Transfer of fisheries portfolio ‘an important milestone’

THE transfer of the fisheries portfolio to the renamed Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is an important milestone that can herald a new start in modernising the industry, according to an industry spokesman.

Irish South and West Fish Producers chief executive Gerard O’Flynn made the comment following a meeting between the organisation’s board and Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan.

The meeting took place in Castletownbere just hours after the fisheries portfolio was formally transferred to Ms Coughlan’s department from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. Key issues such as fishing fleet decommissioning, quota management and a number of control and enforcement matters were discussed. Decommissioning, or fishing vessel “scrappage”, was identified as a key industry reform.