A “SPEED-dating” session which took place yesterday between leading French and Irish seafood industry interests could give an employment boost to coastal communities, Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney has said.
Several thousand new shore jobs could be created here if even a percentage of some 850 French fishing vessels represented at a meeting in Co Cork yesterday decided to land catch in Ireland.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara, which hosted the discussions led by Mr Coveney in Clonakilty, Co Cork, estimates that five jobs could be created for every extra vessel landing catch in Irish harbours.
BIM estimates that fish in Irish waters is worth some €1.2 billion annually, and Ireland currently catches just €200 million worth, or 18 per cent in volume terms.
A high proportion of the remaining 82 per cent is being caught by French vessels and Ireland “could benefit greatly” if some of this was landed here, Mr Coveney said. “If even up to half of the fish caught in our waters was brought ashore here there would be a very important economic spin-off.”
Key French interests, representing 850 vessels, met face to face with eight of Ireland’s top seafood processing plants and other marine interests at what the Minister described as “speed-dating” discussions involving a series of bilateral talks.
French politician Isabelle Thomas of the Conseil Régional de Bretagne attended.
Mr Coveney said given the high cost of fuel, landing by non-Irish vessels into Irish ports made economic sense for them. “I know not all Irish fishing interests would approve of this idea, but we have world-class landing facilities in Killybegs, Co Donegal, and a new harbour almost completed in Castletownbere, Co Cork,” he said.
“If we build a bigger market here with a higher value product, it will lead to increased fish prices for everyone.”
Mr Coveney said his department’s Food Harvest 2020 strategy highlighted that “shared resources through strategic initiatives, including other member states, would be central to economic development”.