Fears for fishing industry

Cork’s fishing industry could disappear within a decade if the Government doesn’t subsidise rising fuel costs.

That was the shared sentiment of a number of Cork county councillors at a meeting in County Hall on Monday.

Councillors called for the Government to step in and offer fuel subsidies in line with countries like Spain and France whose fishing fleets both receive substantial subsidies from their respective governments.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Joe Carroll said conditions for fishermen in West Cork are worsening every day. He said the French government currently provides 30c per little of fuel, while the Spanish government provides 25c. Currently, Irish fishermen receive 2c per litre.

Cllr Carroll said he spoke with a fisherman last week who had spent €42,000 to fill his boat with fuel for a 2 week trip. He said with the rise in price since the fisherman’s last fill-up will cost his crew €1,600 in wages for their next catch.

“We are all aware that the French and Spanish fishing crews are getting a massive advantage. It's quite clear that the fishing industry is going to go down. They can't keep paying that kind of money while the French and Spanish fleets are being subsidised to fish in their own waters,” said the councillor.

According to Fianna Fáil’s Patrick Gerard Murphy, it can now cost up to €70,000 to fill a boat with fuel depending on its size.

“Fishing is a strange business. You go out some weeks and you get nothing, so you burn the diesel but you don't get the income.

“A lot of them are tying up now because they don't see the value in going out because of the cost of fuel,” said Cllr Gerard Murphy.

In Kinsale, Fine Gael Cllr Kevin Murphy said fishing fleets have been “screwed to the wall” by the cost of fuel.

He said: “We have a substantial fishing fleet in Kinsale and the cost of diesel is gone stone stark raving mad. Government subsidy needs to come, and it needs to come quickly if they're to survive.”

Fine Gael’s Caroline Cronin added: “The way it is at the moment, it looks like fishing will be gone in the next decade, so to stand up for fishermen now is a must. At an Oireachtas meeting in March, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD said he was aware of the increase in fuel costs, as well as the effects it is having on the industry: “I have been listening and working and talking to fishers themselves, as well as their representatives, because this challenge is an emergency. I will continue to engage with them on the challenges. I have proposed a total of €425 million to support the sector this year and next year.”