: ``As Norwegians we always believed

were

and its involvement with SMEs and local partners together with My

immediate

re-

sponsibility now is to ensure the four remaining programmes will be taken care of in the best possible way.'' Nevertheless, he pointed to the

relationship

between

re-

search bodies and industry as a key area to be looked at: ``From my time in the private

On this issue Bjùrgo is unre-

At only 42, Bjùrgo already has

practical scope of its projects

sector

Misrepresentation

Solid background

that has a lot to do with the

institutes.

complying

saw

that

lot

research was done which had little or no anchor in industry. Research bodies can sometimes lose contact with industry, so it's very important for them to focus

all

the

time

the

problems and challenges facing industry today. ``It will be important for me now to begin discussing with

pants were `very satisfied' with

Trondheim Ð the last seven as

the relationships that had devel-

assistant director and the feder-

oped

that

ation's salmon specialist Ð he

these might yet be continued

is delighted that his new job

mon. In my opinion, we never

move, and how AquaReg suc-

within INTERREG `or even bi-

will be more home-based:

did,'' he declared.

cess can be developed further. I

and

laterally' works

speculated

outside

altogether.

frame-

``AquaReg

``For perfect

this

match

job

because

with fair trade. I firmly believe it

the even

was

wrong

that

were

accused of having dumped sal-

As to the changes he is likely to

make

AquaReg

the

our

partners

Ireland

and

Galicia what should be the next

think

there

ingness

carry

strong on

the

willco-

showed that these three regions

though I've been living in the

short-term, Bjùrgo is first and

operation, and we will try to

have so much in common and I

Trùndelag region for nine years

foremost generous in his praise

find solutions within INTER-

think

I haven't actually worked there.

of the success it achieved under

REG,'' he declared.

would

wise

the

most

profitable

1kg

packs

were

selling

mage is kept to less that 5% with no problems from fouling organisms or small crop mussels. Many of the harvesting vessels are catamarans or in some cases,

two

old

square

cages

lashed together to provide large working motors to

platforms and

power

with

hydraulics

cranes

just

added

winches.

Seed laying methods are similar to Ireland. Each year as a general rule, the fjord has two good spat falls

At the time of his visit, the

They also avail of the long-

Likely successor to tri-nation

SIGURD

was

harvesting equipment, shell da-

and to date it has never experienced a poor or absent spat fall.

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

AQUACULTURE NEWS

Peter

Heffernan,

Marine

Dr Terence O'Carroll (left), BIM, Richie Flynn, IFA Aquaculture

Institute

Mark

Norman,

Taighde

Mara

Teo.

Michea Âl

Institute.

Â O

Cinne Âide,

Marine

Photos: David Ruffles

Can aquaculture output sustain seafood requirement? to 15,384 tonnes. Separ- marine organisms associated pleased at the 10% growth in when people concerned about of real things and not just the Gery Flynn analyses (0.7%) value of the industry in what the future of their industry production of services to rebaating the two sectors, the report with this one ` the latest figures was a tough year for shellfish should remind politicians, that lance the economy. In an era of '. finds that while bottom mussel THE

was

2005 annual report on

the status of Irish aquaculture released

earlier

this

month,

shows that the value of aquaculture topped 109m from a total shellfish and finfish production

just

over

60,000

1,635 people were employed directly in aquaculture which, according to the report, represents 30% of the total value of Irish seafood produce. The report notes that comparing the 2005 statistics with the previous year, while shellfish production rose marginally by 3.6% to 44,666 tonnes, the finfish harvest for the same period rose only fractionally tonnes.

and oyster ( ) production showed an increase, the harvest of rope-grown mussels was `static' because of enforced closures due to biotoxins and unusual algal blooms off the west coast. With regard to algal blooms it notes that `a protracted intense bloom' of the algae along the west coast from late May into early July, also impacted negatively on shellfish production. The report adds that while several instances of blooms have been reported in Ireland over the past 30 years, the scale of mortality among benthic and pelagic Crassostrea gigas

Kar-

enia mikimotoi

K. mikimo-

toi

not

pre-

viously observed

The report blames Pancreas disease in farmed salmon stocks for the disappointing performance and notes that the 2005 harvest was down by 2.1%. But it points out that the introduction of a Minimum Import Price in 2005 was a positive move, which brought about `an improvement on the '. At 90% of the market share, salmon is still the species dominating the market share of the finfish sector. A 150% increase in seareared rainbow trout production to 717 tonnes (up from 435 tonnes in 2004) is also noted whereas the freshwater harvest of this species, was static at 6% and had a value of 4%. The report notes optimistically that the value of farmed salmon per tonne ` those

higher

recorded

values

than

most

', and it goes on to state that throughout the year ` 2004

the

average cessed

price

never

per

kilo

dipped

'. Citing 2005 as `

pro-

below

4.20/kg

the lowest

point in the production cycle for Irish farmed salmon for many

', the report nevertheless predicts that this year's ` ' on the transfer of smolts to sea this year, herald the belief that `a slight resurgence in output can be expected in 2006/7'. Responding to the report, at its launch in Galway, IFA Aquaculture executive secretary Richie Flynn said he was years

good

survival

• Juvenile production of marine finfish • Lobster Restocking • ICZM • Regional Exchanges/Sea wo-men

shrinking quotas, closing fish processing factories and bans on drift netting, just where does the Government and the EU think the public are going to get their seafood from?''

Status of Irish aquaculture summary data 2003 - 2005 2003

2004

2005

44,678 17,738 41,8m 59,7m 101,5m

43,092 15,263 43,6 m 56,9 m 100,5 m

44,666 15,384 47,7m 61,5m 109,3m

Total/Average

1,099 494 1,593

806 366 1,172

749 313 1,062

average

58 55 45 598 48

70 30 76 513 76

73 14 36 479 85

average

Shellfish samples (DSP/PSP) % positive Sealice (% below level) Benthic No of Farms Reporting (%) Benthic Environment Compliance (%)

2,675 3,3% 80,7% 54% 100%

2,262 3,8% 79,0% 50% 100%

2,549 17,5% 70,0% 66% 100%

average

Residues in finfish

Tests (total) Compliant results (%)

1,064 98,8%

900 99,4%

731 99,7%

average

Grant Aid paid

2,1m n/a

side of the industry

reached sig-

4 Projects extended until June 2007

fish and shellfish farming represent one of the few areas of expansion in Ireland in a sustainable, renewable industry. We've got to refocus the government back on the producers

marketing

nificantly

12 reasons for interregional cooperation

growers with biotoxins and other algae blooms as well as being a challenging year on the market and at sea for salmon farmers. ``2007 is an election year

Production (tonnes)

Shellfish Finfish Value Shellfish (millions) Value Finfish (millions) TOTAL Employment (BIM) (f'time equiv'ts)

Shellfish Finfish

Licensing (DCMNR)

Applications submitted Renewals submitted Decisions by DCMNR Shellfish licences total Finfish licences total Monitoring (MI)

BIM (FIFG & non-EU funded) UÂdaraÂs na Gaeltachta

Source:

311,3 m 884 391 1,275 67 33 52

2,495

average

76,5%

99,3% total

4,6m 6,7m 13,4m 1,7m 1,9m Status of Aquaculture Report, 2003 - 2005

Additional funding to safeguard salmon farming industry

For further information visit www.aquareg.com

THE aquaculture industry is to receive additional funding of 2.2m ``to assist Irish fish farmers around the coast,'' marine minister John Browne TD has announced. BIM, in partnership with the Irish Salmon Growers Association and IFA Aquaculture, ``will take urgent steps to create additional salmon ova hatching capacity'' to help the sector to deal with the ongoing difficulty caused by or IPN,'' Minister Browne added. The industry aims to eradicate this panEuropean fish pathogen from their farms where it has caused considerable economInfec-

tious Pancreatic Necrosis North East South West

INTERREG IIIC

ic hardship. It is completely harmless to humans however and has no consumer implications. ``Provision of emergency ova hatching capacity will provide a secure and pathogen-free holding capacity for the 2006/ 2007 season until the affected hatcheries can be emptied and fully disinfected, thus eliminating the IPN microbe completely,'' Minister Browne explained. Investment will also be made in technology transfer trials to test the potential impact of renewable fuel sources such as biomass on the operating costs of the emerging recirculation sector. This area of activity in Irish fish

farming, using both seawater and freshwater, is rapidly developing. Novel shellfish species such as abalone and sea urchins, and finfish species such as perch and Arctic charr are now the subject of considerable investment interest. ``Introducing alternative energy sources based on renewable principles will assist in buffering the sector, which is highly dependent on electricity, from the price fluctuations associated with oil prices internationally. ``This package of aid represents an important step in safeguarding the future of the Irish farming industry,'' he concluded.

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

AQUACULTURE NEWS

Notice-board . . Notice-board. .

Aqua 20/20 Ð a clear vision of the future IFA Aquaculture is to host a special event on 3-4 April 2007 in the Marriott Johnstown House, Enfield, Co Meath, to address the major issues affecting Irish and European fish and shellfish farming. The event will also act as a gathering point for salmon, trout and shellfish members to

hold meetings and to discuss mutual issues. The conference aspect of Aqua 20/20 will define the challenges facing the European and Irish seafood sector to the year 2020 in terms of supply, markets and processing, setting them in a global, EU and local context.

Aquaculture Forum addresses the issues

LAST month, minister John Browne TD chaired a meeting of the Aquaculture Forum (IFA Aquaculture, DCMNR, the Marine Institute, BIM and UÂdaraÂs na Gaeltachta) which addressed issues relating to shellfish and finfish farming brought to the table by IFA Aquaculture. The meeting also discussed the outcome of Minister Brown's discussions with the EU on salmon anti-dumping measures.

Strategy document

The Seafood Strategy document and the EFF (European Fisheries Fund) new NDP were also discussed in the context of IFA Aquaculture's specific demand in its proposal to Dr Cawley's group. There was an exchange of views on fish health issues and in particular IPN in farmed salmon, and a voluntary fish health Code of Practice and how these issues are linked with the licensing regime. Combined with this, IFA Aquaculture queried licensing in relation to sea lice management and single bay management. The industry also outlined its wish to see the Coordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (CLAMS) strengthened under the new NDP with funding being made available for training, environ-

The conference will also address what areas of research and development are needed to improve the industry and to develop new ways and means of harvesting a managed seafood harvest from fish and shellfish farming. IFA Aquaculture executive secretary Richie Flynn told

mental monitoring and administration. Focusing on the shellfish sector, ISA representatives heard an update on the shellfish safety programme, including work the industry believes is needed on AZA toxicity and on pollution control in bays around the country. Also discussed was a report from the rope mussel workshop in Bantry. Bottom mussel representatives made clear their ongoing frustration with bureaucratic aspects of the seed management regime and the need to resolve the inshore vessels issue raised with Minister Browne during the summer. New regulations on the importation of mussel seed from parts of the UK affected by Crepidu- * Aquaculture Forum at work in Leeson Lane. la were also raised. Regarding algal blooms, the ISA reiterated the problems faced by members affected by the Karenia bloom in 2005, and urged Minister Browne for a speedy solution. ISGA representatives called on the Marine Institute to extend a programme of zooplankton monitoring to salmon farms. Progress on the carrying capacity project in Killary, Wexford and Dungarvan was given by BIM. The Marine Institute also brought the Forum's attention to headline statistics in the Status of Aquaculture 2000-2005 report.

IFA Aquaculture Action File RECENT events and meetings attended by IFA Aquaculture on behalf of the industry: * Launch of the Status of Irish Aquaculture 2000-2005 report,

Galway Aquaculture Forum, Dublin European mollusc producers' AGM, Paris Irish shellfish safety workshop, Galway Rope mussel workshop, Bantry Discussion with the Marine Institute of IPN in salmon, Galway Discussion with DCMNR on shellfish gatherers documents for agents and exporters, Dublin * National Salmon Commission, Dublin * Working Group on the implementation of the Good Practice Guide for microbiological monitoring of shellfish, Galway * Plenary of the Advisory Committee on fisheries and aquaculture, Brussels * * * * * *

Aqua 20/20 will also attempt to define the role aquaculture can play in complementing or substituting wild fisheries to meet seafood demand in Europe and what efforts need to be made by industry, governments and the EU to ensure that development is both sustainable and competitive.

Flor Harrington, ISA Chairman.

New ISA chairman is elected

AT a special meeting in Bantry, the ISA executive committee elected Flor Harrington of Kush Seafarms, Ardgroom, Co Cork, as their new chairman. IFA President, Padraig Walshe congratulated Mr Harrington and promised the full support of the IFA to the ISA executive. Minister John Browne TD also congratulated Harrington on the evening of his election, saying he looked forward to working with the ISA across the range of issues at the Aquaculture Form and in bilateral meetings on specific issues.

that Aqua 20/ will be a first whereby both sectors will be represented at one event: ``Day two will include a profile of the socio-economic role of aquaculture in Ireland. The industry will also have the opportunity to discuss the previous day's findings and other Inshore Ireland 20

issues affecting farmers, processors and suppliers,'' he said. Speakers will include policy makers, industry representatives, EU seafood experts, regulators and MEPs. More details of the programme will be announced in the New Year.

AQUACULTURE TODAY 2007

Feed the brain: eat more fish BRAIN power depends on fish farming and ocean management. For we must manage our oceans and farm seafood more extensively if we are to maintain not just good health but also our brains, a leading scientist has claimed. Dr Michael Crawford, a leading expert in human nutrition and keynote speaker at Aquaculture Today 2007, is passionate about the health benefits of seafood, and believes we should farm the sea as we already farm the land: ``The key issue is that the brain evolved in the sea 500 to 600 million years ago using marine lipids,'' Dr Crawford contends. ``It still uses and depends on the same marine lipids today. The marine food chain is by far the richest source of these brain specific lipids.'' While fish farming will make a major contribution in providing nutritional food to consumers, Dr Crawford also considers that the development of wild stocks should be a priority. Modern fish farming is already assisting these efforts with examples

of aquaculture's positive impact on our oceans including lobster, crawfish and sea urchin restocking projects. ``Just as 10,000 years ago early humans felt it was a good idea to develop agriculture on land, we should be developing agriculture in the seas to promote the productivity of this huge area of photosynthetic potential.'' Dr Crawford will make the keynote address at Aquaculture Today 2007, which is taking place at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh from 17-19 April. He will be joined by industry experts who will discuss how initiatives such as open ocean fish farming can maximise the planet's natural resources. Other topics due to be discussed include: reaching the consumer; market developments; fish welfare and international initiatives. The winners of the Fit for the Future Awards will be announced at the gala dinner on 18 April. To book your place go to call +44 (0) 131 312 4550 www.aquaculturetoday.co.uk

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

FRESHWATER FOCUS

Oysters from Ireland in demand on French market * Ariel view of claires (or finishing ponds) in Marennes in France

Report by Michael Murphy, Aquaculture Initiative

PACIFIC oysters Crassostrea gigas, are the major oyster species produced by growers on the island of Ireland. The oysters are usually grown above the seabed in plastic mesh bags placed on trestles. In the lead up to the Christ-

mas season demand increases greatly, (80% of annual production); the oysters have to be prepared for market by grading, washing and hardening (training of the oyster to keep closed for a period of time). Historically, the majority of Irish oysters are sold to France and the French in their turn are familiar with oysters from the island of Ireland. These oysters are usually bought by packing plants who

* interior of building with holding ponds at packing station in France

either sell on directly or relay in ponds, (claires) for a period, prior to final grading and packing for sale to supermarket chains, restaurants and street traders. Every year before the bulk of oysters are sold, samples are usually sent to a number of buyers for quality assessment. These French buyers have an eye for identifying unmarked samples, i.e. who the Irish producer is by shape and taste

of the oyster Ă? provided they have seen them before. They can even identify different producers growing oysters in the same bay! The quality and grade of an oyster defines the price achieved. This grading is primarily based on a number of factors: shell shape, meat content and lack of fouling. Fouled oysters are those with an abundance of barnacles or infestation of polydora which

discolours the interior of the shell. If the meat content is above 13-14%, it qualifies the oyster as a `special' which commands top price; lower meat content oysters are called `standard'. The majority of home-produced oysters are of standard grade; however if the shell shape is good, some French buyers will take smaller oysters to finish them off in their claires, which are rich in plank-

tonic food. Recognising the importance of the home producer being able to supply to the buyer's requirements, the Aquaculture Initiative sent their quality officer Joanne Gaffney to Marennes in the autumn. This year demand is high for quality Irish oysters with prices showing an increase on last year. This has placed local producers in a strong selling position and one which can be fully exploited.

Tri-nation initiative targets better control of salmonid disease By Dr Gordon Ritchie, Marine Harvest Technical Centre, Stavanger, Norway.

PANCREAS disease, or PD, for many years has afflicted the Atlantic salmon farming industry in Europe. In recent times, however, PD has re-emerged as a serious threat to the sustainability of salmonid farming and its occurrence is increasing and spreading geographically to the extent it is now referred to as an endemic disease (figure 1).

The disease, which occurs during the marine phase of production, is caused by a virus termed a Salmonid Alphavirus. It can cause emaciation, morbidity, reduced flesh quality, and in severe cases, infected fish die. While the name suggests that the primary organ affected is the pancreas, both heart and muscle tissue damage are also key features of the disease. PD can manifest itself as an acute or chronic condition in both salmon and trout. There is no risk

of transmission of the virus from infected fish to humans or other mammals, and there is never a danger to public health.

Prevention and control

Currently, prevention and control relies mainly on good husbandry practices, and the severity and spread of the condition can be alleviated by changing the feeding regime and avoiding handling and movement of affected fish. A first generation vaccine has

been effective in many trials but concerns remain over the duration of protection that it offers. Further improvements and the use of new vaccine technologies can be expected in the near future. The development of an effective vaccine, coupled with good husbandry practices, could significantly improve the status within the salmonid farming industry. As part of a renewed effort to combat PD, an industry-lead consortium, the PD Tri-nation Committee was established in

2005 to increase knowledge of how the disease develops and spreads; the associated risk factors and how to improve mitigation of the condition. The tri-nation Committee, comprising top scientists, veterinarians and key industry representatives from at least 14 institutes and organisations in Ireland, Norway and Scotland has lead to the formation of an internationally-combined and extensive research programme.

Improved control

The Tri-nation Committee organised a series of international workshops and seminars in 2005 and 2006 to share knowledge and experiences and to identify key areas for research that could make the greatest contribution to improved control of PD (and related conditions).

Research strategies with strong Tri-nation dimensions and common elements were defined, and funding was obtained, so that a series of international projects organised under three main focus areas (figure 2), are now underway. The Tri-nation Committee does not plan to stop there as additional research activities are planned. All this highlights the commitment of respective industries, scientists and governmental institutions to resolve this disease problem. Over the next three years, it is expected that these research activities will unearth many important aspects of the disease which can then lead to the development of improved control strategies and thereby contribute to higher standards of fish health and greater production efficiency in the industry.

* Dr Gordon Ritchie has worked

* Number of PD outbreaks in Norway, Scotland and Ireland from 2002-Sept 2006. * data for Scotland from only one company

* Enter Caption Here

in the field of fish health for 17 years. He is Fish Health Technical Manager at the Marine Harvest Technical Centre, Stavanger, Norway. For further information he may be contacted on: gordon.ritchie@marineharvest.com

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

FRESHWATER FOCUS

International think-tank on alien invaders Dr Aoife Thornton la sp). Ms Duran outlined the strategies that reports from Spain management have been tried along the Ebro. ZEBRA

mussels (Dreissena ) are causing such economic and environmental concern to the Spanish authorities that a two-day seminar with international speakers was recently held in Zaragoza, Spain. The species was first discovered in the Ebro river Basin system in Spain in 2001. Over 200 delegates listened to experts from Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland and the U.S.A. It became apparent, however, that while some were experiencing huge problems, not every country had the same difficulties with the striped freshwater mussel. Concha Duran of the Ebro River Basin Authority, National Ministry of Environment, Spain, outlined how zebra mussels have infested reservoirs in the Ebro Basin system, which comprises 347 rivers and 152 very large constructed reservoirs. The Authority is focusing on spread-prevention by identifying the main vectors for the species. polymorpha

Invasive species

Zebra mussels are sucked into intricate networks of abstraction pipes used in Spain for industry and irrigation. Adult zebra mussels cause pipe blockages, requiring engineering solutions to reconfigure design or chemical/ mechanical treatment to unclog ducts. Another invasive species has also arrived in to the River Ebro, the Asian clam (Corbicu-

Waterway access points were closed unless an owner of an access point undertook responsibility for that area. Limiting access to the waterway was difficult due to the various access points that exist. Boat washing points and mobile units were installed at certain sites as zebra mussels cling to boat hulls and adults can survive out of water for more than 18 days, but these were abandoned over time. To alleviate the problem, the Spanish Authorities planned to lower the water level of an infested reservoir by 10 metres over a period of time in the hope that the mussels would die. The reservoir was connected by the river to another `clear' reservoir which the authorities were attempting to protect. Just before the massive project was about to begin, however, zebra mussel was found in the uninfested reservoir so the plan was abandoned. This project would have probably failed given that just a small number of mussels that might have survived, would have been capable of reproducing again.

Dispersal vectors

Prof. Sanjeevi Rajagopal (The Netherlands) outlined scientific research which suggested that zebra mussels came to Spain from France, while genetic testing indicated that they had come to Ireland from the Midlands of Great Britain. According to Prof. Joseph

Bidwell (Director of Environmental Toxicology, Oklahoma State University) by 2005, 26 States in the United States had infested waterways. The key dispersal vectors were via connected waterways and by overland transportation of the pest on boats, in bilge water, on plants and on equipment. Angling tournaments with a `mix' of vessels from various locations pose a huge problem in trying to halt the spread of the shellfish in the U.S. Prof. Bidwell outlined other measured effects of zebra mussels including increased water transparency depths resulting in prolific weed growth. This is an effect that is already happening

in Ireland and can impede boat movement. Research was presented which indicated that outreach programmes conducted in the US play a positive role in preventing the overland transport of aquatic invasives. Ms Joanne Livingstone (Environment and Heritage Service, Northern Ireland) outlined the results from research on the ecological changes that have occurred in Lough Erne following their introduction. The resulting Zebra Mussel Management Strategy for Northern Ireland 20042010 contains a list of the most vulnerable water bodies to colonisation in N. Ireland. This is based on the physico-chemical

information about each waterway. According to Ms Livingstone, the ratio of roach to perch populations has changed from 2:1 to 1:1 since the introduction of the mussel. It appears that perch is benefiting in competitive interactions with roach. Differing viewpoints

Not everyone at the seminar however, criticised the zebra mussel. In fact, Dr Marina Orlova (Zoological Institute, Russia) and Dr Christiane Fenske (Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Germany) outlined how they appear to co-exist with other aquatic

creatures. As distinct from Ireland, zebra mussels are native to Russia and were distributed over Northern Germany before the last ice age. In Germany, they are used as part of a pollution `early-warning' system. Interestingly, the speakers pointed out that more water plants grow where zebra mussels exist. In reality, prolific weed growth can be a major disadvantage to boat-users and anglers. Even in Germany and in Russia, they cause problems for water abstraction systems. Delegates and authorities who attended the seminar were clearly impressed with the education campaign being conducted by the WRZMCI. In particular, the use of puppetry to educate primary school pupils on biodiversity and on aquatic invasive species was of major interest. `Prevention is better than cure' was again the main message of the seminar. However, it was clear that many of the anglers in the audience were not willing to accept any blame for the transportation of the pest to new waterways despite the hard-hitting evidence that was presented. For more information on the activities of the Western Region Zebra Mussel Control Initiative and the `Zebra Mussels and other Alien Invaders' newsletter see www.alienspecies.ie or contact Dr Aoife Thornton, Western Region Zebra Mussel Control Initiative, Environment Section, Galway County Council, Prospect Hill, Galway. athornton@galwaycoco.ie or 091

Workshop to boost angling tourism

CAVAN Monaghan Rural Development (CMRD) in conjunction with the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board (ERFB) recently organised an angling tourism workshop in Baileboro, Co. Cavan. The workshop was aimed at all tourism accommodation providers, including selfcatering, guesthouses, bed & breakfasts and hoteliers. The main objective was to reignite an interest in angling tourism. Despite a decline in angling visitors, the activity is still considered a lucrative market for Irish tourism and a key product for the Cavan area. Overlooking the Skeagh Lake, which provides some of the best coarse and pike fishing in the Eastern Region, the half day workshop was designed to provide attendees with the most up-to-date information on current trends/needs of the angling market. Session one included talks by marketing representatives from the ERFB, the Central Fisheries Board (CFB) and presentations from fishing guides, Gerry Duffy and Marc O'Regan. Topics included the role of the Regional Fisheries Board; current marketing activities undertaken by the ERFB and angling guides; an overview of the role of an angling guide and examples of best practice in angling

New rock ramp fish pass at Lacken Weir * Delegates with angling guides Marc O'Regan (far left standing); Pat McLaughlin (far left kneeing); Gerry Duffy (second left with red lifejacket) and Mark Corps, far right with baseball cap and fishing rod.

tourist accommodation. The practical side of the workshop was held at nearby Lough Skeagh where fishing guides, Marc O'Regan, Pat McLaughlin, Gerry Duffy and Mark Corps (angling advisor for the CFB) demonstrated the most popular pike fishing tech-

niques. They also gave practical advice on how to ensure angling visitors get the most from their fishing trip. A second workshop is planned for the Monaghan area in January. The workshop is free of charge and includes a light lunch. Places are limited

and if interested please contact CMRD on 049-4338477 and/or e-mail tourism@cmrd.ie for more information. Booking is essential. For further information on fishing in the Eastern Region, please visit www.fishingireland.net

THE new rock ramp fish pass is now operational at the Lacken Weir on the River Nore in Kilkenny City. The weir had been the subject of some controversy due to the difficulties that salmon were experiencing in locating and negotiating the Denil fish pass, and getting up-river to their spawning grounds. The Office of Public Works subsequently replaced the Denil fish pass with a new rock ramp pass. Commenting to Inshore Ireland, a spokesperson for the OPW said that this solution has proven very successful in Germany and the USA. ``Reports are that salmon are now safely reaching the spawning grounds upstream,'' he said.

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006 R1

INTERVIEW

West coast SME scoops prestigious annual award

In an interview with Inshore Ireland, Andy Mulloy of Connemara Seafoods — winner of the Seafood Exporter category of the Irish Exporters Association 2006 industry awards — says that success comes from years of hard work and dedication by staff and suppliers who together have built the business and an international seafood brand. ‘‘IT is testimony also to a selfbelief that an SME based in a small west coast community can achieve business success against what may seem insurmountable odds.’’ Q. What key issues will impact on the Irish seafood exporting sector in the future? We are fortunate to be in a business where global consumption of our products is increasing. Nevertheless, global aquaculture production of mussels in particular is rising, and the most significant threat to Irish production will be from Chile, whose key target market is Europe. They can produce excellent quality and a variety of mussel sizes and meat content and ship it packed and frozen to the European market. Production costs in Chile are far lower than in Ireland. Production there in 2001 was 90,000 tonnes and is forecast to be around 300,000 tonnes by 2011. Q. Has Connemara Seafoods benefited from State support, and which agencies have been the most helpful? We have been fortunate to have enjoyed long-standing relationships with BIM and Enterprise Ireland. We have worked closely with BIM in terms of aquaculture development and various marketing initiatives including their Qual-

ity Seafood Programme. A great deal of the success of the whole Irish aquaculture industry is attributable to BIM, and I hope that government will continue to assist and strengthen this semi-State organisation. Q. Has Ireland any key advantages in the world seafood market place? While our geographical location can sometimes be considered a disadvantage compared to our biggest commercial threat Chile, we are still only three days by road from our markets while they are six weeks by container ship. So logistically, our location is now an advantage. It is also a major advantage in terms of having clean and pure coastal waters where the raw material is cultivated. Q. Are you satisfied with the availability of raw materials? Quality of raw material is a key factor for all our products. Sources and continuity of supply are critical. Mussel supply from Zone A sites is an important feature giving us competitive advantage. We are fortunate to be associated with large scale and professional suppliers like Michael Molloy of Blackshell Farm in Clew Bay, and Tim Greene of Seal Harbour Enterprises in Cork. Q. As seafood exporters do

* Andy Mulloy is very much at home on the production floor, believing that the ‘hands on’ approach is an essential part of building an international seafood brand. Photo: David Ruffles

you ever encounter doubts or criticism from customers relating to the issue of shellfish and public health?

No, I get very positive responses to the screening regime as practiced in Ireland, and I commend the Molluscan Shell-

fish Safety Committee for their involvement in the biotoxin monitoring programme. We operate a fully-integrated Quality

Management System that incorporates all of the requirements of the BRC Global Technical Food Standard and Protocol for companies supplying retail, branded food products. The raw material we use is a natural product. The biggest threat to it is from nature itself — toxins which occur naturally in the waters where the shellfish are grown. Our strategy is to source raw material from Department of the Marine/EU approved sources that are continually monitored by the regulatory authorities. These environmental controls ensure only the highest standards of product are sourced. Further quality control systems are in place in the company, all of which are the subject of external audit. Q. How important is branding? With Connemara Seafoods we have developed a very strong high-recognition brand that evokes values such as freshness, natural, clean environment, produce from the edge of the Atlantic, nature’s best. It uses the strength of the brand to aggressively promote and defend market share. I feel that Irish seafood companies prefer to market their product with their own identity.

Pictured at the awards ceremony were: Helen Brophy, BIM, Andy Mulloy, and Ann-Marie Gautier, Connemara Seafoods; Micheál Martin, T.D. Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Joe Lynch, Irish Exporters Association.

2006 seafood exporter of the year at the

Irish Exporter of the Year Awards and to fellow finalists

Atlanfish and Atlantic Dawn BIM Head Ofice Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire Co. Dublin, Ireland Tel: + 353 1 2144 100 Fax: + 353 1 2841123 www.bim.ie

SPEAKING at the Annual Exporter of the Year Awards, Helen Brophy, market development manager at BIM said that Connemara Seafoods had scooped the top prize because it had displayed consistent customer focus and innovative product development: ‘‘Connemara Seafoods have truly established themselves as a world-class supplier of top quality products to the food service sector in Europe and beyond. BIM is delighted to see them recognized and rewarded for their hard work and dedication.’’

The annual ‘Exporter of the Year Awards’ is run by the Irish Exporters Association. The Awards recognize Ireland’s leading export companies, rewarding export achievements, innovation and the delivery of top-quality services. Connemara Seafoods exports 100% of its product range (fresh and frozen mussels; clams; oysters; winkles; lobsters) to catering and foodservice industries in France; UK; Italy; Germany; Austria; the Benelux countries; Scandanavia and Spain. It was

incorporated in 1990 and forms part of a family of companies that has over 50 years experience in primary seafood cultivation, processing and exporting. It is fully integrated, cultivating, harvesting and processing shellfish from its own farms and from other shellfish cultivators along the west of Ireland. Fresh and frozen shellfish processing and production of value added products is carried out in a 5,500sq m state-of-the-art plant 7km north of Westport at Kilmeena, Co Mayo.

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

COASTLINE NEWS

Improving implementation of EU nature law in Ireland

NATURA 2000 sites are areas protected under EU nature law to form a European network of protected areas. Have you ever wondered how protection of Irish Natura 2000 coastal and marine sites works in practice?

asks Karin Dubsky of Coastwatch.

Many do wonder, especially once they challenge issues, such as quad bikes or invasive plants on protected dunes; removal of mussel seed in Dundalk Bay; or dogs chasing Brent geese. Who would YOU contact to help protect a Natura 2000 site if any of the above arose? 1. The National Natura 2000 officer 2. The GardaõÂ 3. The European Commission 4. The National Parks and Wildlife ranger 5. The local authority 6. The Coast Guard 7. The fisheries officer 8. The Department of the Marine 9. Other. As (1) does not exist here and (2,4, 5, 7 &/or 9) might or might not apply, it's not that easy. We need to have much better access to site information and responsibilities; clarity of what is protected and why; and ideally a network of informed people around each site. Such networks would include the authorities responsible for protection and site users - both those with commercial stakes

Inshore Ireland

Map of the four Natura 2000 sites in Dublin Bay, courtesy National and Wildlife service. Special Area of Conservation (SAC) S.DUBLIN BAY (Site code 000210) & N.DUBLIN BAY (000206) Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) (vertical lines). N.BULL ISLAND (4006) &`Sandymount strand and the Tolka estruary' (4024).

information on law and bay values, reasons behind designations over seals as an example of a protected species - whether inside or outside Natura 2000. (Brendan Price, Seal Sanctuary). Life under water and values in the eye of the user were delivered by Dr Eddie Bourke of the Irish Underwater Council. Threats to site conservation were reviewed and new ones anticipated. Dr Trevor Orr TCD gave an insight into transport and engineering options on going around, over or under the

and those just enjoying, walking, or swimming. With this in mind, a 2-day pilot training workshop for Natura 2000 site protection has just taken place. Dublin Bay was chosen as focus, although the bay is divided into several Natura 2000 sites (see map). Authorities and users from a range of sectors participated laying out their roles, site uses, powers and discussed action in the best interest of the habitats, animals and plants. Presentations ranged from

is a marine/freshwater environment newspaper compiled by

marine journalists Gillian Mills and Gery Flynn and published by the Irish

bay. Planning issues were covered by Evelyn Cawley with a case study on public participation in planning and development on the shore by Pat Cody. Invasive alien species were introduced by Klervi Riou who has worked on this threat in the Camargue. Looking at management, Dave Tilly outlined voluntary closed seasons observed by professional bait diggers in Dublin Bay. Garda Sgt Colm Mc Connell gave an animated account of GardaõÂ powers and advice on action when you see an incident threatening wildlife. Peter MacMillan of Dollymount Sea Scouts presented some of his troop's conservation work. The fieldtrip on Bull Island was lead by Pat Corrigan and involved Linda Patten Divisional Ecologist NPWS. SiobhaÂn Egan, biodiversity officer and Mick Harford, District Parks officer of Dublin City. Both NPWS rangers participated in the course as well as swimmers and resident groups. Funding by the Heritage Council and support from Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City Council who hosted the pilot days is gratefully acknowledged. With very positive outcome the intention is to expand this into an accredited course in partnership with other bodies hopefully BIM next year.

* The importance of heritage conservation was the theme of a Victorian Street Party organised by the residents and friends of Greystones Harbour. Photo: Declan Stedman

Outcome of Greystones harbour proposals unclear

* removal of three residential/ * * * *

commercial blocks nearest the old harbour; relocation of the community facilities; complete removal of the old dump at the North Beach; properly comply with environmental legislation on the proposed concrete batching plant; and beach nourishment materials to be brought in by sea

Greystones Sailing Club, which has objected to the deInformation and details from velopment, is also unhappy with the revised proposals for kdubsky@tcd.ie.

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6 ISSUES Ireland

These zones support a range of commercial activities

their club house. They are amongst a number of clubs and associations that will be affected under the proposals. The Bord has requested an amended Environmental Impact Statement arising from the changes it requires regarding traffic impact; retail impact; waste materials and landscaping, and the effects on architectural heritage. Local residents have repeatedly requested that these issues should be open to further consultation before any decision is made. ``We have written to the Bord asking to have the oral hearing reopened so that the public has an opportunity to make submissions on this as well as on the loss of the foreshore to a private developer,'' Evelyn Cawley spokesperson for the Greystones Protection and Development Association told Inshore Ireland.

FOLLOWING an oral hearing by An Bord PleanaÂla into the proposed 300m marina development for Greystones, Wicklow County Council has submitted revised information relating to the serious issues that have been raised by the Bord regarding the size of the development. It has requested that the council make a number of amendments including:

keeps its readers informed on these and other important

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INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

COASTLINE NEWS

State neglect of maritime collection

COMPLETION of the Audit of Maritime Collections for the Heritage Council has highlighted the need for a professionally resourced and funded National Maritime Museum or a number of regional maritime museums, writes the report's author, Darina Tully. Maritime collections, such as that housed in the Mariner's Church in DuÂn Laoghaire, the headquarters of the Maritime Institute of Ireland, mainly survive through the work of volunteers. Other privately-run museums exist around the country. However, Ireland's unique maritime heritage has received scant attention/support at statutory level. It is generally felt that regional maritime museums would be more politically acceptable and could also reflect the regional differences within Ireland. The Audit found that sufficient artefacts and material exist to sustain many maritime themes, such as fisheries, traditional boats and inland waterways. These regional maritime museums could become the repositories for national collections on the various maritime subjects. In the UK, a number of maritime museum projects have been the focus of significant regeneration programmes, the most recent being the relocation of the National Maritime Museum's boat collection to a purpose-built building in Falmouth.

* Many industrial heritage boats are preserved by individuals on the inland waterways.

boats. They are maintained entirely by their owners or voluntary groups. With the exception of the vernacular boat collection held by the National Museum of Ireland, there is no safe storage facility in the country for historic craft. The high value of waterfront sites has made it particularly difficult for vessels to be stored and restored within their working environment. In Stockholm, Roskilde and numerous other cities throughout Europe on the other hand, craft are provided Lack of safe storage traditional with berths, often accompanied Notwithstanding, no provision with information panels, where or protection is afforded to any the public can view and enjoy of these traditional and historic the craft. Ireland also has a successful model in the national folklife collection of the National Museum of Ireland, which was relocated to the Museum of Country Life, Castlebar. The museum is a huge success, particularly through its excellent education and outreach programme. One of the strongest traditional maritime resources in Ireland is the variety of traditional working boats, important historical craft and one-design racing boats.

* Display of a shipwright's tools in the Kinsale Museum.

Photos: Darina Tully

Another issue highlighted by the Audit is the need for a historic boat register on the lines of that operated in the UK. In fact, when the UK register was being drawn up around a decade ago, it was envisaged that Ireland would be included. A number of approaches were made to various maritime and historic facilitators but no statutory body considered this subject to be part of their brief. The UK Register of Historic Vessels has four categories:

other incentive schemes for the continuity of the craft. As more funding becomes available, vessels further down the list get attention. The register also acts as a central information source for all historic craft. This year a small boat register for traditional working boats and vintage sailing craft was also launched in the UK under the auspices of the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth. The profile of Irish maritime heritage is slowly being raised by groups of enthusiasts around * A Core Collection the country. The Heritage * Designated Vessels * Registered Only List and Council has taken a number of * Vessels at Risk List. initiatives in the maritime area, A committee rates the boats and has hosted several semiand decides on funding and nars, each of which has at-

tracted a large audience. It was heartening to see so many museum curators, historians, boatbuilders and traditional boat enthusiasts at the recent seminar in Athlone. Earlier this year at the launch of the Heritage Council's Policy

By Beatrice Kelly, Heritage Council

Davin boat from Carrick on Suir; Tony McLoughlin Ð conversion of a Tyrrell's trawler to a schooner the Thomas McDonagh; Colin Becker and Sean O'Reilly Ð heritage boats of the inland waterways, and Darina Tully (see article above). The collections in Waterford Treasures, Greencastle and the National Museum at Turlough Park were also discussed by Eamonn McEnerney, Charlie McCann and Seamus MacPhilib, respectively. The collections at Haulbowline were presented by Lt Cdr Jim Shalloo of the Naval Service. Seminar proceedings will be published during spring of 2007 and the audit is available from the Heritage Council at 056 777-777 or it can be downloaded from the publications section on the Heritage Council website: www.heritagecouncil.ie

Paper on Conserving Ireland's Maritime Heritage, RTE's Tom

MacSweeney remarked on the need to get into the consciousness of the country's decision makers. I can only hope that this important resource of heritage boats and maritime collections will be recognised soon at statutory level and is afforded protection through properly resourced museums.

Maritime audit uncovers eclectic collection * the locations of maritime and *

ABOUT 70 people from all around the county attended a * seminar on The Future of Maritime and Inland Waterway Collections run by the Heritage

Council in October 2006. The purpose of the seminar was to publicise the findings of an audit on maritime and inland waterways collections commissioned by the Heritage Council and carried out during 2005/ 2006 by Darina Tully, maritime archaeologist and member of the Traditional Boats of Ireland project. The audit was concerned primarily with threedimensional objects, sea-going and inland boats, ancillary objects associated with boat-based activities such as navigational technology and fishing. The following information was collected:

inland waterways collections in Ireland an overview of what is contained in each collection an indication, where practical, of the condition of each collection and where it is stored whether the collections also contain paper records (archives, plans, charts and maps, photographs and drawings etc), and ownership of each collection

The aim of the audit was to obtain an overview of maritime and inland waterways collections in Ireland; it did not claim to be exhaustive. The majority of the collections were visited by the author and others were recorded by correspondence. At least 160 collections have been identified nationwide the majority of which are in Cork, Kerry, Mayo, Dublin and Donegal. Speakers included Sven Habermann Ð conservation of the

* Delegates, Beatrice Kelly; Dr Christina Fredengren, Ronnie Lomax and Reggie Goodbody

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

ANNOUNCEMENTS

To advertise in Inshore Ireland contact the Advertising Dept Advertisement Manager:

Roger Cole

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News (UK), Fish Farming In-

and more recently to Inshore Ireland. His feature articles have also appeared in the Irish Independent magazine, the Irish Times and Ireland of the Welcomes magazine. In 2001, he was awarded a John Healy National Print Award for a feature article in the Irish Times on how the Shetland islanders benefited from the development of Sullom Voe Oil Terminal/North Sea Oil. Shay Fennelly runs AQUAternational (UK)

* Winter

waves in the Atlantic.

PHOTO PICTURE LIBRARY Ð a photo library specialising in Ireland and maritime affairs. His first travel photographs illustrated a book Ð Sailing to Leningrad, published in 1987. This tells the story of a 32-foot yacht voyage from Ireland to St Petersburg and the Baltic States in Russia before glasnost. He

email: silchester@eircom.net

also shot the film footage for 40 Degrees West Ð a Channel 4/ Ulster television documentary on the journey. In 1991, he photographed the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race in South America. A keen naturalist, Fennelly worked for the National Parks and Wildlife service research

branch on seals, bats and falcons in the `70s, coordinating the first whale and dolphin survey in Ireland off Co Mayo in 1993, and developed the first award winning ecotourism project on otter watching in Ireland in Co Mayo. A preview of his photography can be seen on his website: www.aquaphoto.ie

SOS for national RNLI fundraising day

Why not book a pre-paid classified advert with Inshore Ireland.

Tel: 01 285 9111

01 284 1544 Mobile: 087 261 1597

PHOTOGRAPHER Shay Fennelly has documented Ireland's marine sector and coastal communities since 1986. From 1 January he is having a public exhibition of his photographs in the Clew Bay Hotel in Westport, Co Mayo for one month. Shay has lived in Kilmeena near Westport since 1985 and has worked as an oyster fisherman, mussel farmer and photojournalist. Since 2000, he has contributed to the marine press Ð The Irish Skipper, Fishing

* Ben Pluck, general manager Sea & Shore Safety Services Ltd, Barry Andrews TD, Minister of State Pat the cope Gallagher and Michael Langran, managing director, Sea & Shore Safety Services Ltd.

Acknowledging the importance of safety training JOHN Crothers, an inspector with Fingal Co Council, who trains and supervises lifeguards, and Capt Jim Kennedy, divisional assessor and trainer for RNLI lifeboat crews ,are recipients of the 2006 Safety Services Sea and Shore Annual Safety awards. Since it was established in 1986, Sea and Shore Safety Services has provided safety training for seafarers in the leisure sector as well as STCW 95 training for the s h i p p i n g c o m m u n i t y. Throughout the past 20 years it has expanded to provide training to shore-based activities such as the ESB and Waterways Ireland. Many of the courses now take place in the UK and on board ferries and cruise ships throughout the world, given by instructors specialising in first aid and fire fighting. Presenting the awards at the DuÂn Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, Pat the cope Gallagher, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, com-

mended Sea & Shore Safety Services on their service to marine safety over the last 20 years. ``I would like to acknowledge the huge contribution you have made to date. Without your support, the drive to promote water safety could not become a practical reality,'' he said. ``In Ireland, we can be proud of the progress we have made in recent decades in the two inextricably linked areas of safety and training. We can never do enough to get the safety message across,'' he added. ``Your dedication and expertise is undoubtedly working to get all water users to recognise and develop a respect for the dangers of going out on the water,'' he said. A third presentation was made to Capt Michael Langran from the staff, past and present of Sea & Shore Safety Services. This presentation marks the 20 dedicated years he has given to training with this organisation.

THE RNLI has issued an SOS across Ireland asking people to get involved and to support the charity on its national fundraising day on January 26. Speaking at the launch, RNLI lifeboat supporter Miriam Ahern said that today, less than 10% of new volunteer crew members come from a profes-

sional maritime background. ``Specialist training is vital. The average cost of training one crew member each year is almost 1,500. SOS day is a way for people to raise funds for the lifeboats and to recognise the commitment of these brave volunteers.''

Miriam Ahern with RNLI Howth coxswain Robert Duffy and his brother, station mechanic and second coxswain George Duffy on board the Howth lifeboat at the launch of RNLI SOS day. Photo David O'Shea

THERE are 43 lifeboat stations around Ireland with volunteer crews on call 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. The RNLI has 55 lifeboats at its 43 stations, ranging from 5m to 17m in length. Last year in Ireland, RNLI lifeboats launched 916 times and rescued 1,161 people. Special SOS fundraising packs are available from the charity by calling 1800 789 589 or emailing SOS_Ireland@rnli.org.uk

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

SHIPPING SPOTLIGHT

Irish Exporters Association Industry Awards 2006 By Jehan Ashmore, Maritime correspondent

WINNER of the Short Sea Shipping Company category of the Irish Exporters Association 2006 industry awards is DFDS Container Line. The company operates routes between Dublin and Waterford to Rotterdam, and provides customers direct port-to-port shipping schedules and reduced transit times. This is the third year of the prestigious award, sponsored by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO). Winner of the `Seafood Exporter Award' category sponsored by BIM, was Connemara Seafoods, the shellfish producer from Westport, Co. Mayo (see page 26). The awards were presented by MicheÂal Martin, T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment at a gala dinner held in University College Dublin, on 22 November. Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister said that exports for 2007 should grow by 4% to 5% and that approximately 87% of

* Pictured at the award ceremony are: (l-r) Padraic White, Irish Maritime Development Office, sponsor of the award; Michael Connolly, sales manager at DFDS; MicheaÂl Martin, T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Joe Lynch, president of the Irish Exporters Association.

Irish exports are by foreign multinationals in Ireland. The overall winner of the coveted Exporter of the Year Award 2006 went to Cook Ireland Ltd. The Limerick company is a leader in the medical

devices sector and also won the Life Sciences Exporter Award, one of several sector category Awards. The Special Merit Award was presented to W.M. Magner Ltd, the Clonmel-based cider company.

Maritime Institute elects new president

BARRY Desmond, former Labour Party minister and MEP, was elected president of the Maritime Institute of Ireland (MII) at an AGM in DuÂn Laoghaire, Co Dublin, last month. At the meeting, outgoing president Michael Prior presented the first gold medals awarded by the Institute to two of its longest serving members, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the aims and objectives of the Institute: one was awarded posthumously to the late Dr John de Courcy Ireland, honorary research officer and leading maritime historian, which was accepted by his daughter Moneen.

The second medal was presented to the Institute's maritime museum curator, Dr Philip Smyly. Earlier this year the MII was informed that a grant of 1.5m would be provided from Exchequer resources to initiate the restoration of the Mariner's Church, the headquarters of the Institute which is located close to the seafront in DuÂn Laoghaire. Work has started on the listed former church and is being administered by David Slattery the distinguished restoration architect in conjunction the Office of Public Works. COMPETITION

Maritime Ireland, connecting Irish industry with the Global Market Place

www.imdo.ie Roscoff Dublin

Holyhead

Shannon Galway

Antwerp

Dundalk Sligo Nantes

Bilbao

Piraeus Cork Helsinki

Shipping Spotlight

competition in the October issue: Marie Mooney from Ardara, Co. Donegal.

Setubal

THE October issue of Inshore Ireland incorrectly captioned a photo by stating that Cmdr John Kavanagh welcomed the King and Queen of Norway to the National Maritime College instead of Capt James Robinson, DSM, the officer commanding the naval base.

Photo: Jehan Ashmore (ShipSnaps)

Research vessel

Corystes

IN late October, the Northern Ireland Minister at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), David Cairns, commissioned the refurbished R.V. Corystes at a ceremony in Belfast, where the vessel is based.

commissioned

Replacement of existing research vessel, R.V. Lough Foyle arises from the purchase of R.V. Corystes, from CEFAS in Lowestoft. The new larger vessel will allow her operators, the Agrifood and Biosciences Institute

Celtic to complete Link

SINCE starting operations two years ago, Celtic Link Ferries is to open a third route, between Portsmouth and Cherbourg. The Wexford-based company is to open the new service in midJanuary using the 23,160gt Celtic Mist which has a 120 freight unit capacity and accommodation for 190 passengers. Celtic Link will be the first Irish-owned shipping operator on the English Channel. Cherbourg will thus become a hubport for the company as they already have a service to Rosslare after having taken over from P&O Irish Sea and their vessel, European Diplomat in early 2005. In addition the company opened a second route

R.V.

between Dublin and Liverpool earlier this year. Earlier this year, Celtic Link launched a second route on the intensely competitive central corridor service between Dublin and Liverpool. The Irish Sea route is served by the Celtic Star and will soon be joined by another ship, Kilmore, which is currently undergoing deck modifications in China. In 2007, Celtic Link will be operating routes on the Irish Sea, English Channel and the Celtic Sea; this sees another accolade achieved for the expanding company to become the first Irish shipping company to serve in all these market areas.

(AFBI), to perform with improved capability and capacity during scientific programmes on behalf of DARD and other clients. Crew and vessel management is conducted through Heyn Engineering (N.I.) Ltd. New Lo-Lo operator to Drogheda

THE first sailing of Europe Line's new Lo-Lo service from Rotterdam to Drogheda arrived in the Co. Louth port in late November. Served by the 360capacity container M.V. Europe Orion, the vessel caters for standard 20ft and 40ft containers and carries the latest in 45ft pallet wide units. It is intended that the weekly operated route will have additional sailings served by a second vessel. Irish representatives of Europe Lines are Johnson Stevens and Slavenburg & Huyser in The Netherlands.

Hamburg

Drogheda Oslo

CONTRATULATIONS to the winner of our

Correction

Ireland Rotterdam

WINNER

* In Waterford estuary, Vanguard is one of five lo-lo vessels on charter to DFDS Container Line.

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Limassol

Cherbourg

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INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

SHIPPING SPOTLIGHT

Irish survey company wins major offshore contracts

* A training centre for the oil and gas industry is to be established at Killybegs, Co Donegal.

Oil rig training centre for Killybegs

A training centre for the oil and gas industry is to be established at Killybegs, Co Donegal. The venture has been brought to fruition by the Killybegs and District Chamber of Commerce and has the full support of FAÂS Services to Business Northwest. The centre will be operated by the Baker B Company Ltd, which has received recognition from FAÂS as a certified trainer. It will be based at the Killybegs Tourism College, now part of Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Initially, trainers certified by OPITO will travel from Scotland to deliver the courses. The company's managing director, John `Baker' Boyle, is a former fisherman with 30 years experience. More recently, he has worked in Killybegs for several exploration companies:

OPITO standards

``For years there has been talk about getting more Irish people employed offshore but so far very little has happened to make it possible. What we are proposing is the establishment of a training centre which will be approved by OPITO and which will train people for offshore jobs to full OPITO standards,'' he explained. Training and certification of offshore workers is controlled by the industry body OPITO (the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation). Mr Boyle added that the centre would be especially timely because of difficulties being experienced by the fishing sector: ``There has always been a small number of fishermen who have retrained to work in the

offshore exploration sector. This has been expensive and has been left largely to the individual trainees who have had to travel to Aberdeen for all their specific training. The exploration companies, on the other hand, recognise the high calibre of workers coming from a fishing background.'' Mr Boyle said they were confident that the venture would have long-term benefits for Killybegs and for Ireland: ``There are opportunities and we should take advantage of them,'' he said. Further information about the courses and application details are available from the Baker B Company Ltd., 1 Church Mews, Killybegs, Co. Donegal (Tel: 074-973 2824 or Mobile: 087-832 8259 or johnboyle67@eircom.net)

Eurocoast Network Association THROUGHOUT the EU, the Motorways of the Sea programme is being developed and supported by 21 national Short Sea Shipping Promotion Centres including Ireland through the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO).

Cypriot centre

This summer the Cypriot national centre became the newest member to establish a centre, emphasising the growing importance in the EU to transfer freight from congested European road networks to the Motorways of the Sea stretching from NW Europe, the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. The concept of the programme is to develop intermodel corridors with shipping lines to provide reliable high frequency operations and fastturn around times spent in port. The programme is also to demonstrate the short-sea shipping's high potential to absorb a large part of the

growth in freight transported in the EU over the foreseeable future. Rosslare Europort is one of five ports participating under a Motorways of the Sea project. The other ports are Cherbourg, Cuxhaven, Ostend and Ferrol (Spain). These ports have formed an initiative to be known as the Eurocoast Network Association.

Objective

The core objective of the association is to encourage the transfer of freight traffic from congested European roads to sea with the ability to provide a network of shipping routes between member ports with shipping companies and freight forwarders offering efficient, frequent and costeffective services. In addition, it is designed to assist some of the challenges encountered by freight forwarders due to increased road tolls, driving legislation laws and the overall cost of haulage.

The idea of the Association was originally proposed by the French port of Cherbourg to create shipping services between the other four ports in Ireland, Germany, Belgium and to north-west Spain. In discussions between the ports and shipping companies, ways were explored to operate a network. Those involved in Eurocoast meetings included Celtic Link, Brittany Ferries, Ferryways and Mediterranean shipping operator Delom. Under the Eurocoast programme, each of the five ports is to use ro-ro vessels with six sailings a week in each direction along the Cuxhaven to Ferrol route and to link frequent connections to ports in Ireland, UK, Portugal and the Baltic Sea. Funding for the network has been sought from the European Commission and its Marco Polo programme, for the promotion of inter-model transport.

IMAR Survey Limited is an Irish-based professional hydrographic and marine geophysical firm, focused on providing turnkey survey and positioning solutions for the offshore industry. The company has a unique combination of experienced survey personnel combined with expertise in ship management. The team comprises hydrographic surveyors; geologists, geophysicists, electronic engineers, CAD experts, GIS experts and IT Specialists, all of whom have many years experience in offshore survey applications, both in industry and government institutions. IMAR Survey has recently taken over new office and storage space at Casla in Conemara, close to Rossaveal on UÂdaraÂs Na Gaeltachta's industrial estate.

Performance

In the past year, IMAR Survey has won a number of contracts in the Irish offshore area. These include:

* providing survey services and expertise to Oriel Windfarms in relation to their windfarm development in the Dundalk Bay area * providing offshore survey services to Aquafact Ltd Galway in relation to a variety of engineering projects * most recently IMAR Survey was awarded the tender to provide offshore surveying services to the Marine Institute as

* RV Rocinante being mobilised in Arklow for Oriel Windfarm and Marine Institute work.

part of the continuing INFOMAR programme. IMAR Survey is continuing to develop its international capability and is currently involved in a major hydrographic and oceanographic study of the Messaieed port area and approaches in Qatar for Qatar Petroleum. On the shipping front the company has successfully negotiated to lease the research vessel R/V Akademik Nikolaij Strakhov for a 12-month period initially with options to extend to three and five years. The Strakhov is a 75.5 metre vessel fully equipped for a variety of scientific and survey operations and is fitted with the latest Reson deep-water and coastal-water multibeam echo-

sounders. IMAR is currently engaged in securing contracts for this vessel with large-scale government surveys as well as in the hydrocarbon and cable route sector. Late in 2006, IMAR Survey was awarded a contract from the Geological Survey of Ireland to supervise the building and equipping of an inshore survey launch. The vessel will be a catamaran design approximately 15 metres long, and will have many special features to allow for rapid deployment and efficiency in surveying in coastal waters. The vessel will be from a Nic De Wall design and will be built in South Africa during 2007.

ANNOUNCMENT INFOMAR SEMINAR The Geological Survey of Ireland and the Marine Institute will showcase INFOMAR, the successor programme to the Irish National Seabed Survey, at a seminar on January 18, 2007, at the Marine Institute, Renville, Oranmore, Co Galway. The programme will include a mix of project updates, survey plans and associated projects and research talks.

INFOMAR's activities and the near-shore data being collected are of great strategic importance to Ireland.

When finalised, further information on the seminar programme will be available from both MI and GSI websites - www.marine.ie and www.gsi.ie

Or you can contact Enda Gallagher now to be included in the e-mailing list for seminar details: enda.Gallagher@Gsi.ie or 01 678 2834.

All with an interest in the marine sector are welcome.:

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

MARINE R&D

Government to review oil and gas licensing terms AT an international conference, Exploring Atlantic Ireland 2006, last month in Dublin, Marine Minister Noel Dempsey referred to a study on Ireland's licensing terms for oil and gas exploration and production. The review by Indecon International Economic Consultants due this month examines whether the existing oil and gas exploration terms ensure a fair return to the Irish public since the sharp rise in energy prices. It will also examine Ireland's non-fiscal terms to ensure they encourage effective exploration in a timely manner. Minister Dempsey added that changes made would apply to licences awarded in next year's Porcupine Licensing Round, writes Shay Fennelly

During the Minister's speech, two `Shell to Sea' protesters briefly interrupted proceedings and gave rise to a question from the floor: ``How much will the Shell to Sea protest impact on our perception of Ireland being a good place for the oil exploration industry to work?'' US petroleum consultant Peter Stark replied that if a collaborative environment was established, one that involved the local community, fishery people and those with concerns for the environment, there would be a lot less disruption. Martin Brennan, assistant secretary DCMNR added: ``I don't think any of the partners involved, and certainly not the department, would deny that mistakes were made early in the life of the Corrib project. It is proving slow and probably more difficult than we normally expect to repair the damage. But we are making progress. ``There was a lack of clarity in the situation, of the regulatory role, the safety role and the promotional role and that has all been clarified by various reports that have been put in place. The

challenging deep-water Atlantic conditions. New 2D and 3D * Corepoint's delegates from left to right: Alex Midlen, CoastNet; seismic survey data will facil- Geoffrey O'Sullivan, Marine Institute; Martin Fernandez DõÂez Piazo, EU itate identification of deeper Commission Task Force on Maritime Policy and Val Cummins, (Coastal geological structures and devel- & Marine Resouces Centre opment of new locations of petroleum interest, he said.

Uncanny similarities

* Drill ship West Navion found gas in October 2002 at the Dooish well,

125km off Donegal. Now owned by Shell, Dooish-1 was the first well drilled off the Donegal coast of Ireland since the 1970s. It is also the second deepest well ever drilled offshore Ireland.

Peter Stark, vice-president of IHS Inc. described the current international exploration and production context as ``the age of energy supply anxiety''. He added that the rise of resource nationalism posed a significant challenge to the industry's ability to balance supply with demand, and pointed out that ``a collaborative environment is needed to drive investments and technologies to expand production.'' UCD research geologist Pat Shannon summarised the current situation of Irish oil and gas exploration. He said that higher prices for oil and gas have stimulated the interest of several small exploration companies with major oil companies in a re-examination of sub-commercial prospects off Ireland. According to Shannon, Ireland's sluggish exploration history was due to: poor quality seismic data in many areas; lack of critical mass of exploration groups generating innovative play models; weak support of exploration and production and R&D capacity in Ireland, and

government has demonstrated its firm support to the project. The SEA infrastructure legislation passed last year will also play a role in the future in making these things more transparent.''

Ireland's petroleum potential

The conference was organised by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to encourage interest in oil and gas exploration and was attended by 200 delegates including representatives from Exxon Mobile. Exxon Mobile is the largest oil company with the highest market value of any publicly traded company in the world. Delegates heard presentations on the government's exploration and production policy. Industry experts gave an overview of the exploration experience in Atlantic Canada, Norwegian and UK sectors; Irish petroleum prospects; improved seismic imaging and international cooperative research on North Atlantic petroleum systems.

Geological Survey of Ireland

w ater ch nic al

c bedro

en t

ground

ua te

Phone: (01) 678 2000 Lo-call: 1890 44 99 00 Fax: (01) 668 1782

n f or m a tion managem

website: www.gsi.ie e-mail: gsisales@gsi.ie

geological h er minerals k e rin

h iris

it a

Beggars Bush, Haddington Road Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

e ot e rnar y/g

Canadian geophysicist Michael Enachescu from St John's, Newfoundland said offshore activity was now a $1 billion a year industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. It contributes more than 14% of the province's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounts for 36% of Canada's total light crude production. Newfoundland and Labrador currently gain 6 billion in revenue from oil fields discovered on the Grand Banks. Enachescu added there were uncanny similarities between the Orphan Basin off Newfoundland and the West Porcupine margin. The Orphan Basin first made news in 2003 when a consortium of oil companies Exxon Mobil, Imperial Oil and Chevron bid a record $672 million for the right to explore it. Enachescu was confident that the Irish Atlantic margins were likely to have petroleum systems too. John O'Sullivan, exploration manager for Providence Resources Plc, said that his company was looking at previously uneconomic discoveries. In February 2006, Exxon Mobile entered a partnership with Providence. (Exxon Mobile 80%, Providence 16% and Sosina 4%) Exxon may drill two exploratory wells on the Dunquin prospect, depending on the results of seismic surveys earlier this year, according to their stockbrokers. O'Sullivan was asked by Statoil's exploration manager, Gareth Allinson, how Providence had managed to attract Exxon Mobile's interest. O'Sullivan replied: ``It was the prospect that attracted Exxon.''

Complexities of agreeing integrated EU maritime policy THE twelve-month consultation period set aside for public debate and stakeholder contributions prior to the adoption of an integrated EU maritime policy has reached the half-way mark, with the process still on target for a major Commission Report by the end of 2007, the Corepoint/Coastnet conference in Galway was told, reports Gery Flynn.

Outlining the contents of the Green Paper Ð Towards a Future Maritime Policy for the Union : A European vision for the oceans and seas Ð which

was published to accompany the process, MartõÂn FernaÂndez DõÂez-Picazo of the Maritime Policy Task Force of the European Commission told the conference of the need for a unified approach to EU maritime policy. Underlining the comments of Joe Borg, Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, in the Green Paper, DõÂez-Picazo said that the Green Paper lays the groundwork for an EU Maritime Policy which will put ocean and seas management on a sound basis, allowing for the development of well-balanced and coherent sea-based policies and activities: ``Up to now our approach to maritime policy has been inadequate and often indefinite, with a fragmented vision and with sectoral policies dealing with maritime issues. We are now trying to change this to a holistic, integrated and all-embracing vision towards maritime affairs.''

`Interaction required'

Some European maritime facts Ð how the sea serves many purposes:

* Europe has four seas and

two oceans.

* 20 EU states are coastal. * 50% of Europeans live less

than 50km from the sea. to the beach. 90% of the EU's external trade is through sea ports. 40% of EU's internal trade is through sea ports. 1,200 seaports in Europe. 3,5 billion tonnes of cargo is handled annually via European ports. 350 million passengers pass annually through European ports. 280 coastal European cities have populations greater than 50,000. 12 EU capitals are coastal:

* 60% of holiday-makers go * * * * * * *

Amsterdam Copenhagen Helsinki London Rome Talin

Athens Dublin Lisbon Riga Stockholm Valletta

sion hopes to launch a broad public debate ``both on the principle of the EU adopting an overall approach to maritime policy and on the many ideas for action''. He added that in the time remaining, the Commission would base its further work on the views of stakeholders and listening to what they have to say: ``The consultation process will end on June 30, 2007 and by the end of 2007 the Commission will make a presentation to the Council and Parliament summarising the results of the consultation process and proposing the way forward.'' Angel Borja of AZTI-Tecnalia - a Spanish-based non-profit foundation committed to the protection of the environment said that from an environmentalist's perspective, European marine environmental policy was governed by a plethora of different directives and conventions. ``These include the Habitats

The key message of the Green Paper, according to DõÂez-Picazo, is that we can no longer afford to consider the oceans and seas on a purely sectoral basis. He said that the challenge now is to explore how different maritime sectoral policies interact, and how they can be combined to complement each other and to create synergies, given that they all relate to the same basic resource Ð the world's single ocean. He added that this would be achieved only if we manage to mobilise stakeholders across Europe. the Water DõÂez-Picazo cautioned that and Birds Directives; Directive; the Comthe complications in the process Framework Fisheries Policy; and conleading to the adoption of an mon ventions such as OSPAR; EU-wide maritime policy HELCOM; ICES; WSSD; the should not be underestimated: Barcelona Convention; IMO; ``It would be a mistake to and others. But at underestimate the time it takes MEDPOl present, none has been develfor important new ideas to be oped in an integrative way for fully understood and accepted. the whole of the European In its own work for this Green Union seas. Within this context, Paper, the Commission has the marine environment is fabecome aware of how much cing an increasing number of new ground needs to be covered significant pressures,'' Borja and how much new expertise said. needs to be developed,'' he Borja described as ``considdeclared. erable'' the challenges of bringing all of these together under Public debate one policy framework that truly DõÂez-Picazo said that through reflected the principles of susthe Green Paper, the Commis- tainable development.

INSHORE IRELAND

Opening the can of `Dr Worms'

Paul Connolly, Marine Institute, challenges media coverage of the Science article

December 2006

MARINE R&D

The house of the Malin Deep prawns Report by Xavier Monteys, GSI IT

is well known from studies

carried

out

different

coarser sediments can also be

composed of silty mud with a

present. Furthermore, sediment

variable amount of sand. Underwater

type also influences the density and even growth of individuals. Nevertheless, little is known

sea

footage

R.V.

Celtic

Voyager,

tells

more about these creatures and

community

provides a unique tool when

environments around the world

about

that a strong relationship exists

relatively

between seabed type and the

Malin

combined with the geophysics

distribution of prawn species.

Deep, (Malin Sea) Ă? 65 km

to quantify distribution, density

Prawns are primarily found

northwest off the Malin Head,

and to characterize habitat.

in muddy sediments where they

in water depths ranging from

can

houses;

150 to 185m where the seabed

although a variable amount of

is fairly flat, homogenous and is

excavate

their

the

video

mounted on a sledge on the

prawns

distribution remote around

the

New

processing

techniques

developed under the umbrella of

the

Irish

National

Seabed

Survey from a variety of geophysical datasets have allowed us

describe

remotely

the

substrate where they live (burrows have a direct contribution in the scattering processes of acoustic waves). As a result of all this research a more comprehensive map of the characteristics

and

limits

their

domains can be produced. IN

early November 2006, a

research

paper

Boris

ecosystems to produce food for

speculation. What is clear is that

our

but

a scientific paper that would

stability

otherwise have caused a minor

growing

population,

Worm and his research team

also

sabotages

appeared in the highly respected

and

recovery

their

journal Science. The paper dealt

rapidly changing marine envir-

with the impact of biodiversity

onment.

potential

ripple

academic

circles

These habitat-predicted maps are of great use to assist policy-

* Burrow occupied by prawn.

makers and others in the joint venture

The

fish

extinction

better

management

achieved huge media attention.

sustainable the

sea

re-

sources.

angle

that

achieved its goal - media atten-

The Malin Deep is also of

health*. The title is a bit of a

high biodiversity oceans con-

tion. This might be seen as a

interest due to a recently dis-

mouthful, but stick with me Ă?

sistently provide more services

good

covered

we need to get a simple defini-

(e.g. fish catch) with less varia-

duced much sensational com-

(gas

tion for biodiversity and eco-

bility and the authors state that

ment

constructive

subsurface sediments have been

system

this has obvious economic and

debate. I saw or heard little or

heavily disturbed by gas escap-

policy implications.

no follow-up media coverage

loss

ocean

ecosystem

before

going

any

further. In simple terms `biodiversity'

The

study

The

also

paper

found

thing; and

however

little

pro-

concludes

that

on the scientific response to Dr

conservation

relates to the number of species

biodiversity,

and

Worm's article. Balance was not

of plant and animals in any one

long-term

develop-

achieved. The `media frenzy'

economic

part of the ocean. If you remove

ment must be seen as interde-

has since moved on to spec-

a species you lower the biodi-

pendent and not as conflicting

ulative spy poisoning stories. It

versity of that ocean area. An

goals. By restoring marine bio-

will no doubt move on again.

`ecosystem' relates to an area of

diversity

ocean and all the animals and

fisheries management, pollution

Final comment

plants

interact

control, maintenance of essen-

there (e.g. the ecosystem of the

tial habitats and the creation of

In the Irish context there is no

Irish

marine

that Sea).

live

and

Biodiversity

through

reserves,

sustainable

society

can

invest in the productivity and

measure of ecosystem health. What was amazing about this

scientific paper was the `global

reliability of the oceans. This

for

was

the

key

tween

the

fish

resource,

both national and international

did not receive balanced media focus.

aspects of the paper suggesting

crossroads.

Scientific community view

over-exploited and in decline,

New Zealand reported it was inevitable that world fish supplies will be exhausted; Cana-

dian media reported that 2050

would be the year of no more

fish, and a leading UK newspaper reported that all seafood

will run out by 2050. The dust has now settled and

the media frenzy has abated;

however it will no doubt resur-

face.

the

meantime,

scientist, I decided to do my

own

research,

focussing

three areas:

* * *

what was the key message from Dr Worm's research what had some of the scientific

Instead the media focused on one aspect of the paper: that the world will run out of seafood by 2048. The paper did say that by 2048, catches of all sea foods currently fished will have declined on average by more than 90% since 1950. This was one aspect of the paper but not the key message or finding. A number of notable fisheries scientists

have

criticized

the

study and the `run out of fish' angle with comments ranging from ``just mind boggling stupid'' to ``extremely misleading and wrong''. The

United

Nation's

Agricultural

Food

community to say about the

and

Organisation

paper, and

(FAO) called an aquatic apoc-

what might have caused the

alypse `unlikely' and labelled

`media frenzy'?

the report as being `statistically

Key message

dangerous'.

A group of 14 researchers from

`such a massive collapse would

The FAO went on to say that

Canada, Panama, Sweden, UK, and the US spent four years analysing data from fish populations, catch records and ocean ecosystems

from

around

the

world. The group found posi-

require reckless behaviour of all industries and governments for four decades and an incredible level

apathy

all

world

The media frenzy

diversity and ocean ecosystem

Sometimes

health, and highlighted an on-

tion' is used as a news hook to

going erosion of this biodiver-

get people's attention. It cer-

sity,

tainly worked in this case. The

appears

accelerating on a global scale. The

study

found

that

the

elimination of species (e.g. col-

Fish

stocks

are

and we have too many vessels chasing too few fish. This has major implications for coastal communities.

key

issue

how to exploit our living resource in a sustainable way so as to ensure ecosystem health. We need to broaden our thinking beyond the traditional appr o ac h

` ma n ag i n g

stocks'

thinking

fi sh

integrated

`managing

the

ocean'. This is a difficult and sensi-

the

`scary

predic-

media took the bait, focused on the

`aquatic

apocalypse'

and

went into a frenzy.

lapse of cod stocks) not only

I do not know who set the

impairs the ability of marine

bait and I will not be drawn into

EM 3002 Precision Bathymetry The Kongsberg EM 3002 multibeam echo sounder is capable of 3D inspection of underwater port structures, with the highest resolution. The system is capable of resolving details as small as 10-20cm, using up to 508 simultaneous, focused and stabilised narrow beams. The dual head version can do concurrent mapping and inspection over a 180 degree sector. The system operates reliably also in difficult geometrical environments.

tive debate but an extremely important

one.

The

priority

must be to recognise the serious challenges

that

need

addressed regarding our oceans. One thing Dr Worm said was

EM 3002 will detect debris and other objects on the bottom, will map the seafloor according to the strictest IHO regulations, and has a maximum operating range of 150-200 meters.

that ``It is not too late.'' It is my strong view that the need is now greater than ever for scientists, industry and managers to work together, and for informed public debate on management

the

oceans.

The

media has a vital role to play in stimulating this debate; however it must avoid the trap of sensationalism.

citizens to let this happen'

tive relationships between bio-

which

levels. I believe we are now at the

* The reference for the scientific paper is Boris Worm et al. (2006) Impact of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem health. Nov 2006; Vol. 314, No.5800 pp787 790).

too

early

field where

the

gassy

say

sediments

and the associated fauna.

is the subject of great debate at

in Ireland were dominated by

RTE, BBC, Radio and Radio

between

the

its publication. News headlines

pockmark features)

whether a link can be drawn

fishing industry and the ocean

message from the paper but it

in the sea by 2050.

fauna

ing.

doubt that the relationship be-

media frenzy' that ensued after

that there would be no fish left

* Image depicting a soft muddy seabed with burrows, shells and other

gas

escape

EM 3002 is the result of more than 20 years of accumulated experience with the design and production of multibeam echo sounders. The EM systems from Kongsberg are in daily use by hundreds of hydrographic agencies, ports, private contractors and research institutions all over the world. 2 years warranty and maintenance/ support contracts are offered.

Kongsberg Maritime www.kongsberg.com E-mail: subsea@kongsberg.com

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

World Seafood Congress issues call for presenters MARKETING/RETAIL

THE Scientific Committee of the 2007 World Seafood Congress has issued a call for presenters for next year's Congress, to be held in Dublin from 25-28 September. The Committee is seeking proposals on all aspects of the Congress's core themes of health and nutrition, trade and market access and standards and assurances. These themes will dominate the Congress programme, which comprises two main elements Ð a scientific segment and a trade and innovation component. The Congress is seeking to appoint keynote speakers to lead and/or chair plenary sessions. A series of 90-minute plenary sessions and breakout workshops will run simultaneously for the duration of the Congress. Twenty minute presentation slots will also be available to presenters, with an additional five minutes for a

question-and-answer session on their topic. Commenting on behalf of the WSC Scientific Committee, chairman Alan Reilly said they were looking forward to receiving: ``Quality submissions that will generate debate and discussion amongst Congress delegates. Submissions made by WSC's line-up of world class presenters will offer the latest international thinking and findings on the Congress themes. ``As a result, the Congress will be an exciting forum in which we can address the key

challenges and opportunities the global seafood industry faces,'' he said. Potential presenters should complete and submit a WSC presenter's application form. When drafting proposals, presenters are asked to note that Congress attendees will be from a diverse target audience, comprising academics, specialists, and professionals working in all areas of the seafood industry, together with those working in health and nutrition, and food safety. Presenter application forms are available on the website: w w w. w o r l d s e a f o o d c o n gress07.com. The website also gives details on proposal deadlines; adjudication and short-listing of presenter submissions; the Congress prog ra mm e a n d p res en t er Congress rates. The deadline for the submission of proposals is 5pm, 31 March 2007.

the first phase of the expansion. We will be announcing the details of the retailers who have qualified for Seafood Circle membership early in the New Year,'' Helen Brophy, BIM's market development manager explained. ``Applications have been received from retailers of seafood who offer quality seafood for sale by experienced staff from a designated wet fish counter. We have been very impressed by the quality of retailers and their seafood offerings and will be announcing details of the qualifying retailers early in the new year,'' Ms Brophy said. The expanded Seafood Circle is subject to independent assessment and selection by the Guide's team, who endeavour to select the best establishments

specialising in seafood in each area. According to Georgina Campbell, expansion of the Seafood Circle heralds a change in Irish eating habits: ``Quality seafood is an essential part of a healthy and nutritious diet. Irish consumers have shown a growing awareness of this fact over the years, and this has translated directly into increased demand for quality seafood in restaurants and pubs around the country. ``Visitors from abroad have always valued Irish seafood very highly. I am delighted to be able to join forces with BIM to add this important new section to the Guide, which will enable people to find establishments where they are assured of great seafood meals in pleasant and comfortable surroundings.''

THE World Seafood Congress is owned by the International Association of Fisheries Inspectors. The 2007 event is sponsored by BIM, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.

Food guide lists top restaurants and pubs serving seafood FIFTY of the country's leading restaurants and pubs that meet the criteria necessary to become members of BIM's enhanced Seafood Circle feature in Georgina Campbell's Ireland ... the Guide 2007, the highly ac-

Ag obair ar son phobal na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge Responsible for the economic, social and cultural development of the Gaeltacht Na Forbacha Co. na Gaillimhe / Co. Galway

Teil:/Tel: (091) 503100 Facs:/Fax: (091) 503101

Baile Mhic Íre, Maigh Chromtha,

Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair Doirí Beaga

Co. Chorcaí / Co. Cork

Co. Dhún na nGall / Co. Donegal

Teil:/Tel: (026) 45366 Facs:/Fax: (026) 45423

Páirc Ghnó an Daingin An Daingean,

An Phríomh Shráid, Béal an Mhuirthead,

Co. Chiarraí / Co. Kerry

Co. Mhaigh Eo / Co. Mayo

Teil:/Tel: (066) 9150100 Facs:/Fax: (066) 9150101

claimed handbook to the best places to eat and drink. The Seafood Circle was initiated in 2001 by BIM in association with the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland, with the aim of supporting and encouraging pubs to improve the quality, range and understanding of seafood dishes on their lunchtime menus. ``This has been outstandingly successful, and we have now extended it to include both hospitality and retail sectors. The launch of this guide marks

Teil:/Tel: (074) 9560100 Facs:/Fax: (074) 9560101

Teil:/Tel: (097) 81418 Facs:/Fax: (097) 82179

e: eolas@udaras.ie

w: www.udaras.ie

* Pictured with Georgina Campbell is David Fitzgibbon, winner of the `Seafood Restaurant of the Year

award' and owner of Aherne's Seafood Bar & Restaurant, Youghal, Co Cork and Helen Brophy, Market Development Manager BIM.

INSHORE IRELAND

December 2006

SEAFOOD PROCESSING

Drink healthily, drink algae: A `taste' of the health potential of seaweeds! By Franck Hennequart, NUI-Galway

SEAWEED is a very derogatory term for one of the richest nutrient sources on the planet. Marine algae (or seaweeds) contain numerous biomolecules that are potentially beneficial for plants, animals and humans. Seaweeds are already recognised for their ability to promote plant growth and enhance resistance to pathogens. Nevertheless, their potential in terms of animal and human health is less well characterised, and is a key research interest for the Molecular GlycoBiotechnology Group (MGBG), headed up by Dr Maria Tuohy of the Department of Biochemistry at NUI-Galway. For more than three years I have coordinated several research projects with Dr Tuohy which have involved isolating and understanding the mechanisms of actions of different carbohydrates from brown seaweeds. Elaine O'Connell, a PhD researcher in the group, has shown seasonal variation in the concentration and composition of the brown seaweed carbohydrates Ð a phenomenon also observed in grapes. In addition, the harvesting site and the extraction technique were also shown to affect carbohydrate levels and composition. This study was funded by Enterprise Ireland and Oilean Glas Teo (OGT), an Irish SME producing cold-processed seaweed extracts and which markets an organic fertilizer. This work has provided detailed and fundamental knowledge that has underpinned a number of new projects.

FRANCK Hennequart is an engineer who graduated from the Marine Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory of the University of Caen in Normandy, France, specialising in the valorisation of marine resources. Franck began his career in France with several research and lecturing contracts. He then worked for three years in Canada (British Columbia) as R&D project assistant for a provincial organisation promoting partnership between industry and research groups for technological transfer. Back in Europe, he worked in industry as a consultant. He now co-ordinates several research projects in the Molecular Glycobiotechnology Group in the Department of Biochemistry at NUI-Galway.

* A future seaweed-based functional ingredient for food industry? * Elaine O'Connell, Sarah Foley and Franck Hennequart Ð the team of the Molecular Glycobiotechnology Group in NUIG currently working on the different seaweed-based research projects.

A parallel project, funded by the Marine Institute and OGT,

allowed the MGBG research team to investigate the antibacterial and anti-viral properties of these carbohydrates. Some carbohydrate-rich seaweed extracts demonstrated potent activity against pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella thyphimurium. In vitro experiments with foetal calf cell lines, purposely infected with a range of viruses that adversely affect animal production, clearly demonstrated the anti-viral potential of key extracts. In vivo studies were also

DURING October and November, BIM presented a series of seafood demonstrations to third-level colleges in Tralee, Dundalk and Athlone. The demonstrations were presented by John Hackett, seafood and promotions adviser and Ian Mannix, seafood adviser. The aim of the presentations was to give first year chef students a broad overview and education of the many different aspects of seafood. This involved explaining the journey from catching and harvesting through to processing, storage, preparation and cookery. A `hands on' approach was used to involve the students, who had the opportunity to handle and sample a variety of species and to practice their oyster opening techniques. They were particularly impressed by some of the more unusual looking native Irish

species such as squid, monkfish and John Dory. After explaining the different classifications of fish and shellfish, the students were shown the techniques of skinning, gutting and cleaning species, such as sole, plaice, cod, monkfish, haddock, mackerel and various shellfish. The importance of correct handling and storage of seafood was also demonstrated. Such practices result in a fresher, better tasting meal for the customer. Later in the day the importance of building good working relationships with suppliers was outlined, as well as food safety and hygiene; seafood cookery and how to assess quality and freshness of fish and shellfish. The demonstrations were warmly received by students and lecturers alike, and plans are already in place to run the demonstrations again in the New Year.

Anti-viral potential

Three county seafood roadshow

conducted in poultry challenged with viruses, including the Gumboro virus (IBDV). This work was carried out by Patricia Descombes, a MSc researcher, in collaboration with Prof Brian Adair from the Department of Veterinary Science, Queen's University, Belfast.

Functional ingredients

In January 2006, a new research project, funded by the National Development Plan under the Department of Agriculture and Food FIRM programme began

and currently investigates the potential of seaweed extracts as functional ingredients. The concept of including seaweeds in the diet is not new as Asian people and Atlantic coastal communities have consumed seaweed for centuries. Brown seaweeds contain high levels of protective molecules (antioxidants) as well as vitamins, iodine and polyphenols. Seaweed polyphenols are related to the polyphenols present in green tea and tannins in wine. In this project, as a natural mix of trace elements, antioxidants and bioactive sugars, seaweed extracts are being investigated as potential functional ingredients for beverages. The novel extracts are being

* John Hackett demonstrates the filleting process.

produced and characterised by the MGBG team and used by Dr Elke Arendt's team in the Department of Food Science, UCC, to produce novel `potentially functional' flavoured water, cold tea and fruit juice beverages. Pre-clinical trials (microbial and toxicological effects), which are mandatory before clinical trials and commercialisation of any food ingredient to establish its safety, are being conducted by other partners: Dr Cyril Carroll of the Enteric Pathogen Research Laboratory (EPRL), Department of Microbiology, NUI-Galway; Prof. Martin Cormican, Medical Microbiology, NUI-Galway (microbial effects) and Dr Paul Tomkins, School of Science, Athlone Institute of Technology

(toxicological effects).

Promising results

Results to date on all stands of the project are very promising and we invite interested parties from the food and beverage industry to contact us and identify further innovative applications. More recently, a second FIRM project Ð `BiaSlan' Ð has begun and will investigate the potential of seaweed extracts as novel anti-microbial tools to limit campylobacter bacteria infections in poultry. The main collaborating partners are the MGBG, which includes Sarah Foley, a new PhD student, and EPRL teams from NUI-Galway, AIT and the Queen's University Belfast.

INSHORE IRELAND December 2006

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