WATCH: Flotilla arrives in Cork City to deliver fishing industry warning to Taoiseach's office

Dozens of trawlers are sailing into Cork Harbour to send Micheál Martin a blunt message — 'the industry is dying'

A flotilla of fishing vessels have arrived in Cork City to deliever a warning to Taoiseach Micheál Martin — "the industry is dying". Picture: Greg Murphy

Angry fishermen have sailed through the night to deliver a blunt message to Taoiseach Micheál Martin — "the industry is dying".

About 60 fishing assembled off Roches Point in Cork Harbour this morning to travel together in a flotilla up the River Lee and have no arrived in the Port of Cork at the heart of the city.

A letter will then be delivered to Micheál Martin's constituency office by representatives of the industry, which has been hard hit by Brexit and EU quotas and controls.

The Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation (ISWFPO) said thousands of jobs will be lost unless action is taken by the Government. 

A flotilla of fishing vessels have arrived in Cork City to deliever a warning to Taoiseach Micheál Martin — "the industry is dying". Picture: Greg Murphy

"As a consequence of a series of draconian measures introduced by Government and the EU Commission, targeted against those working in the Irish fishing industry, Irish fishermen claim they will lose millions of euro of earnings if we are not given a fair share of the fish that swim in our waters," it said in a statement. 

"The UK has 75% of fish in their waters, Ireland is reduced to 15% in Irish waters.

"It is estimated that job losses of 4,000 or more in both the catching sector at sea and the processing sector onshore will inevitably follow these savage cuts."

A flotilla of fishing vessels approaching Roches Point, Co Cork as fishermen unite to raise awareness and seek the support of the public. Picture: Larry Cummins

Fishermen will point out that Brexit is costing individuals in the industry between €5,000 and €20,000 in lost income.

They say not enough is being done by the Government to stick up for them and the future of a €1bn-a-year industry that employs 16,000 people is now in doubt.

“If the Irish people hold any value in their fishing industry, we hope they will come out and support us,” Patrick Murphy, chief executive of the ISWFPO said:  

"The industry is dying. The ever-dwindling amount of fish the Irish are actually allowed to fish for in their own waters is simply not enough to sustain the entire industry.

“Around 20% of the industry will have to be decommissioned to save the rest.” 

One part of the flotilla setting out last night from Castletownbere on its way to Cork. Trawlermen are today delivering their letter of protest to the Taoiseach's constituency office in the city. Picture: Neil Michael

The fishermen say the 'final straw' for the industry was a European Commission ruling that Ireland cannot be trusted to police its fishing quotas under the Common Fisheries Policy.

The commission has issued a ruling withdrawing a special derogation to this country to weigh fish at factories because the authorities can’t guarantee that fraud will be detected.

Damien Turner, Skipper of the Roise Catriona, the third trawler to leave Castletownbere. A flotilla of eight tralers are making their way to the Port of Cork from Castletownbere. Picture Neil Michael.