Minister addresses european fishermen

Fisheries Minister, Michelle Gildernew MP MLA, has addressed members of the North Western Waters Regional Advisory Council and local fishing representatives in Belfast.

Welcoming the Council members on their first visit to Belfast, the Minister said: “Fishing is the mainstay of the economy in the coastal communities of South Down and many jobs in processing and support industries depend on the activities of the catching sector. As the local Minister for Fisheries I will strongly support the needs of our industry in dealings with Defra in London and with the Commission.”

The Minister also said that when she had recently met with local fishing representatives they expressed concern about cod recovery measures in the Irish Sea. She said that: “The Commission’s review of the Cod Recovery Plan provides an opportunity for us to develop more suitable fish stock management arrangements for the Irish Sea which will in turn rebuild the stock to sustainable levels. This will be a considerable challenge, but the department, the fisheries scientists and the industry must all work together to achieve the positive outcome we want”.

Acknowledging the Regional Advisory Council’s role in bringing forward the idea of an ‘Irish Sea Data Enhancement Pilot Project’, the Minister said: “This is an important piece of work which not only has the potential to influence the way in which fisheries in the Irish Sea are managed in the future but brings together all those who have a shared interest in seeing the development of sustainable fisheries in the Irish Sea."

Concluding her address the Minister referred to the recent Assembly debate on the fishing industry and confirmed her support for setting up a cross-party fishing industry group to focus on fishing matters. She said: “I want to see a profitable, sustainable fishing industry here which will be attractive to younger people and which maximises the contribution it makes to the economies of coastal communities. I look forward to working with industry representatives and other key stakeholders to achieve that objective.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Part of the 2002 CFP reforms included the establishment of Regional Advisory Councils comprising direct fishing stakeholders as well as other interest groups such as environmental NGOs. Their role is to consider and advise on the Commission’s proposals for fisheries management as well as to propose their own proposals for consideration by the Commission.

2. The North Western Waters Regional Advisory Council (NWWRAC) was established in September 2005 and includes members from the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands and its area of interest covers mainly waters off the West coast of Ireland as well as the Irish Sea.

This is the first time that the NWWRAC has held its working group meetings in Belfast.

3. The NWWRAC recently adopted and recommended a UK-Ireland industry proposal for an Irish Sea Enhanced Data Pilot Project. This has been accepted by the Commission and should result in a scheme to improve the quality of data on commercial catches and discards in the Irish Sea available to scientists and managers.

4. All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, Tel: 028 9052 4619.