State to spend €2m to convince Irish people to eat local fish

Fish tacos: the new scheme is designed to increase domestic consumption of fish. File Picture.

The Government is to invest €2m in a plan to get, among other things, the Irish to eat their own fish.

The move is part of a multi-million bag of initiatives from the Seafood Sector Taskforce set up in March to support the fishing industry.

Some €2m is to be invested in Bord Bia’s overall seafood promotion strategy and this includes “targeting an increased consumption of Irish landed fish on the domestic market”.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue told the Dáil: “The impact of Brexit on Ireland’s Seafood Sector is, understandably, a major concern for all those involved in, or connected with, the fishing industry.

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“The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) agreed between the European Union and the UK will have significant negative impacts on our fisheries sector and on coastal communities dependent on fishing.

“The wider impacts of Brexit will also negatively impact on some of our seafood enterprises.”

His taskforce is recommending a voluntary temporary tie-up scheme to be put in place for the period September to December for the approximately 220 fishing vessels directly impacted by the quota transfers under the TCA.

Each vessel will be allowed to tie up for one calendar month, Minister McConalogue told the Dáil.

The scheme will recommend that payments should be calculated based on average gross earnings over the 2017-2019 period, excluding the cost of fuel and food.

“Vessel owners must ensure that a certain percentage of the payment is distributed amongst the crew members of the vessel,” the minister said.

He said crew members availing of the scheme must not take up alternative employment or claim benefits during the period of the voluntary tie-up.

However, herring and mackerel fishermen will not be eligible for the scheme.

This is despite the fact, the minister noted, that this segment of the industry has been subject to the largest quota reductions, in the order of €15.6 million in 2021.

He said: “The taskforce considered that because of the seasonal nature of pelagic fisheries it would be problematic to include these vessels in a tie-up scheme but is actively exploring other possible short-term supports as a matter of priority.

"In the meantime, I will continue as I have done since December, to take every opportunity to raise the inequity of the quota cuts burden on Ireland with the Commission and other Member States.

Fishers recently expressed frustration with government plans with a flotilla up Cork harbour. File Picture: Dan Linehan

“The next review of the Common Fisheries Policy is due to be completed by the 31st December 2022 and I am committed to doing all possible through the upcoming review to secure additional quota, where possible, for Irish fishers.”

He said EU negotiations on the so-called Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) are still ongoing, and he said Ireland expects to receive nearly €1.2 billion in current prices.

“The BAR is fully EU funded and its objectives are to provide support to counter the adverse consequences of Brexit in member states worst affected,” he explained.

“Of course, the BAR is not specific to our seafood sector and there will be many competing demands for funding from Ireland's allocation under the BAR.

“Nevertheless, I am firm of the view that the Seafood sector is a priority sector for funding under the BAR.”