A vast majority of the angling community feels betrayed and let down by the government. They were promised that the industry would prosper and proliferate, but it has been declining ever since
The Northern Irish and British anglers have been angling in the Dunmore East Harbor region for centuries. As a maritime nation, the fishing industry has had a significant impact on the country’s identity for a very long time.
However, after Brexit, the Northern Irish and British anglers have not been able to catch the fish at Dunmore East Harbor due to Brexit’s restrictions.
This decline in fishing has led to a significant loss to the fishing industry in the Dunmore East region. However, people still hope that things may change again before they go completely out of hand.
Until December 2020, the Northern Irish and British anglers landed a lot of catch in the region, resulting in an economic boost in the Dunmore East region and further.
However, as of January 2021, the fishing boats registered in the UK and Northern Island are not allowed to fish in the south of Howth fishery port or the east of Castletown-Bearhaven fishery port.
Due to these restrictions, the Northern Irish and British anglers have to make longer voyages. This has resulted in more operational costs and associated risks with the trade.
What are the Brexit impacts on the fishing industry in the UK? Read the complete article to learn more!
According to a recent Topical Issue on the Dunmore East harbour designation issue, submitted in April by Waterford Oireachtas members Sinn Fein’s David Cullinane, the Green Party’s Marc O’Cathasaigh and Independent TD Matt Shanahan, “This has made the job of NI and UK fishermen much more difficult resulting in longer voyages to and from the fishing grounds, it has also increased operating costs, increased carbon footprint and indeed increased risk to vessels and crew. It is now a matter of urgency that serious consideration be given to reopening the Port of Dunmore East to NI and UK fishing vessels.”
The issue was raised again by Waterford TDs at a fisheries webinar involving three counties Waterford, Wicklow and Wexford, hosted by Minister McConalogue on May 11 and through a Parliamentary Question put to Minister Charlie McConalogue back in January.
“The fishing fleets of Ireland and the UK have shared the fishing grounds and our ports since partition. Irish vessels used the British ports and vice-versa. Since the days of sail, Cornish fishermen followed shoals of mackerel and herring up to the Irish coast. In recent decades it wouldn’t be unusual to see UK fishing vessels from the Cornish ports of Newlyn, Penzance, or any of the NI ports tied up in Dunmore East. Many fishermen from Dunmore East fished for years out of the Cornish ports, many married and settled down in Cornwall.”
He continued, “NI vessels which use the Port of Dunmore East are mostly fishing in an area known as the ‘Smalls Fishing Ground’ which begins about 40 nautical miles south of Dunmore East and extends south and eastwards towards the UK coastline, roughly half of the area would be in the UK sector.
Author: Claire Quinn
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