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KFO welcomes 41% boost in 2020 mackerel quota

10/17/2019

 

Scientific advisory group rectifies previous errors

Irish pelagic fishermen have been given a timely and welcome boost with negotiations around next year’s mackerel catch providing for a 41% increase in quota for 2020.

The development has been welcomed by Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation CEO, Seán O’Donoghue who said the conclusion of this week’s coastal states meeting in London has resulted in a very satisfactory tripartite agreement reached between the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands.

The Irish quota for 2020 is 78,054 tonnes which represents an increase of 22,740 on this year’s quota of 55,314 tonnes.
“Last year, I was extremely critical of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea or ICES and its scientific advice. That criticism was proven 100% accurate since an ICES review on May 15th last provided for an overall figure of 770,358 tonnes for 2019 instead of 318,403 tonnes and now a further increase for 2020 to 922,064 tonnes, a figure which is an incredible increase of almost 190% on the advice it had offered in September of 2018."
​
“I’m extremely pleased that the Coastal States have taken on board the concerns of the KFO and others, which I have expressed regularly in numerous fora regarding the lack of quality assurance in the ICES assessment process by including a specific written reference to this in the final document”
, said Mr O’Donoghue.

The KFO CEO said he fully agreed with the criticism leveled at Iceland, Russia and Greenland at the meeting by the EU, Norway and the Faroes for their decisions to increase their unilateral quotas for mackerel for 2019. In the case of Iceland, it increased from 107,000 tonnes to 140,000 tonnes. As a result, the share of the Icelandic unilateral quota has effectively increased to 21.5% of the overall Total Allowable Catch (TAC). Since 2014, they have had an average unilateral TAC of 16.5% - well in excess of the amount set aside for the three parties outside the agreement, namely Iceland, Russia and Greenland. It is not acceptable that Iceland, Russia and Greenland act in such irresponsible manner and put the sustainability of the healthy mackerel stock in jeopardy. An appropriate set of actions must be put in place to stop this continuing.
​
Mr O’Donoghue concluded by acknowledging the pivotal role played by Minister Michael Creed and his officials in delivering this favourable outcome.
ENDS
Further information:
Seán O’Donoghue
087 419 6535

Fisheries aid package “welcome but not what’s wanted”

10/8/2019

 
​A €14million fisheries aid package, to be distributed in the event of a ‘No-deal’ Brexit, announced in Budget 2020 has been met with a lukewarm response from KFO CEO, Seán O’Donoghue.

“While any funding directed into fisheries would typically be welcomed, this is a horse of a different colour. In essence, this is effectively a glorified redundancy payment for many of our members who have put their hearts and souls into developing businesses in the most hazardous and challenging work environment on earth. Moreover, it would be available for a very limited time only thereby ignoring the long-term, grim, commercial ramifications on our industry, of Britain exiting the EU without a deal,” said Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, CEO, Seán O’Donoghue.
​
 “State aid rules would also have to be amended in order for the package to be drawn down. We implore an orderly transition on November 1st in the event that a deal cannot be agreed between Britain and the EU. Should Irish and other EU fleets be denied access to UK waters after midnight on October 31st next, there will be flash points all across Europe in scenes potentially reminiscent of the cod wars of the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘70s,” concluded Mr O’Donoghue. 

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