Minister announces development package for Irish fishing fleets

Fishing industry representatives have welcomed the Government's latest fleet development measure, which aims to inject £75 million (€95 million) into new and modern secondhand vessels over the next five years.

Young fishermen and women under 35 stand to benefit from a special grant scheme as part of the package, which involves £20 million (€25 million) in Government and EU funding and an anticipated £55 million in private investment. It aims to make the Irish whitefish fleet more competitive and improve safety at sea.

Details of the scheme were announced yesterday in Waterford by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey. Six weeks ago, the Minister announced a £30 million package for commercial fishing in Galway to support adding value to catches, local conservation and restocking initiatives, and other developments.

"Never before has any Irish Government delivered so much investment into the Irish fishing fleet," said Mr Fahey. "This new measure, together with the Government's previous renewal programme for the fleet (1998), will result in total investment of an unprecedented £145m (€184 million) in the whitefish fleet - the most significant targeted investment in upgrading and modernising our fleet since the foundation of the State."

The package will be administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara. It involves five capital grant schemes: 40 per cent support for the cost of new vessels; 15 per cent towards modern secondhand vessels; additional aid for young fishermen/women acquiring their first vessel; 25 per cent support towards the cost of modernising existing vessels; and 40 per cent towards purchasing and installing safety and life-saving equipment.

The initiative comes at a time of pressure from the European Commission to reduce fishing effort. However, a spokesman for Mr Fahey said he intended to "vigorously defend Irish interests, while bearing in mind the need for conservation" at next week's fisheries council in Luxembourg.

Mr Jason Whooley of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation said the announcement was a confidence boost for the industry.