Fishermen driven to brave the elements

AS a member of the fishing community, and a trawling skipper for the past 20 years, I find it very difficult to come to terms with the recent loss of two boats and some of their crew — although over my lifetime in fishing, I have lost many a good friend to the sea.

Since Ireland’s entry into the EU, I have seen fishing communities battle to retain what was left of their resources, to keep alive the very communities they come from.

The public, which these communities serve, have little or no understanding of the driving force behind these communities, which for generations have put to sea. Fishermen work together like no other industry, through the good times and the bad times, sharing and supporting each other. If there are no fish, there is no pay.

Over the past 10 years the pressure on fishermen has forced them to fight for their very existence. By the very nature of their work, they are driven to catch fish at every given opportunity — through the continued introduction of quotas, and ever more severe regulations and economical circumstances — with little or no help from the State. Over the past year, we now have the potential to become criminals for breaking fishing regulations.

The quota system is forcing fishermen to work in unsuitable weather conditions, having to fulfil the given quota within a certain time period. The Fishermen’s Organisation should be given control of these quotas, as it is the only entity which can best implement them.

There are not many full-time fishermen left in Ireland and each year sees more and more of them leave the industry totally disheartened, while the younger men look towards the land for their future.

The latest loss of seven of our fishermen has gutted me. I feel indescribable emotions. My heart goes out to their families and, as a member of the extended family of fishermen, I feel robbed of men whose lives we shared and whose loss we share.

Louis Dillon

37 Harbour Rd

Cobh

Co Cork