THE 250 marine sector jobs earmarked for Killy-begs harbour, Co Donegal, could become a national model for how to drive collective employment.

IRISH ports may benefit from a welcome jobs boost, following meetings between Agriculture Minster Simon Coveney, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and French organisations representing 850 fishing vessels.

ALMOST 160 jobs will be created in Ireland’s seafood processing sector over the next three years thanks to a special state investment package announced yesterday.

IRELAND is failing to maximise its natural seafood resources — even though it’s a market projected to grow by 42 million tonnes per year by 2030, according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).

BRITISH film director David Puttnam will open one of the country’s best known food festivals on Saturday by addressing an international food conference.

A RESEARCH project is expected to provide data that will enable the niche Irish seaweed industry to double annual output to €20 million by 2013.

THE 10 highest earning bosses at Ireland’s state and semi-state companies each earn more than US president, Barack Obama.

IRELAND’S first abalone shellfish farm, which was officially opened in Beara, Co Cork, yesterday hopes to export most of its output to Japan when fully operational in the next three to five years.

THE CONVENTIONAL wisdom has it that Douglas blew their chance of a county football final place when they coughed up a late three-point lead in their Cork SFC semi-final joust with Ilen Rovers two weeks ago.

IRISH companies are playing a key role in steering a course for the €803 million seafood industry.

THE annual surge in the purchase and consumption of fish that Ireland traditionally experiences on Ash Wednesday is set to reach a new high today.

Irish people are eating more fish because they believe it is healthier, the fisheries board said in its annual report today.

WEST Cork man Jason Whooley, who has been appointed chief executive of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, will have a major role to play in directing the proposed move of its headquarters to Clonakilty.

FISHERMEN yesterday gave a guarded welcome to a new 597million Government strategy for the seafood industry.

IRISH fishermen are confident of hauling in an extra €14 million to €20m in 2007 following annual quota-fixing talks in Brussels which ended early yesterday.

IRELAND made significant progress in retaining its quota for cod and herring and got an unexpected increase in prawns during the second day of negotiations on the annual fish quota in Brussels yesterday.

THE future of four Irish fish-processing factories was on the line last night after talks began yesterday in Brussels on the setting of new fish quotas for EU countries.

FISH industry leaders yesterday warned that hundreds of jobs could be lost in coastal areas if proposed massive EU cuts in fish quotas are implemented.

A strategic plan is to be drawn up for the fishing industry to plot a sustainable future for the sector amid declining stocks and rising fuel costs, it emerged tonight.

THE debate on the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill has been characterised to date by the quality of scrutiny by the Oireachtas Joint Committee.

Furious fishermen gathered in protest in the country’s main ports today to warn the Government the new controversial Fisheries Bill will not be accepted.

Over 300 fishing boats were on course for the country’s main ports today to stage a protest to demand changes to the controversial Fisheries Bill.

IRELAND had the worst record in Europe for breaching EU fishing quotas, according to the European Commission.

OVER the next six months up to 10% of Ireland’s fishing fleet will be decommissioned in one of the most drastic changes to the country’s fishing industry in modern times.

IRISH fishermen can expect a 15% increase in their income next year after a deal was reached on the amount of fish they can take out of the sea at marathon negotiations in Brussels.

Irish fishermen have said the agreement on next year's fishing quotas agreed by EU ministers early this morning is the best that could have been achieved in the circumstances.

Groups representing Irish fishermen are in Brussels today for the start of negotiations among marine ministers on next year's fishing quotas.

FISHING leaders insisted yesterday they were waiting for a garda investigation to be completed before commenting on claims the industry was extensively flouting EU and national laws.

FISHERY associations have given a guarded welcome to the fish quotas for 2005 agreed by the European Union after all-night talks.

IRISH fishermen were celebrating the closure of a large chunk of their fishing waters off the south east coast of Ireland last night.

IRISH fishermen are being over-penalised for breaches of EU regulations, it was claimed yesterday.

SCIENTISTS want to completely block cod fishing in the Irish Sea next year because they say stocks are dangerously low and are not showing any signs of recovery.

IMPORTED fish, including species landed in the Pacific, are flooding markets in west Cork, home to two major fishing co-ops in Castletownbere and Union Hall.

TONIGHT: Permanent tsb IFC: Ballinora v Carrigaline - Bandon, 7.30pm.

Ilen Rovers, Cork 1-11 St Michael’s, Donegal 1-4

THE fishing industry has broadly welcomed the decision by the Fisheries Council in Brussels to increase the quantity of fish Irish and other EU fishermen can catch in the coming year.

EU Marine Ministers are meeting in Brussels today for ongoing talks about next year’s fishing

EXPERTS want a total ban on cod, whiting and hake fishing in the Irish Sea, a measure that would affect about a fifth of the Irish fishing industry.

THE government is standing firm on a decision not to issue licences to new fishing boats pending an EU review on fleet management.

AN unlicensed €6 million showpiece trawler is to remain tied up in one of the country’s top fishing ports.