In fishing ports over the past few weeks I've heard a general opinion expressed that there is a downward trajectory in the industry. The State agency, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, issued statistics for last year which showed that 244,989 tonnes of fish had been landed in Ireland, 95 per cent of it by Irish vessels and that the total value of the landings was nearly €396 million. That looked good, but digging down into those figures, industry representative organisations say they show that there has been a €37m. drop in the value of landings and they fear a worse situation this year.
Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation CEO Dominic Rihan
Chief Executives of the major industry organisations say there is no doubt that the industry is in a downward trajectory and Government action is needed to support it and the dependent coastal communities.
A strategic review of the industry and its future has been called for.
FISHING INDUSTRY IN DEEPENING CRISIS SAY EXPORTERS
The Irish Fish Producers and Exporters Association has published new figures which, it says, shows that "all indications now highlight that the Irish fishing sector is in an ever-deepening crisis and one which will worsen unless specific focus is immediately given to the sectors most affected."
"This needs to be backed up with support from an all of Government approach , the current lack of support is solving nothing and it is equally self-evident that the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) funding failed to support the processing or exporting sectors at this critical time," according to the IFPEA.
All sectors of the Irish Fishing Industry are being affected
"The loss of over 28,000 tonnes of fish exports is an extremely worrying trend for the entire Irish Fishing industry, added to recent publications by Bord Bia in January 2024, which recorded a decrease in volume of 45% within the pelagic sector with a similar scaled drop in value of 31% and an SFPA Report for fish landings which showed a drop of €37 million in value of fish landed into Ireland which was equally as worrying for all involved within the fishing industries at present
"All indications now highlight that the Irish fishing sector is in an ever-deepening crisis and one which will worsen unless specific focus is immediately given to the sectors most effected. The decision last year by our Government to cut the Brexit Transition Fund for fish processors by €5 million is now proven to be an incredibily short sighted one, especially given the current state of affairs within the processing sector," said Brendan Byrne CEO of the IFPEA. "Budget 2025 needs to contain measures that will directly support our fish processing sector, the IFPEA have already made written submissions in that regard to Government.
"Unless our Government acts and actively supports this sector, we will experience large-scale job losses and closures right across our coastal and maritime communities, and we have already experienced some closures within the last number of months. This is a crisis which industry will not be able to trade its way out of, it urgently requires support and assistance of our Government."
