'I think we are the last generation': The fishing industry's struggle to stay afloat

As 50 trawlers formed a protest flotilla in Cork Harbour on Wednesday calling for fair quotas, a handful of skippers spoke to Neil Michael about whether or not the Irish industry has a future

Damien Turner, skipper of the Roise Catriona, part of a flotilla of eight trawlers from Castletownbere making their way to the Port of Cork for a protest on Wednesday. Picture: Neil Michael

Three men and a woman best illustrate the state of the Irish fishing industry today.

One quit the industry two years ago, another is old enough to retire but can’t and the other two face being forced out of the industry despite being too young to retire.

All of them are based in Castletownbere, Co Cork, and all are integral to a fishing community they believe is dying.

'There is a massive skill set that will be lost'

Damien Turner, who is the skipper and owner of the MFV Roise Catriona, has been fishing for more than 30 years.

The 51-year-old, originally from Douglas, Co Cork, whose boat is named after his daughter, started in the industry the day after his 18th birthday.

“I always had a love of the sea,” said the father of two, who helped organise Wednesday’s protest flotilla.

“My own father was a merchant seaman, and I fell into the fishing. I used to come down on holidays to Castletownbere, and I see the boats and that’s where I started out."

The first boat he went onto was the trawler Sea Sparkle, then he progressed to the 72ft Fiona Patricia.

She was what is known as a Seine netter, which operates by herding fish into a net rather than trawling a net along the seafloor to catch fish.

He progressed onto being relief skipper before eventually buying the vessel, which sank in September 2001.

"It’s amazing how fast a fire can spread in a boat,” he recalled of the incident south of Baltimore.

“It was an exhaust fire. The fire was rampant. There was no controlling it.

“It had five crew and we all got off safely. We all got off in the life raft.

“She eventually went down because of the fire.

“Another vessel picked us up, and we were subsequently airlifted back to Castletownbere.” 

He added: “It’s amazing how the training just kicks in. It’s only afterwards, you say, it’s a scary experience.

“But when you are in the process of it, you know you must do x, y, and zed. You get the crew off. That’s the main thing.” 

He then went to Scotland in October 2001, “in search of another vessel”, and came back with The Argyle, which he then renamed after his daughter, who was five months old at the time.

He has the ship to this day but it could be his last.

A photograph taken from the Roise Catriona of one of the boats in a flotilla of trawlers making their way from Castletownbere to the Port of Cork. Picture: Neil Michael.

Despondent about the state of the fishing industry, he believes he could well end up being the last generation of Irish fishermen and women.

“I’m 51,” he explained from his seat on his bridge, as he steamed toward Cork Harbour in the dark and early hours of Wednesday morning.

“The vast majority of skippers you will see in the fleet are of similar ages.

“As one skipper said to me on the pier at Castletownbere recently, 'I think we are the last generation'. And I genuinely believe we are the last generation.

“There is a massive skill set that will be lost. Who is going to teach the next generation how to skipper a boat, never mind even how to be a fisherman?

“Who is going to teach the skills required with net mending?” 

'Our fishermen are struggling, our boats are struggling'

Dinah Busher should be among the generations of fishermen and women to follow on from Damien.

At 29, she should have many years left in the industry.

However, since the boat she owned, the MFV Ellie Adhamh, sank off the south-west coast in March, she is no longer confident about her future in the industry.

“Our fishing industry is really struggling,” she said at Wednesday’s protest, during which she handed in a letter to Micheál Martin's constituency office, calling for his support.

“Our fishermen are struggling, our boats are struggling. They are not making enough money to pay their bills and we need more quota from the Government.

“We need them to go back to the EU and renegotiate the Common Fisheries Policy.

“We just need help and support from them.” 

The Ronan Ross followed by the Sarah David on their way to Cork Harbour. They are part of a flotilla of eight that started out from Castletownbere at 8pm on Tuesday night. Picture: Neil Michael.

Asked how she feels about the task she faces getting back working the fishing industry herself, she replied wearily: “It is going to be an uphill struggle, to be honest.

“I can't really imagine going into the bank and asking them for a loan to build or buy a new boat, not the way things are now.

“My passion to get back into fishing is definitely there, despite all the struggles and the hardship. I know that my heart is still in the fishing industry but it is just a case of how do I get back into it again.” 

'I loved fishing, but I just couldn’t stick the bureaucracy'

About two years ago, Brendan O’Driscoll – who started fishing when he was 16 – realised his heart just wasn’t in the job anymore.

The 57-year-old’s family history is steeped in the fishing industry.

His father Donal, who was one of the founders of the Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation, and his grandfather Dan William fished.

A flotilla of fishing vessels approaching Roches Point on Wednesday morning. The fishermen were en route to the constituency offices of Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Turner's Cross, to hand over a letter highlighting the plight of the industry. Picture: Larry Cummins

As well as his brother Liam, Brendan’s four uncles also fished.

“I used to love the hunt, as we would call it,” he said, speaking hours after Wednesday’s protest, which he helped organise.

“But the minute I’d be heading back to the shore, I would just have a knot in my stomach until I’d landed my catch and all the paperwork was done.

“I just decided life just wasn’t worth the hassle. I loved fishing, but I just couldn’t stick the bureaucracy.

“Rules and regulations were constantly changing and our quotas for the amount of fish Europe said we could catch in – it should be said – our own waters were constantly being cut.

“I also couldn’t see any younger generations wanting to take my place, so when the opportunity came up, I took it, so did Liam. 

“It is just so soul-destroying to see what is going on at the moment. There will need to be a lot more action before the Government takes notice of us.

“We are like a forgotten race.” 

'It changed when we joined the EU and it has gone downhill ever since'

Like many of his colleagues, mackerel fisherman Larry Murphy – who is the skipper and owner of the 50m Menhaden – has seen his takings slashed by about 28% since Brexit.

The 73-year-old, who has been fishing since he was 17, is despondent about the industry.

“It’s very tough. You wouldn’t want to be starting out today. You just wouldn’t survive today.

“It was a lovely job and a great way of living.

“But it changed when we joined the EU and it has gone downhill for us and the Irish fishing industry ever since.

“It is being undermined bit by bit every year, and our politicians are simply not doing anything for us to stop it."

There is talk that if Wednesday’s protest doesn’t yield a serious response from the Government, followed by action, it could lead to Irish ports being blockaded.

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Having taken part in blockades in the past, he is not a fan.

“Blockading somebody else from making a living is not a good idea,” he said.

“You don’t affect the people who are directly involved that way."

So, what does the industry have to do?

“I don’t know,” he said, pausing a moment and then adding: “We have to kick in the door of Leinster House or something because it’s not the layman that is the problem.”