One of Donegal’s youngest fishers has criticised the Marine Minister for not doing enough to protect the inshore industry.
Arranmore islander Muireann Kavanagh, aged 14, fishes pollack with lines alongside her father and uncles.
The young fisherwoman was so stunned by a zero catch scenario recommended to rebuild pollack stock that she wrote a personal letter to Minister Charlie McConalogue.
Muireann says the decision will be hugely detrimental to her and her family who fish for pollack using lines from a 7 metre boat.
She said she was “totally disgusted and angry” at the “demeaning” treatment of small-scale fishermen under the negotiations.
Her letter outlines her belief that the small-scale fishing done by her family would not have an impact.
She writes: “I fish and help maintain a boat my grandfather built by himself and his friends on Arranmore Island. This boat has provided a living for my uncles, my grandfather and my grand uncle. Over the last number of years this boat has been denied her heritage. There is no way that this boat or any of the remaining boats on the Island have destroyed the fish stocks.”
Muireann Kavanagh is one of Donegal’s youngest fishers
The decision comes on the back of advice on fish stocks from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
EU-UK negotiations on 2024 fishing opportunities decided on a limited, by-catch only total allowable catch for Pollack in Areas 6-7 to avoid a “choke” situation which would lead to the premature closure of whitefish fisheries where Pollack is caught as a by-catch.
Minister McConalogue has said that: “Given the scientific advice for this stock, the need to balance socio-economic considerations with achieving good biological status for stocks, and taking into account the challenges of managing mixed fisheries, setting a by-catch only TAC is the most appropriate approach.”
“Why are you making it harder for the likes of me coming into the industry?,” Muireann asks.
“Your ment (sic) to be the Minister of Agriculture AND Marine but all I can see you as is Minister of Agriculture as you won’t help the Fishermen. From my experience I don’t see you doing anything beneficial for the inshore sector and to protect our Island way of life.”
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan met with Arranmore fishers on Tuesday
Muireann has urged the Minister to fight for the inshore sector in Europe to save her family’s heritage and to protect the industry for future generations.
See Muireann Kavanagh’s letter here, as shared online by Luke Ming Flanagan MEP:
Muireann’s letter to Minister McConalogue
Muireann’s letter to Minister McConalogue