Fishermen angry as port closes off quay

FURIOUS fishermen were up in arms last night after the Port of Waterford finally locked a section of quay it sold to a private developer last year.

As many as 20 trawlers land catches daily on the Port of Waterford’s North Wharf. Fishermen have been on notice for over a year that they faced eviction from the site. They had been given a February 1 deadline to leave the area.

Last night, port officials locked the gate to the site for the final time.

Fishing vessels have no alternative but to land at Belview Port, 10 minutes away. It’s already busy and not suitable for landing catches, fishermen say.

The O’Flaherty Brothers lost a High Court challenge to the sale several weeks ago. They are awaiting a Supreme Court appeal.

They were among a group of fishermen who met with Transport Minister Martin Cullen two weeks ago and had been hoping for an 11th-hour reprieve.

A port spokesman confirmed last night that the gate had been locked but declined to comment further on the matter.

Seamus O’Flaherty of O’Flaherty Brothers said they employ 100 people and that landing on the North Wharf is a critical element of their business. “We will be going up there tomorrow morning to do a service on a boat. I expect to be able to get in,” he said last night.