Fishing sector feels heat from super-trawlers

The fishing industry in Galway fears that foreign super-trawlers could be responsible for decimating stocks of white fish off the west coast.

Local fish processing plant Iasc Mhara Teo in Ros a Mhíl, and local fishermen, are alarmed by the presence of super-trawlers off Galway that capable of catching quantities of fish well beyond what they are entitled to.

The numbers of herring off the west coast of Ireland has depleted rapidly in recent years and stocks are now deemed so low that Irish fishermen are not allowed to catch herring this year off Galway.

“This is the first year that there has been no quota for herring in the west,” said Cathal Groonell managing director of Iasc Mhara Teo, which employs 35 people, ten full-time and 25 seasonally.

“The stocks have been declining for ten years. Last year the quota was about 2,000 tonnes. There is no quota this year. We’ll know for sure in December but the indications are that there won’t be a quota for herring off the west coast next year either,” he explained.

Mr Groonell said that his operation in Ros a Mhíl is monitored closely by the authorities but the super trawlers don’t face similar scrutiny.

“They are like elephants out in the sea that nobody monitors. There are six or seven inspectors from the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) who are based out here, and I don’t mind that, that’s right. And they monitor what we do and what catch is landed by local trawlers.

“But there is no monitoring of the super-trawlers. The SFPA even have CCTV cameras in our factory, which shows live exactly what we are doing. Yet there is no monitoring of the super trawlers. They’re the untouchables,” he said.

Iasc Mhara Teo processes mackerel and herring but the super-trawlers are capable of catching, processing and storing many multiples of what onshore plants are capable of; and way above the quotas.

Mr Groonell said there are other factors that contribute to the decline in stocks but he blames the super-trawlers.

“The problem is getting worse. They used to come here for maybe three months and then they’d fish off the coast of Africa. But now they come here and stay maybe nine months because they have been run out of African waters because the communities there realise the affect they are having. They haven’t been run out of Connemara but they are having a similar negative impact.

“They are entitled to fish here but once they reach their quota they should be made leave. They should be monitored and once they catch what they are entitled to they should have to move on. They are too big. There is no need for trawlers of that size. People say without them we wouldn’t land what we need but that’s rubbish.”

Galway West Fine Gael TD, Sean Kyne raised the issue with Marine Minister Simon Coveney in the Dáil. He expressed alarm that the largest and second largest vessels in the World are fishing in Irish waters at present. Deputy Kyne said he was given assurances from the Minister in relation to inspections.

“They have the capacity to catch and process quantities of fish way beyond allocated quotas. The fact that such trawlers can operate in very inclement weather has heightened fears that breaches of fisheries rules and regulations could go undetected. Ireland’s maritime territory stretches far into the Atlantic and is over ten times larger than our land territory which poses immense challenges in monitoring and controlling activities, including fishing.

“I am encouraged by Minister Coveney’s assurances that our Naval Service and Sea Fisheries Protection Authority have up to date technology which shows all of the vessels in our territorial waters at any given time and are currently using this technology to monitor the super-trawlers in question. A further concern, however, relates to the inability, because of inclement weather, to physically board and inspect the activities and catches by these super-trawlers. While the safety of our Naval Officers and the SFPA workers must always be paramount, I welcome the Minister’s confirmation that officers will carry out inspections out as soon as weather conditions permit.”

Mr Gronell, commended Deputy Kyne for raising the issue, however, said on-board inspections and ongoing monitoring must commence from the moment these big ‘monsters’ enter Irish waters.