#Seafood - France remains Ireland's largest export market for commercial fishing catches - but African countries now make up one-fifth of total export revenues.

Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt and Ghana together accounted for 20% of Ireland's seafood export revenues in 2015, according to the Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched today (Wednesday 20 July) by Marine Minister Michael Creed.

The report outlines that while there are challenges ahead – in particular the consequences of the UK vote last month to exit the EU, as well as ongoing commodity price volatility – global demand for sustainable agri-food is continuing to grow, and that Ireland, as a world leader in the sector, can look forward to long-term growth prospects.

The full report PDF can be read or downloaded from the department's website HERE.

#MarineWildlife - Three dead dolphins have washed up on Kerry's shores in recent days – and one Irish fishery expert believes so-called 'supertrawlers' in the area might be responsible.

According to The Irish Times, former Sea Fisheries Protection Authority inspector Kevin Flannery says one of the three common dolphins found between Dingle and Smerwick Harbour since last weekend had a rope around its tail, presumably discarded from a fishing vessel.

He added that while there is no proof of precisely what became of the dolphins, it was "no coincidence" that the incidents occurred while a fleet of mainly Dutch factory fishing ships was spotted off the Blasket Islands.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

#KillybegsProject - A marine piling project is underway in Killybegs, Co Donegal on phase 3 of the small craft harbour.

The contract to ABCO Marine at the Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre that began late last month, is on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The works will include the provision and installation of stell tubular piles and floating breakwater pontoons, associated connections and ancillaries. Additional works are also required to integrate phase 3 installation with the previous phase 1 and 2 pontoon arrangements.

ABCO's marine plant involves the C57 Red Squirrel jack-up barge, a transfer barge, support work boats to support the piling operations.

The works according to ABCO are progressing to programme, with the piling to be completed this month, in advance of the new floating pontoon installation.

#BrexitImpact - Ireland's fishing industry will not lose out to agriculture in the wake of Brexit, the new Marine Minister assured stakeholders at this year's SeaFest in Galway.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Minister Michael Creed said "I am not going to shop one in favour of the other" amid concerns in the marine sector of a repeat of Ireland's concessions in favour of farming in negotiations to join the then EEC in the early 1970s.

As for what measures the Government will take to address the impact of Brexit, the minister said that "until Britain triggers the exit mechanism and lays its cards on the table, we can’t react".

Recently it was suggested that Britain's exit from the EU could create an opportunity for north Atlantic coastal countries – including Ireland and non-EU member Norway – to form their own economic group and take greater control of the region's fisheries.

The impact of Brexit is already resonating in the marine sector, as major Irish Sea ferry operator Stena Line, based in Sweden, confirmed it is "considering the implications for all of [its] UK interests".

#Fishing - Marine Minister Micheal Creed yesterday (Tuesday 28 June) met with EU Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella at the Fisheries Ministers Council in Luxembourg.

This was the first formal meeting between the two men since Minster Creed's appointment.

The minister described the meeting as "very useful and cordial and it gave me the opportunity to outline some of Ireland’s key fisheries concerns to Commissioner Vella, who has a very good understanding of Ireland's interests and issues”.

Minister Creed and Commissioner Vella exchanged views on a range of current topical fisheries issues and in particular the discussions around fishing opportunities for 2017.

“I wanted to take the opportunity today to impress upon the commissioner the need for a sensible approach towards the implementation of the policy of maximum sustainable yield," said the minister.

"I made the point that, in some cases, it may be necessary to delay reaching that target by a year or two. This will be vital for some of our important whitefish fisheries off the south coast.”

Minister Creed was attending the Agriculture & Fisheries Ministerial Council in Luxembourg where the main fisheries item on the agenda was the Commissions Communication of Fishing Opportunities for 2017.

This is the first step in the process of negotiation that will establish Ireland's fishing quotas for next year.

#Fishing - 'Money for old rope' is the pitch for a new initiative that aims to recycle old fishing nets that often end up littering the seas, as the Irish Examiner reports.

A number of Irish companies have been invited to Norway later this year to explore the possibility of collecting abandoned fishing nets and other ocean waste for repurposing in various industries – such as using the rope fibres in reinforced concrete.

They will be led by Macroom E, a company started by Cork County Council to help small and medium businesses make the most of recycling initiatives.

Macroom E is a partner with Circular Ocean, a Europe-wide project hosting a showcase this September on its work to remove waste from the ocean – where plastic and 'ghost nets' remain a hazard to marine wildlife – and turn it into a useful, and profitable, resource.

The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

#Fishing - New Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed hosted his first meeting of the National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) yesterday, Wednesday 22 June.

The minister met with the chairs and vice-chairs representing the six Regional Inshore Fisheries Forums (RIFFs) to hear their proposals for the future development of the inshore fisheries sector.

The inshore sector – comprising fishing boats of less than 12m in overall length – make up more than 80% of the fishing fleet and are predominately active within six nautical miles of the Irish shore.

“I am pleased that there was a focus in today’s discussions on priorities to ensure a positive longterm future for this sector," said Minister Creed. "This Government has committed to the development of the inshore sector. To deliver this, it is essential to hear the views of the stakeholders themselves through the NIFF.

"With EMFF funding now available, there are opportunities to secure sustainable inshore fisheries and enhance incomes in rural, coastal communities.” Among the range of issues discussed at yesterday’s meeting were access to herring stocks, and proposals to develop national conservation measures for velvet crab.

This was the seventh meeting of the NIFF (not to be confused with the National Inland Fisheries Forum), which was established in 2014 to facilitate the development of a coherent inshore sector 'voice' by encouraging inshore fishermen to discuss their fishing issues and generate commonly-supported initiatives.

A network of six Regional Inshore Fisheries Forums (RIFFs) around the Irish coast have nominated delegates to bring forward regional proposals to the NIFF for wider industry discussion.

These RIFF members include inshore fishermen, environmental interests, marine leisure, marine tourism and other marine stakeholders.

The structures also provide opportunities for collaboration between the inshore fishing sector and their communities on sustainable strategies to optimise the income opportunities afforded by the coastal resource.

The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 2pm today Sat to go to the aid of a 36 foot Fishing Vessel that had got into difficulty just 300 meters off the rocks at Dunworley Point in West Cork.
The Courtmacsherry Lifeboat under Second Coxswain Mark Gannon and a crew of six launched immediately and reached the stricken vessel at 2.28pm and succeeded in quickly getting a tow rope on board the Casuality, which had got into difficulty while fishing and was in danger of going on the nearby dangerous rocks.
With a crew of two on board, the Causality has immediately been taken under tow by the Lifeboat and is expected to arrive back to Courtmacsherry Pier at 3.40pm.
The fishing vessel sent out a Mayday distress call for immediate assistance just as Ireland kicked off the Euro battle with Belgium and the Lifeboat crew were quickly at the Lifeboat station to put to sea.
Conditions at sea today are windy with a difficult swell. Local Angling boat the Lady Louise also assisted in the rescue.

#Coastguard - Shannon's Irish Coast Guard helicopter was launched yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 14 June) to evacuate an injured crewmember from an Irish fishing vessel off the Kerry coast.

Top cover was provided by a second coastguard helicopter as Rescue 115 flew to the boat 120 miles west of the Blasket Islands to recover the injured party for treatment.

In another incident, coastguard volunteers recovered the body of a man from the base of the Cliffs of Moher last night, as BreakingNews.ie reports.

Units from Doolin and Kilkee responded when the alarm was raised around 5pm yesterday, eventually lifting the body to the cliff top four hours later. Gardaí are investigating.

#Brexit - Britain's exit from the EU could create an opportunity for north Atlantic coastal countries to form their own economic group, according to a leading Irish fishing industry figure.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) CEO Francis O’Donnell said there was sympathy within the industry for Brexit due to the impact of Common Fisheries Policy quotas on their livelihoods.

New markets in South America, Asia and the Middle East could also replace any loss of access to the crucial EU common market, O'Donnell suggested, if Ireland were to "become a global player" and band together with the UK, Iceland and Norway.

Such sentiment within Ireland's fishing communities runs against the current of the majority of Ireland's farming sector, with the IFA urging Irish in the UK to vote to remain in the EU.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.