Dunmore fishermen say harbour management by State intolerable

The Dunmore East Fishermen's co-operative in Co Waterford has claimed that a breakdown in management at the State fishery harbour has effectively turned it into a "freeport".

Fishing vessels have stopped landing due to difficulties with traffic, berths and basic services, Mr Tom Fewer of the co-op said.

"We have here a sickening, intolerable situation with regard to harbour management," he said. "Large quantities of fish are landed here for which no landing dues are paid because there is no proper system of collection, and serious water traffic problems arise because there is no Department official present to give directions on berthage for boats.

"Quite often trawlers are left tied up at the official berths and others cannot land their fish." The co-op submits its computerised landing details monthly to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, and pays accordingly.

"As a marketing company open to all boats, we have lost considerable revenue due to boats turning away because they cannot land," he said. Successive promises by marine ministers to tackle difficulties in harbour management have not been kept, he claimed.

Mr David Andrews, as marine minister, had made one such promise when a harbour users' committee was formed to make recommendations. However, these recommendations were largely ignored, Mr Fewer said.

In August 1998 the Department informed the co-op that Dr Michael Woods, as Minister, intended to set up a new management structure to "promote local involvement, initiative and development". Another report was prepared by the harbour users' committee, but only an acknowledgement of its receipt had been received, Mr Fewer said.

Mr Fewer found it both "amusing and annoying" to read the report published last week by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Strategic Management Initiative (SMI) which had been very critical of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources. The committee gave the Dunmore East fishermen very short notice when it came to hear submissions, he said.

The all-party committee, chaired by Mr Dick Roche TD, found "disturbing" evidence of a breakdown in communications between the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources and its client base in coastal communities.

It said the very poor relationship was compounded by a "highly centralised" administration in Dublin. It was in "the national interest" to resolve the administration's resource difficulties, given the rapidly changing nature of the fishing industry, the report said.

It also recommended that the Department should be decentralised, as it saw "no reason why it should be based in Dublin".