Displaying items by tag: Donegal Supertrawlers

18th January 2017

Marine Minister Takes On Donegal Supertrawler Fleet Over Multimillion Euro Mackerel Fishery

Michael Creed: committed to legislation allowing northern and southern fishing vessels reciprocal fishing rights within the island’s territorial waters.

#TerritorialWaters - Marine minister Michael Creed writes The Irish Times faces a clash with the influential Donegal supertrawler fleet following his decision to review the share-out of the lucrative mackerel fishery.

Mr Creed has also said he was committed to legislation allowing northern and southern fishing vessels reciprocal fishing rights within the island’s territorial waters, in spite of opposition within the industry.

He has also warned of a “very real problem” if Westminster “puts a ring around its territorial waters” when it leaves the EU, given that 38 per cent of Irish catches are in British waters.

The Cork North-West TD secured a 6 per cent overall increase in Irish fish quotas for this year in Brussels last month, including an additional mackerel allocation valued at about €10 million.

Mackerel is Ireland’s most important commercial fishery, with a value of €64 million last year for the Irish fleet, according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Mr Creed conceded to a request from the Irish South and West Fishermen’s Organisation to review the share-out of an additional quota.

The move has been criticised by the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, representing the Donegal-based fleet that pioneered the hunt for the valuable migratory stock –and which has held up to 87 per cent of the annual share-out.

For more click here including about four mussel fishermen who as previously covered on Afloat took legal action that led to a Supreme Court ruling in their favour.

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Scottish Series Background

Although the format of the Scottish Series varies little from year to year, it is interesting to see some of the changes which the event has seen over the years:

CYCA handicap class added to IOR (1976)

IOR level rating classes to reflect the popular sizes and World Championships being held in the UK

Separate one design class for Sonatas (1980 to date)

Campbeltown dropped with offshore races direct to Tarbert (1982)

Unique light displacement CYCA class - the forerunner of today's sportboats (1982)

Computer results system introduced in 1982 and now recognised as the best in the UK

Separate one design class for Sigma 33 (1987 to date)

Separate one design classes in certain years for Impalas, Sigma 38, Melges 24 and Cork 1720

Inner triangle to shorten courses for smaller classes (1986)

Points loading for offshore race reduced from 2 to 1.5 to 1

First racing in Scotland under Channel Handicap (1988)

Second racecourse for smaller classes (1989)

Discard introduced

Windward leeward races - two per day (1993)

Sportboat classes with no overnight races (1994)

Marquee on quayside for main social events (1995-2008)

Restricted Sail Class (1998)

Third racecourse for sportboats with up to three races per day (1998)

Day feeder races (2002)

Overnight and day feeder races discontinued (2005)

Stand-alone Tarbert Inbound and Outbound passage races introduced (2005/6)

With all these changes, some things have stayed the same:

Huge support from Ireland every year since 1975

A magnificent effort ashore and afloat from the volunteer helpers of the Clyde Cruising Club, Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club and Tarbert Loch Fyne Yacht Club

Results and communications service at the forefront of technology

The best competition and the best social scene in the country

An overall Series winner, the roll call including many of the top sailors in Scotland and beyond.