€40m harbour development ‘key’ to future of fishing port
The Dinish Wharf Development involved the dredging of the approach channel, inner harbour and berthing quay at Dinish Island along with the construction of a 215 metre-long quay and associated infrastructure.
Agriculture, Food and Marine Minister Simon Coveney will officially open the €39.5m development in the state-run fishery harbour centre.
The minister will also launch a community-led development strategy, Castletownbere — An Economic Survey to Determine the Level of Seafood Activity and Establish its Economic Importance for the Region.
The new development in the West Cork peninsula town commenced in 2005 as part of a multi-phase project. As a result, the harbour can accommodate more modern and larger Irish vessels and visiting fleets.
According to the minister, the development will address congestion in the harbour and present possibilities for other large fishing vessels to berth at Dinish Island— increasing the supply of fish for processing or export and generating greater economic activity.
Up to 660 people have employment linked to the fishing industry in Castletownbere, representing 80% of the local workforce.
Meanwhile, it is also envisaged cruise vessels, large commercial or exploration vessels will also be able to land into and operate out of Castletownbere.
The report, facilitated by BIM, was the result of a collaborative action by local stakeholders.
The report identifies new opportunities for the area.
Mr Coveney said: “The new development is an impressive piece of infrastructure. It provides a springboard to grow the fishing, aquaculture and associated industries to new heights and opens the door to opportunities identified in the report.
“I would like to acknowledge the contribution of everyone associated with the construction of this facility, which was lead by my department. I would also like to congratulate and recognise the hard work that has gone into the compilation of this very detailed report on Castletownbere.
“As Ireland’s largest whitefish port, we are all aware of the integral part the town plays in our fishing industry but it is inspiring to see that local community representatives are now looking to further develop ways to grow the fishing and aquaculture output in the area with a view to generating increased revenue and employment.”
He said “adding value to fish landed in Castletownbere is key to the economic future of the area”.
He explained: “For every €1 million of fish landed, a further €2.12m is created by the processing and ancillary sectors. If we can process more Irish and foreign landings, the area will benefit substantially and we are currently working through BIM and the industry to achieve this.”
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