The full-time equivalent of more than 2,300 jobs in the fisheries sector are “at risk without swift intervention”, industry representatives warned as a Government taskforce on the industry sat for the first time on Monday.
The taskforce held its first meeting in Howth, Co Dublin and is expected to develop a “financial framework” to assist the fishing sector. It follows the EU fisheries deal reached in December, which could represent a nearly €100 million hit to the sector, lobby groups have set.
The Seafood Ireland Alliance (SIA), a grouping of five representative bodies for the fishing and fish production sector,
warned that cuts to quota reductions for 2026, in combination with instability in important fishing stocks have put fleets, processors and marine service industries here under “severe strain”.
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SIA member Brendan Byrne, chief of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association, said the sector was “under extreme pressure”, noting “the scale of quota cuts and continuing imbalances in shared stocks now threaten the viability of fleets, processors and the communities that depend on them”.
“More than 2,300 full-time equivalent jobs are at risk without swift intervention,” Dominic Rihan of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation warned.
The alliance noted previous projections, which indicate first point of sale losses of €94 million this year, with a further €18 million linked to the EU’s failure to apply The Hague Preferences – a mechanism allowing Ireland higher fish quotas.
The members of the fishing group called for the taskforce to develop a five-year strategic plan with clear timelines for implementation, and backed by both State and EU funding.
Following a meeting at Killybegs in late December, the Minister of State responsible for fisheries, Timmy Dooley said the Government would establish a taskforce to “do everything possible to develop a range of supports to help our coastal communities get through such turbulent times”.
He said the Government would “develop a financial framework to assist the fishing sector through the difficult times ahead”.
Aodh O’Donnell, chief executive of the Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation (IFPO), warned against further delays in aiding the sector, and called for a “genuine level playing field on shared stocks such as mackerel”.
He said that Irish fleets have operated within the advised limits. “Sustainability cannot be one-sided. If Irish fishers are complying, others must be held to the same standard,” he said.
“Our fishing communities are prepared to adapt and modernise. But they cannot continue to shoulder disproportionate losses while others benefit. The focus now must be on implementation.”
