Fishermen based on the South and West Coasts have been advised to pause fishing from this weekend until measures are put in place to protect the industry, after its main market collapsed due to European lockdowns against Covid-19.
RTÉ News reports from Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre, where concerns are widespread among the fishing fleet and seafood producers such as the local co-op — which normally sells 100% of its prawn catch to Italy, where the restaurant trade has been closed.
Important markets in Spain and France have also dried up as extraordinary social measures are put in place to control the spread of the virus.
And prices have plummeted, with John Nolan of the Castletownbere Co-Op saying white pollock, which normally sells for €3.50 to €4 per kilo, is now trading in the UK at a mere 40p sterling.
“It wouldn’t pay for the diesel for the boat to go fishing,” he said.
Fishermen in the south and west are being urged to cease fishing this weekend until a system is put in place to keep the industry afloat. With the restaurant trade drying up due to #coronavirus, the market for fish has completely collapsed here and throughout Europe. pic.twitter.com/3Th2c8oxpW
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 19, 2020