MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher is to lead a high level delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries to Ireland from the 12 to 14 February next.
The delegation will visit Ireland’s largest fishing port, Killybegs on Wednesday 13th of February and will then visit the Marine Institute in Galway on Thursday 14th of February.
The high level delegation will include Pat the Cope Gallagher MEP, Gabriel Mato MEP from Spain and Chairman of the EP Committee on Fisheries, Ulrike Rodust MEP from Germany and Rapporteur for the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and Struan Stevenson from Scotland and Rapporteur for the Common Organisation of the Markets in fish and fishery products. Jim Higgins MEP will join the delegation in Galway.
Pat the Cope said today “I am delighted to lead a delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries to Donegal and Galway to meet with key figures in the Irish seafood sector. I am also particularly pleased that the MEPs coming to Ireland are all dealing with the key aspects surrounding the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.”
“This is an extremely timely visit as the European Parliament last week in Strasbourg concluded its deliberations on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and we will enter into trialogue negotiations with the European Fisheries Ministers and the European Commission in early March. Furthermore, the continuous overfishing of mackerel in the North East Atlantic by Iceland and the Faroe Islands will be high on the agenda.”
“We have a packed programme lined up for next week. In Killybegs, we will take an opportunity to visit a local fish processing factory and we hope to board a local pelagic fishing vessel. We will also meet with the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, the processors, the island and inshore fishermen and representatives from the fish farming sector.”
“In Galway, we are looking forward to visiting the Marine Institute to learn of the research and innovation work being carried out by them and we will also meet with representatives from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).”
“The concluding meeting of the visit will be a joint industry meeting in Galway with the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) including the IFPO, KFO and ISWFPO and the Irish Fishermen’s Organisation (IFO).”
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