A conservation study into the state of cod stocks off Donegal has been ordered by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Dermot Ahern.
The Minister has asked the Marine Institute to "proceed immediately" with a project which would evaluate the benefits of a season closure of the Greencastle codling fishery. The study is aimed at making Ireland's case to the EU for an alternative to the draconian "days at sea" regime introduced last month off the north-west.
The order from the Minister follows last week's meeting between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and fishing industry representatives at which a case was made for resisting the EU measure. The "days at sea" restriction on fishing for more than nine days a month, with an additional two days for steaming, was applied to the north-west as part of cod conservation measures introduced off western Scotland.
The restriction applies right across EU fishery area VI, which includes the north-west of Ireland. As it relates to gear rather than catch, up to 30 Irish whitefish vessels which have not been fishing for cod have been affected - as has the Inishowen port of Greencastle. Already, the European Commission has prepared an amendment to its own measure, which has been described as "anti-conservation" and "illogical", according to industry representatives.
The Marine Institute will lead the project which also involves the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, the Foyle Fishermen's Co-op, Greencastle Fishermen's Co-op, Greencastle Fish Exports and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) as partners. The cost of the project is €322,106, including grant aid of €250,000 and is supported by EU funding.
"It is in everyone's interests to assess just what is the state of the fisheries off Donegal. This project should contribute to the knowledge of the cod stock and indicate appropriate conservation measures," the Minister said yesterday. "Once we get the results we can incorporate recommendations into the recovery plan with a view to replacing the current "days at sea" limits.
The Minister has also asked BIM to explore the potential for diversification by fishermen affected by the "days at sea" limits off Donegal.
