FG seeks greater compensation for fishermen

A SUBMISSION arguing for greater compensation for salmon draft-net fishermen will be handed to EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg by Fine Gael’s John Deasy and party MEP Simon Coveney in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Their move follows a meeting Mr Deasy had with Mr Borg in Italy last month. The Waterford TD chairs the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs which drafted the submission arguing that the compensation scheme of €25 million recommended by an expert group was too low.

That group investigated the future of the salmon industry in the light of plummeting stock figures and recommended to Communications and Marine Minister Noel Dempsey that there should be compulsory cessation of all draft-net fishing.