EU’s move to crack down on Ireland’s fishing controls could expose fishing firms to legal problems
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The European Union has decided to cancel a derogation for Ireland on how the country’s catch is weighed, a move that could presage a series of legal cases against fishing firms for past practices.
The E.U. wants fish caught in Ireland weighed on the pier rather than in factories, but the fact that some of the factories in the key fishing port of Killybegs are located a mile inland makes an alternative system hard to build without damaging fish in handling, according to Irish Fish Producers Organisation CEO John Ward.
Irish Fish Processors & Exporters Association Calls on Marine Minister to Stand Up to EU Commission
2nd May 2021
The Irish Fish Processors & Exporters Association has described as draconian and brutal the European Commission s decision to withdraw from the Irish industry the derogation it had held to weigh fish at factories rather than landing ports
The Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association has called on the Minister for the Marine to do his duty and stand up for the industry he is mandated to represent.
The Chief Executive of the Association, Brendan Byrne, has described as draconian and brutal the European Commission s decision to withdraw from the Irish industry the derogation it had held to weigh fish at factories rather than landing ports. The Commission has cited suspicion of fraud in the process, which is rejected by the IFPEA, to justify its decision. There are 160 processing companies in Ireland.
Ireland first and only Member State to have fishing plan revoked by European Commission
The loss of the control plan means that fisheries will no longer be allowed to weigh their catches in factories. By Maria Delaney Tuesday 20 Apr 2021, 12:36 PM 3 hours ago 19,323 Views 30 Comments
A KEY PLAN linked to the monitoring of fishing quotas in Ireland has been revoked by the European Commission, the first time it has undertaken this action.
This ‘control plan’ allowed Irish fisheries to weigh their catch in factories, but since authorities here “did not take appropriate measures” to address noncompliance including “manipulation of weighing systems” and “under-declaration of catches by operators”, fish will no longer be allowed to be weighed in this way.
Irish Fishing industry
The Irish Commercial Fishing Industry employs around 11,000 people in fishing, processing and ancillary services such as sales and marketing. The industry is worth about €1.22 billion annually to the Irish economy. Irish fisheries products are exported all over the world as far as Africa, Japan and China.
FAQs
Over 16,000 people are employed directly or indirectly around the coast, working on over 2,000 registered fishing vessels, in over 160 seafood processing businesses and in 278 aquaculture production units, according to the State s sea fisheries development body Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).
All activities that are concerned with growing, catching, processing or transporting fish are part of the commercial fishing industry, the development of which is overseen by BIM. Recreational fishing, as in angling at sea or inland, is the responsibility of Inland Fisheries Ireland.
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