If we can’t save the salmon how will we save ourselves?

Last month Minister for Marine Michael Creed closed the Celtic Sea herring fishery 48 hours after it opened because the stocks collapsed. Last year the fishery lost international sustainability accreditation awarded by the Marine Stewardship Council. The MSC accredited the fishery in 2012 which increased the value of the stock and, ironically, put it under increased trawler pressure. Scientists predicted this collapse for many years but were ignored.

It is not the only challenge Mr Creed faces. Weeks earlier the European Commission sought a review of our ability to apply EU rules. The request arose from “the severe and significant weaknesses” detected in Killybegs last year. Only the wilfully bewildered can pretend that these “weaknesses” did not contribute to last month’s closure.