New permit scheme to offer greater protection to migrant fishers

The Irish Examiner reported last week that over three-quarters of fishing vessel owners within the scope of the scheme have been issued with contravention notices since 2016.

A new permit system to offer migrant fishermen greater protection while living and working here will “go a long way to addressing the concerns” felt by many in the sector, ministers have said.

Following years of calls to reform the scheme covering migrant workers on Irish fishing vessels, the Government has announced a process to replace it with an employment permit-based system that would entitle permit-holding seafishers to move to a Stamp 4 immigration permission.