New EU restrictions on the north-west fishing fleet have caused a "complete crisis of confidence" in the marine-based economy on the Inishowen peninsula, according to industry and community leaders.
The days-at-sea measure, which ties up whitefish vessels in the north-west for all but 11 days a month, has already driven away most of the larger boats from the port of Greencastle, Co Donegal. This past Easter weekend was the first time that many of the larger vessels had returned from grounds south where the measure is not applicable - yet.
Its impact is already having a devastating effect on a region with a 17 per cent unemployment rate - a rate fuelled by rationalisation at the Fruit of the Loom clothing plant and a downturn in mushroom-growing due to competition from Poland.
Tourism has been given a fillip by the new Lough Foyle car ferry between Greencastle and Magilligan, with Northern day-trippers crossing to make the most of the sterling-euro differential. However, some 30 to 40 shore-based companies in the fishing port, which depend on servicing the fleet, have lost up to 70 per cent of their business since the EU ruling was enforced in February.
"It's Greencastle today, but it could well be Castletownbere, Co Cork, Dunmore East, Co Waterford, Howth and Clogherhead tomorrow," Mr Andrew Ward, former fishing skipper and manager of Inishowen Rural Development, warns. Inishowen is an EU "test case" for the rest of the coastline, he says.
Mr Séamus Bovaird, manager of Foyle Fishermen's Co-Op, agrees; Inishowen has traditional close links with Scotland and its industry leaders have already witnessed the severe impact of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy on Scottish ports. "We have the sea to our backs and there's only one road out of here - and that's to Derry or Letterkenny," Mr Bovaird says.
The days-at-sea restriction was introduced at last December's EU fisheries council as a conservation measure, purportedly to protect cod stocks in western European waters. However, in applying to gear rather than catch, the measure has hit up to 30 vessels on the west and north-west coasts which have not been targeting cod but which work in EU fishery area VI.
While larger vessels have moved south, smaller vessels have been forced to tie up.
Mr Gerard Dougal of Dougal's Ship Riggers has worked only only half a dozen vessels in the last two months and says owners are holding off on buying gear because of the crisis. "Everyone is looking for you at once over a day and a half when the boats do land. With work so uncertain in between, I can't hold on to my staff."
Meanwhile, large-scale industrial fishing, which is merciless in terms of its impact on the marine food chain, continues in northern European waters. Uneven application of regulations and Spain's insistence on dismantling the Irish Box have left Irish fishermen convinced that the European Commission is more concerned with providing cheap fish for the European consumer than with saving stocks.
"This blunt days-at-sea system doesn't make any sense from a conservation point of view, because it just displaces effort and puts pressure on other areas," Mr Ward says. "Had the EU allowed for genuine regional management, we would not be in this situation now."
Greencastle is determined to fight back and a meeting was secured with the Taoiseach by local Fianna Fáil TD, Ms Cecilia Keaveney. Mr Ahern was extremely supportive, according to Mr Ward and Mr Bovaird, and it was agreed that €2 million of National Development Fund money would be released to fund research which could back up an alternative plan, while money for diversification would also be made available.
That research on cod stocks is due to be carried out with the Marine Institute - using local boats where possible - while Bord Iascaigh Mhara has been asked to pursue diversification options, including deepwater fisheries, fishing for queen scallops, midwater fishing for squid and work on deterrents which would discourage dolphins from becoming caught in tuna nets.
However, these will take time to implement. In the interim, Mr Bovaird is trying to keep his co- op open by collecting landings from his members on the south coast. It's a moveable feast, with Greencastle boats on spring whiting recently landing into Dunmore East, Co Waterford.
"The expensive harbour infrastructure lies idle up here," he says, "while I am working out of the back of a truck." His staff have to be put up in local hotels, which pushes up costs.
The Inishowen Rural Development Company is trying to push the case of the shore companies and the needs of this "service- providers" group will be discussed at a meeting hosted by the Donegal County Development Board in Letterkenny on April 29th.
"Greencastle has always been known as a quality fish port, where premium catch was landed," Mr Ward says. "That's all been let go with the stroke of a pen. And the Government talks about a National Spatial Strategy - what does that mean for Inishowen now?"
