Ireland South MEP, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, has issued a stark warning on the threats that the Irish fishing industry faces. She will host a public meeting to discuss the future of the Irish Fishing sector and how various stakeholders can work together to support a sector that sustains up to 17,000 jobs in coastal communities around Ireland, both directly and indirectly.
The meeting takes place in Berehaven Golf Club in Castletownbere on Thursday February 19th at 6.30pm. The event will be addressed by local fishing community representatives as well as Irish and EU officials.
Ní Mhurchú described it as a pivotal time for the Irish fishing community pointing out that foreign fishing fleets continue to catch around 85% of the fish in Irish waters, leaving Irish coastal communities shouldering the consequences of shrinking quotas.
“In 2004, we had around 400 boats fishing in Ireland. By 2025, this had fallen to around 140 boats. Ireland has already lost too much. We cannot afford another hit. I will use every lever available at EU level to fight for quotas, our coastal communities, and the future of our fishing industry.”
ENDS
