#Fishing - All interested vessel owners, skippers, crew and fishing industry professionals are invited to attend a series of nationwide meetings on the National At-Sea Catch Sampling Programme.

Emerald Marine, on behalf of the Marine Institute, will be hosting a number of informal meet-and-greets at various locations around the country over the weekend of 17-19 November to discuss recent developments to the National At-Sea Catch Sampling Programme.

Following changes to the European Data Collection Multi-Annual Plan, the Marine Institute is adopting a new statistically sound approach to the National At-Sea Catch Sampling Programme. The framework specifies the data collection to support implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Emerald Marine Environmental Consultancy has been contracted to co-ordinate the new-look catch sampling programme, and has been doing so since July thus year. The Emerald Marine team has been contacting skippers and vessel owners to arrange catch sampling trips and coordinating the available samplers.

Emerald Marine's aim is to complete as many high quality sampling trips as is possible by maintaining good communication and working relationships with vessels, owners, skippers, POs and samplers.

Meetings are scheduled as follows (tea and coffee provided after each meeting):

• Friday 17 November, 12pm-2pm: Tara Hotel, Killybegs
• Friday 17 November, 7pm-9pm: Connaught Hotel, Galway
• Saturday 18 November, 12pm-2pm: Marine Hotel, Howth
• Saturday 18 November, 7pm-9pm: Three Sisters, Dunmore East
• Sunday 19 November, 2pm-4pm: Bera Hotel, Castletownbere

For more details contact Emerald Marine at [email protected] or by phone at 087 151 3541 or 087 145 5599.