The National Inshore Fishermen’s Association (NIFA) has warmly welcomed its recognition as an EU seafood producer organisation (PO).
The sanction by Minister for Marine Charlie McConalogue was hailed by NIFA chair Michael Desmond.
Desmond said it came after a “long battle” and “many years of hard work”.
“Many long hours were put in by our former general secretary, Alex Crowley, who is still a director of the organisation,” Desmond, an inshore fisherman based in West Cork, said.
“Thanks to Alex Crowley, and to founder members Richard Gildea, Bernard Whelan, Shane and Trudy McIntyre, Eddie Moore and others, we have 210 members,” Desmond said.
“We have members in every single coastal county, and we have had to put in dozens of submissions in relation to offshore wind farm applications due to our broad membership spread,” he said.
“Much of this work was voluntary by NIFA members like Alex Crowley,” he said.
Announcing the recognition, McConalogue said that in Ireland’s programme for government it was “committed to supporting the inshore fishing fleet in generating greater marketing and promotional capacity by facilitating the establishment of a producer organisation for these smaller fishing vessels”.
Inshore fishing vessels at Fethard in County Wexford Photo: Afloat
This would provide “additional opportunity for the island and coastal communities involved in the inshore sector”, he said.
“In 2021, my department recognised the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation (IIMRO) as a producer organisation which focuses on our offshore islands,” McConalogue said.
“ I am very pleased to announce that my department has now completed the process to formally recognise NIFA as an EU seafood producer organisation,” he said.
“The inshore fishing sector is a vital part of our coastal economies and communities and I am committed to supporting this sector and our inshore fishing families,” he added.
In a statement in early January, NIFA said that the Irish inshore fishing sector - or the “forgotten sector” as it is known by those involved - is facing unprecedented challenges due to the rising costs and failing markets throughout various segments.
“ The Irish government is determined to push offshore renewables as the economic saviour to coastal communities, not taking into account that there will be limited numbers of specific hubs (ports) for servicing this industry,” it said.
“Every fisherman in Ireland knows that if given the correct structures and proper support, the inshore fishing industry could revitalise dying rural coastal communities, providing a viable sustainable and prosperous future to the neglected areas of our country,”it said.
NIFA also noted that a government strategy for the inshore fishery sector which was published in 2019 amid “much fanfare”, is now “gathering dust in some forgotten corner of the marine department or BIM office”.
“This alone will tell you where inshore fishermen stand in the department’s priorities,” it said.
“However, with the latest round of decommissioning resulting in the inshore sector becoming ninety plus percent of the Irish fleet, we can no longer be ignored,” it said.
“The smaller inshore vessels that work from the hundreds of piers dotted along the rugged Irish coastline are the beating heart of rural coastal communities,” it said.
