Kerry fishing sector faces ‘Armageddon’ if government doesn't step in warns industry spokesperson

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

Dingle’s fishing community is battling a storm on more than one front.

While the conflict in the Middle East blows diesel prices sky high, fishermen on the Dingle Peninsula have been forced to keep their feet on dry land this winter.

The wild weather has kept many small fishing vessels in Dingle harbour moored since November, rocking a sector which is claimed to be already on the brink of capsizing.

The reduction in quotas, the increasing cost of bait and the threat of offshore energy, all contribute further to a bleak outlook for the inshore fishing business.

Eddie Moore, director of the National Inshore Fishermen’s Association (NIFA), warns it is ‘Armageddon’ for the industry if the government doesn’t act soon.

“Fishermen are getting by with a wing and a prayer, they’re just living on hope,” he said.

“Everything has sky-rocketed, but fishermen at the moment are price takers, not price makers. We can’t charge more for the this increase in input prices. We have to suck it all up.

“It’s Armageddon, unless something is done. Inshore fishing is on its knees.”

NIFA are calling for a basic income support scheme to offset rising input costs, as well as a compensation fund for the effects of climate change, such as prolonged seas storm seasons and increased Atlantic swells.

With the increasing restrictions on quotas and fisheries, Mr Moore sees this year as a watershed moment that could have drastic implications for coastal communities.

“Every rural coastal town has a fisherman, and it’s been proven that every single fishing job creates seven onshore,” said Mr Moore.

So if you’re talking about losing 1,000 jobs, you’re really talking about losing 7,000. That’s also going to affect the other local businesses because every euro that’s made in an inshore boat is spent in the immediate area.

“Every penny that’s made actually goes back and stays within the community, which is massive for any rural part of Ireland.”

Mike Hennessy, a fisherman based in Dingle, said he hadn’t been fishing since Christmas due to the rough weather.

He said input costs had increased, including the doubling of the fuel price, which is one of the main operational costs.

“Even though fuel goes up, the price of fish doesn’t go up. If anything, it goes down as well, so we are caught both ways,” said Mr Hennessy.

He felt a subsidy was needed, particularly given how the recent rougher winters were linked to climate change.

Kerry Councillor Robert Brosnan also warned that the sector could collapse and said the government needed to provide support to beleaguered businesses.

“The big thing for the coming season is that the price of fuel has gone up about 50 per cent and it’s probably going to rise further,” said Cllr Brosnan.

“A lot of the shellfish is exported to mainland Europe. The price of exporting the product to the main continent now will have gone up considerably, so the worry is that the price will land at the feet of fishermen or go up in the restaurant.”

“Either way I think it looks like the market could collapse…they’re only barely hanging in there with the prices they’re getting, so a financial package is needed.”