Sea-Source, a major prawn and seafood processor, were pleased to receive the UK’s Fisheries Minister George Eustice MP during his visit to Kilkeel on Wednesday afternoon (29 October) explained ANIFPO Chief Executive Allan McCulla.
Mr Eustice was in Northern Ireland for a stakeholder event attended by fishing industry representatives from across the United Kingdom. At the joint invitation of South Down MP Margaret Ritchie and Northern Ireland MEP Diane Dodds, the Minister then travelled to Kilkeel, where he attended a number of engagements, including visits to Kilkeel Seafoods, Sea-Source’s factory, the prawn trawler Oceanus, owned and skippered by Sea-Source’s Chairman Neil McKee, and finally to the Fishermen’s Mission base in Kilkeel harbour.
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Pictured on the quay in Kilkeel are David HIll, Manager of Sea-Source Offshore, Alan Mc Culla, Chief Executive of AINFPO, South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, George Eustace, UK Fisheries Minister, Diane Dobbs MEP, and Oceanus owner, Neil McKee.[/caption]
During his visit, Mr Eustace sampled some of the Irish Sea produced seafood products at Kilkeel Seafoods then visited the Sea-Source factory where together with Ms Ritchie and Mrs Dodds were invited to hand peel some locally caught prawns, which are being used in Sea-Source’s developing line of gourmet scampi.
Sea Source is an excellent example of a Fish Producers’ Organisation that has evolved to encompass a variety of business opportunities designed to maximise the value of catches and provide diversification for member and non-member vessels.
Mr McCulla said: “The delegation was also met by Geoff Hooks, Chairman of the Kilkeel Strategic Partnership who briefed the Minister and his political colleagues on plans for the re-development of Kilkeel, and focused on a new outer harbour.
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George Eustace MP, UK Fisheries MInister, aboard the Oceanus looking over the nets with skipper Neil McKee.[/caption]
“Skipper and owner Neil McKee invited Mr. Eustice aboard the Oceanus where the Minister was shown the highly selective fishing gears that have been adopted by Northern Ireland’s fishermen. Mr. Eustice has a useful discussion with the fishermen not only about the challenges common to fishermen all around the United Kingdom and Ireland, but some that are unique to the Irish Sea.”
The visit ended with an industry meeting in The Fishermen’s Mission Centre in Kilkeel. Alan McCulla, Chief Executive of Sea-Source, who attended the meeting described Mr Eustice’s visit as being very significant, at what is the most critical time of year for the entire industry.
He said: “Whilst this was not the first opportunity we’ve had to meet Mr. Eustice in Northern Ireland this year, it was the first time Mr Eustice had been able to visit County Down’s fishing industry. The message we wanted the Minister to take away with him was that if we are given the tools we believe our industry can help deliver a prosperous future to this corner of these islands.
“This does not mean we hid the challenges facing the fishing fleet in the Irish Sea. Fishermen here were forced to turn to the Fishermen’s Mission last winter for handouts. Whilst that help was welcome, it was both embarrassing and a disgrace that our people found themselves in that situation, which at least in part was caused by fisheries management rules.
“Regretfully, many of the quota issues that are unique to the Irish Sea do fall off the radar when it comes to the UK and Ireland’s priorities in December. What we tried to explain to Mr. Eustice and his accompanying officials is that it is precisely because the Irish Sea is unique, for example with the scientific assessment on cod, that we need to be higher up the list of priorities.”
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Ritchie Welcomes Fisheries Minister To Kilkeel
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Lisa Cunningham, shellfish processor with Sea Source KIlkeel, with South Down MP Margaret Ritchie and Diane Dobbs MEP, and George Eustace, UK Fisheries Minister, who try their hands at shelling prawns in the Sea Source factory in Kilkeel.[/caption]
Speaking following the visit of British Fisheries Minister, George Eustice MP to Kilkeel, on Wednesday 29 October, South Down MP Margaret Ritchie (SDLP) said: “I, along with Diane Dodds MEP, jointly hosted a visit by the British Fisheries Minister, George Eustice MP to Kilkeel.
“This was an important opportunity for the Minister charged with responsibility for fisheries management in Britain and Northern Ireland to see at first hand the opportunities and challenges presented by European directives and government policy to both the onshore processing and off-shore catching industries.
“It was also an important opportunity for the fishing industry and for the public representatives, including myself to highlight those issues; to impress upon the Minister the importance of fishing – on-shore and off-shore as well as the allied industries to the local economies of Kilkeel and Ardglass. Such an industry needs further nurturing, investment and above all meaningful fish quotas that are realistic to the actual healthy levels of fish species and nephrops in the Irish Sea.
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A selction of tasty seafood greated the Fisheries Minister at Kilkeel Seafoods.[/caption]
“The extensive visitation included a guided tour of Kilkeel Seafoods where the Managing Director, Daniel Whittle led the discussion and clearly demonstrated the range and remit of this processing factory which announced a £1 million pound investment in their local facilities in July which will create an additional 33 jobs.”
Following this visit, the Minister as well as South Down MP Margaret Ritchie and Diane Dodds MEP were brought to inspect the twin-rig nephrop trawler Oceanus where they exanined the highly selective fishing gears which helped address the issues of issue of discards.
A detailed meeting then took place with the Minister where a range of issues were discussed including the forthcoming annual negotiations for Quota allocations for various fish species in the Irish Sea. Other issues discussed included the Landing Obligation or discard ban which addresses a discard ban for pelagic fisheries and representatives from the fishing industry along with the local MP, Margaret Ritchie were most insistent that there should be no discarding of the target species of Nephrops which are the bread and butter of the local fleet and processors from 1 January 2016, and from 1 January 2019, there should be no discarding of any quota species that does not have a high survival rate.
Marine Conservation Zones, Drift Net ban and the management of the Queen Scallop fisheries in the Isle of Man water were also discussed as areas requiring immediate resolution in order to pump-prime and bring about further stimulation to the local fishing industry in South Down.
Ms Ritchie said:” I hope that Minister Eustice’s visit will bear fruit, and will give him a level of understanding of not only the condition of the local fishing industry, but also the challenging conditions of harsh weather conditions and European Directives under which the industry has continued to survive and command an important role in the local economy of Kilkeel and Ardglass as he prepares for and participates in the annual negotiations for fish quota species allocations in late December.
“I will continue to press the importance of the off-shore and on-shore fishing industry to our local economy in South Down. Job creation and the sustaining of existing jobs and above all, adequate fish quota allocations should not be impaired by restrictions. The fishing industry must be allowed to grow, develop and prosper in the months and years to come.”
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