Ireland’s inshore fishing sector has criticised the Government for excluding it from recent fuel subsidy measures. Industry representatives said the lack of support comes as costs surge and operations become unviable.
It follows this week's calls in the Dail of “kicking the fishing industry while it’s down” by failing to tackle the fuel cost crisis hitting fishermen and coastal communities.
Fuel prices have nearly doubled in recent weeks, while bait and other expenses have also risen sharply. Combined with poor weather, many small-scale operators say they can no longer afford to go to sea. Boats are now tied up at piers across the coast as crews suspend activity due to rising costs.
“Viable, working businesses are being forced to stop,” a National Inshore Fishermen's Association (NIFA) representative said. “Not because of a lack of fish, but because the cost of fishing has become unsustainable.”
The sector said it has repeatedly raised concerns and called for targeted assistance. Those appeals, it claims, have not been acted upon.
Fishermen warn that without immediate intervention, the impact on coastal communities could be severe. “If immediate action is not taken, the damage to the inshore sector will be potentially irreversible,” the representative added.
