This article is from page 70 of the 2007-07-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 70 JPG
THE Minister for Agriculture, Fish- eries and Food Mary Coughlan, ac- companied by her colleague Minister of State John Browne, met with rep- resentatives of the major fishermens’ organisations at Agriculture House in Dublin last week.
Among the issues discussed were progress on the implementation of the new Seafood Strategy and the fu- ture development of the sector.
Minister Coughlan welcomed the Opportunity to meet with the catch- ing side of the industry to discuss important issues of concern to them and listened carefully to the case put forward by them.
She said, “I intend to work with the Federation and also to use the con- tacts I have built up at the Agricul- ture and Fisheries Council to pursue Ireland’s interests at EU level”.
Following a long meeting all par- ties fully endorsed the new Seafood Strategy that had resulted from the work of the Review Group led by Dr. Noel Cawley. Minister Cough- lan noted that all are committed to working positively to deliver on the outcomes”.
GoM etclmp usta Vue PMO LoM\U EINK Ro MEK ID Ese! the industry that it was a priority to get EU Commission agreement on a new decommissioning scheme as early as possible. Minister Coughlan welcomed the establishment of the
Federation which gives a single voice to fishermen right around the coast- line. She assured the Federation that she and her officials are committed to regular contact with the indus- try in the future and agreed to meet chee NDOM OMG elomr-lelaepesyee
In November 2006 the four main fishing organisations, Irish South and West Fishermen’s Organisation, Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, Irish Fish Producers Organisation and the Irish South and East Fisher- men’s Organisation, united into one representative organisation for the catching sector, to be called the Fed- eration of Irish Fishermen.
The Federation advises that it rep- resents over 90 per cent of full-time
fishing vessels over 12 metres in length in the country.
The Seafood Strategy Review Group, or Cawley Group, was estab- lished in June 2006, under the chair- manship of Dr. Noel Cawley, sup- ported by Mr. Joey Murrin and Mr. Ruain O’ Bric.
The objective was to consult with all stakeholders to devise a strategy for the 2007-13 period for the deliv- ery of a sustainable and profitable seafood industry in Ireland.
The establishment of the Cawley Group, and its analysis of the current state of the seafood industry, coin- cides with the ending of the current National Development Plan (NDP), and the advent of the NDP 2007-13.