Seafood industry figures meet Ministers on fuel crisis measures

Representatives of the Seafood Ireland Alliance (SIA) met with Ministers Martin Heydon, Timmy Dooley, Michael Healy Rae and Noel Grealish on the worsening crises facing the Irish fishing and processing sectors.

Dominic Rihan, CEO of the Killybegs Fisherman’s Organisation, detailed to the meeting the SIA proposal, which would directly assist vessels to remain at sea, fishing and maintain financial viability.

"Fuel costs were totally eroding profitability within the sector, and unless Government support was provided vessels would have to tie up and fishing would cease," he said. "The consequences of vessels failing to go to sea was going to led to the decimation of our coastal communities."

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John Lynch, CEO of Irish South and East Fisherman’s Organisation, outlined the scale of impacts facing ordinary fishermen at present. Massive quota cuts coupled with record high prices for fuel means one thing, vessels going to sea are loss makers once they leave their home fishing port.

"No sector can continue operating under these circumstances, but with the specifically designed supports such as the proposal of the SIA would guarantee the fishing fleet the ability to continue fishing and by extension providing food security at this critical time," he said.

Brendan Byrne CEO of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association, presented on behalf of South and West PO and IFPO.

He stated: "We are facing an urgent and immediate crisis of unparalleled scale of impact, and the entire sector was now on life support. It is going to be critical that measures are brought in as part of the Government next fuel measures mitigation strategy, the focus must be to immediately provide a national funding envelope, and thereafter measures to be drafted to support the various sectors. We cannot permit another fuel support programme to be drafted and implemented that fails to provide any supports for the fishing sector."