Fear in Cork’s fishing communities over threat to slash mackerel quota

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

West Cork councillors have warned that proposals to slash the mackerel quota for next year will devastate fishing communities such as Castletownbere and have called on the government to fight to ensure it doesn’t come into effect.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), an international scientific body whose advice on fish stock levels is used by the EU to set fishing quotas, has recommended a 70pc cut in the EU’s mackerel quota next year as well as major reductions in the blue whiting and boarfish quotas. The ICES says the cuts are necessary to combat overfishing of those species.

Speaking at this week’s meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Danny Collins said the reduction of the mackerel quota “could see the Irish seafood sector face collapse within 12 months without immediate government intervention. This represents an existential threat to our pelagic fleet and coastal communities.”

The West Cork councillor said he attended a meeting of fishermen from areas such as Castletownbere, Union Hall and Ballycotton last week. “The frustration and pain were really easy to see at this meeting. There were many who spoke of their fear if these cuts go ahead. One fisherman said, ‘Our backs are to the wall if this happens.’ Another fisherman said he had got a loan from his bank on the back of his mackerel quota. Now, if this cut happens, he doesn't know how he'll pay his loan.”

“I'm calling on our ministers to fight tooth and nail and tell Europe that Ireland has had enough. This is one of our most valuable fish stocks and if this 70pc cut goes ahead, it'll cost the fishing industry around 80 million euros in revenue, which will nearly wipe them out.”

Cllr Caroline Cronin supported Cllr Collins’ statement. “I'm a wife of a fisherman and I've been part of a fishing family for 30 years and I've never seen the fishing industry so bleak. A 70pc cut to the mackerel quota threatens our fishing industry, our fishing communities and our fishing families,” she said.

“Fishermen are self-employed, there's no financial help for them. It's knock after knock. We might have 10 or 12 weeks every year where we don't have an income because of bad weather, because of pots getting lost and storms, nets getting tangled, fishing gear breaking, engines breaking down. Small family-run fleets need stable quotas to plan and invest,” she said.

Cllr Joe Carroll also voiced his agreement. “I just can't understand why our ministers are so weak when it comes to Europe. We're an island country. We shouldn't have to put our hand out to Europe or to anybody, we should be depending on the water right around us. But yet go out 50 or 60 miles and we see boats from other countries coming around and doing what they like. And then the cheek to send that out to the fishermen on our coastline, you have to expect a 70pc cut in the mackerel. That can't be accepted,” he said.

On foot of a motion by Cllr Collins, the council agreed to write to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon and Minister of State Timmy Dooley calling on them to resist the proposed quota cuts.