Fishermens’ jobs at risk

MICHAEL Walsh has been fishing all his life. The father of five uses the Port of Waterford regularly.

He says there’s just no future for him in fishing and for his 65ft vessel if the Port of Waterford is closed to trawlers, as is planned in early March.

“My vessel would be one of the biggest fishing out of Dunmore but I’ve to use Waterford in bad weather, particularly as there’s not enough water in the other ports.

“The only other options will be to land in Howth or Castletownbere and transport the fish up and down, which will add significantly to our costs.

We put two proposals to the Department of the Marine - either they secure 300 metres of this port until an alternative is found - or they develop Belview. People’s livelihoods are at risk.”