Inshore Ireland 14.3 Autumn 2018 by Inshore Ireland Publishing

www.inshore-ireland.com The Marine & Freshwater Environment Publication

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WHAT ARE THE VALUES OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES TO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT?

Pgs 6-7

REMEMBERING

RICHIE FLYNN

Pgs 18-20

Autumn 2018 Vol 14 Issue 3

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A blue revolution on the horizon for small-scale fisheries? Gillian Mills

“

It is high time that small-scale fishers become one of the main beneficiaries of European funding. It is justifiable to safeguard and brighten the future for the 80% of the EU fishing fleet which is small in scale and employs over 50% of the workforce, as well as for thousands of directly and indirectly dependent jobs for all workers along the value chain.” Brian O’Riordan, deputy director of the LIFE platform

(Low Impact Fishers of Europe) and Marcin Ruciński spoke to Inshore Ireland following the publication of the European Commission’s proposal on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund covering the years 2021-2027. Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella and the ‘Annual Economic Report’ of the scientific, technical and economic committee on fisheries (STECF) however paint a stark picture of the challenges facing this sector. In Tallinn, Estonia last year, Vella highlighted that 53 out of 135 coastal fleets were loss making.

“Entire coastal communities risk devastating losses in income and jobs”.

LACK OF DATA

For Ireland, the 2017 STECF report notes that the fishing industry is primarily based in rural, often deprived, coastal areas. ‘As such, income derived from fishing, aquaculture, and the wider seafood sector is extremely important to these local economies.” It adds however that the lack of reliable data for small-scale coastal fisheries ‘remains problematic, particularly for vessels less than 10 metres’. While this report attempts

to estimate the true value of the sector to local economies, there is an ongoing concern that the true value remains, at best, underestimated.’ In a report on fish producer organisations in the EU, LIFE highlights that the four POs recognised in Ireland include only 10% of the fleet by vessel numbers but account for 90% by volume of the Irish fish catch. For the most part, small-scale fish producers are excluded from POs and access to quota. According to Marcin Ruciński, LIFE’s Coordinator for the Baltic and North Sea, in the Baltic Sea only the small-scale fleets in

two Member States (MS) out of eight were actually making net profits in 2015. “This contrasts markedly with the larger scale sector that have been making record profits thank to cheap fuel and access to mass markets”.

INSHORE RECOGNITION

The new EMFF includes an entire section devoted to small-scale fisheries with two key articles on action plans and investments. All MS are obliged to submit action plans on small scale fisheries as part of their national Operational Programmes.

»» page 16

October 10, 1918, RMS Leinster was torpedoed in the Irish Sea by a German U-boat. 555 lives were lost. (Centenary event and book review, pg28). Image courtesy of Ian Lawler collection)

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

NEWS

Norway: Building a sustainable ocean economy Norwegian Embassy, Dublin

orway is very much an ocean economy and has developed close links with Ireland from the historic times when Norwegian Vikings from rural communities settled in coastal areas of Ireland until today with the political and industry- related cooperation between the two countries. The Norwegian Embassy in Ireland has ocean as a

priority. The Norwegian foreign policy is designed to support further development of sustainable ocean-based industries and to promote good solutions and action to combat the serious environmental threats facing the world’s oceans. The world needs countries that are willing to take the lead in the work to protect the oceans and to ensure that resources are used sustainably. The Norwegian government wants Norway to be at the forefront of international efforts to promote sustainable use and

The ocean team at the Norwegian Embassy

value creation, to ensure that we have clean and healthy oceans and to support the blue economy in developing countries. WHITE PAPER ON OCEAN POLICY The new White Paper on Norwegian Ocean Policy underlines that oceans are not only crucial to our understanding of the past; they also hold an important key to the future in Norway and Ireland as in the rest of the world. The Norwegian government is actively promoting a transition to a greener economy. If we are to succeed, we must safeguard biodiversity for current and future generations. At the same time, we must make the most of opportunities for economic development in maritime areas and promote production and consumption patterns that have less negative impact on the climate and marine environment than is the case today. We believe that a higher consumption of all types of seafood is not only healthy, but also important in a greener economy.

Our greatest national resource is our ocean marine.ie

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT The White Paper is one of several new initiatives to promote sustainable ocean management. The Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg launched an international high-level panel on building a sustainable ocean economy at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January this year. The initiative comes as a response to meet the needs of a growing population, meaning more food, energy, medicine, minerals and transport will have to come from the oceans. The panel´s ambition is to make significant contributions to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals. We hope coastal and maritime nations will participate in the panel by highlighting the huge advantages of realising a sustainable global ocean economy. The panel will cooperate closely with the UN and the UN Special Envoy, Peter Thomson, who launched the initiative Friends of Ocean Action. Stakeholders from civil society and representatives of ocean industries will provide input and advice, and experts will provide scientific reports to the panel. The panel aspires to work in an open and transparent manner and to promote political dialogues on joint global efforts to ensure perpetual clean oceans. The High Level Panel will present its final report in 2020. The Norwegian Embassy in Dublin hopes to present this panel for Irish stakeholders at a special event. The success of the panel will very much depend on joint involvements of governments, industry and NGOs. OUR OCEAN CONFERENCE Science-based management of the ocean is one of the most important principles in Norwegian ocean policy, and we want

Terje Lislevand.

to increase the science cooperation with Ireland. Next year Norway will host Our Ocean Conference, and we hope to have a strong participation from Ireland. PLASTIC AND MARINE POLLUTION In January, a very sick whale was discovered in the swallow water outside Bergen on the Norwegian west coast; 30 plastic bags were found in the whale’s stomach. The discovery gained massive attention from the media and public worldwide, and the whale served as a wakeup call illustrating the dangers of maritime pollution. The University Museum of Bergen has created an exhibition telling the whale’s story, following enormous global interest. Content (plastic bags) of its stomach and parts of the skeleton is on display. The so-called ‘plastic whale’ has become a tangible symbol of the extensive plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, contributing to a greater focus on the importance of sustainable ocean industries. According to the World Economic Forum, oceans are predicted to contain more plastic by weight than fish by 2050. Materials from plastic products worth billions of dollars disappear every year, and considerable amounts turn into microplastic, damaging the ocean´s wildlife. Consequently, Norway has committed to ensure clean oceans by launching a 150 million NOK (~€15.4m) programme for combating marine pollution in the oceans. Norway wants to join forces with Ireland to combat plastic in the oceans. Inspired by the ‘plastic whale’ in Bergen, the Embassy has initiated to work with the NGOs in coastal areas to collect plastic garbage. Clean and sustainable oceans is the future.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

COMMENT

Inshore fishers must tackle biased funding flow

he vast majority of vessels operating within European Union waters are small in scale and employ over 50% of the workforce. In Ireland only 10% of vessels belong to a Producer Organisation but account for 90% by volume of the fish landed. In the main, small-scale producers do not belong to a PO and have no or little access to quota. LIFE (Low Impact Fishers of Europe) — the umbrella organisation run by fishermen for fishermen — believes this sector should be one of the main beneficiaries of European funding. For too long, it argues, aid has flowed in the direction of the financially strongest and those most capable of successful lobbying. And it warns that the landing obligation of all species coming into effect in January will impact heavily on this sector. Lack of quota especially for

that aid is available to support the largest cohort within fisheries. But in the end it will be down to Brussels to hold its course and produce a more inclusive set of proposals that benefit all sectors and not be steered by smaller but more powerful authorities.

‘choke species’ could mean smaller boats will either have to tie up or go bankrupt, ‘or put to sea and break the law’. Draft proposals for the 20212017 European Maritime Fisheries Fund include an entire section devoted to small-scale fisheries and all member states are obliged to submit action plans as part of their Operational Programme. Under the rules of the current fund, this obligation only applies to member states with more than 1,000 inshore boats in their fleet. While 2021 may seem a date in the future, the small print of the next EMFF is being decided now. LIFE believes the future welfare of the inshore sector must be safeguarded but acknowledges that change will not be accepted easily by larger operations and their national administrations. Speaking in Estonia last year, Maritime Commissioner Karmenu Vella noted that 53 of 135 coastal fleets were loss making and that entire coastal communities risked devastating losses in income and jobs. Small scale fishers must engage in shaping the next round of funding and in their national programmes. They must insist

This issue also has a response from the Marine Institute to Dr Jens Christian Holst’s article (Inshore Ireland, Summer 2018) that points to a combination of overgrazing and predation by mackerel for declining wild salmon in the north Atlantic. Acknowledging the decline, Dr Paul Connolly, the Institute’s Director of Fisheries EcosystemsAdvisory Services, argues there appears to be no peer-reviewed evidence to support Holst’s contention that a bloated mackerel population is the main cause. Instead, he points to predation and a drop in the abundance of both the quantity and quality of plankton as possible important factors affecting the survival of salmon at sea – a theory backed by published scientific research.

www.inshore-ireland.com

he annual INFOMAR Seminar will be held in Kinsale on November 8&9, either at the Trident or Acton Hotel. It is hoped that some or all of the survey vessels will be in port. The Seminar will build on the great welcome extended to the boats during the 2018 season and should prove to be of both national and local interest. Registration details at: https:// www.eventbrite. ie/e/infomarseminar-2018tickets-49934767233

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he team at Inshore Ireland extend their sympathies to the family and colleagues of Michael Gallagher, Killybegs, Co Donegal who died suddenly earlier this month. Michael was director of Ocean Farm Limited (a subsidiary enterprise of Gallagher Bros Fish Merchants established in 1919) which has been rearing salmon in McSwyne’s Bay and Inver Bay since 1985. More recently the company completed an investment project to upgrade its salmon farm technology to target new markets and to increase production. Ocean Farm Ltd employs 42 staff in production and processing activities.

Connolly does not support the notion that since mackerel can predate on smolt-sized mackerel,salmon smolts must also be predated on, saying there is no hard evidence for this - except in the common area of sea where both fish occur during certain periods of their migrations. He says the objective now must be a testable scientific hypothesis about the factors influencing salmon survival to learn more about how these factors influence marine survival and how best to target research to further refine the current estimates of the scale of mortality at each part of the marine phase of the salmon’s life cycle. He says ecosystem modelling to investigate predator-prey linkages is only at the very early stages, and even in areas where there is good knowledge of the effects of a predator fish on a prey species (as in the Baltic Sea), the information has not been used to adjust stock assessments because scientists feel they still do not have enough information for even the simple and wellstudied Baltic Sea ecosystem.

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“and prospects worsened desist from Gery when they decided in January Flynn immediatelywith this course the 2017 to leave the Single context proceedingIn honour ess of “To be andthe year. red regardl Market and the Customs of action of fisheries given last it is Covene fair to Ministe ome of conside e of a Court y, he has r commitment union which was not required astounding that points system on the table in put Fisher Ireland’s the outcomthe penalty serious And despite y it’s unfair and has a package The penalty are also regard to to great by the referendum vote.” such –uncertainty Organ Producer case; that still apply. is having provide gone ‘There not work contrary isation already does a solutionlengths to broker under are at risk tions with s (POs) “The UK’s fishing industry remainschatand this late stage points will logic andles excellend DAFM with will as such becaus implica the Comm “an of funding e and its approa it will not , but we believe law andthat e govern of closure “This defies princip y and the Brexiteers want to of Brexitngiven the Market t Production and to sign shortly 2016 is not provid satisfy our I would the release an Maritim ).’ clearly that ission indicate ment y to the ing to commoscrapped.will requirements intends S.I. No. 125 of of the PO and plan for my contrar n law wherebnt legal ‘reclaim’ their waters, give d consequences be r DAFM ing the p fundin underestimate the Europe its membe must be advise the Ministe had not been Fund (EMFF amend “It won’t as a PO. g 2014-2015”, of commoual is innoce when the make-u This higher quotas to fishermen worse Ireland than manda required to rs for provide of the POs d the potenti Fisheries enable us the sector.” as an organis stronglyfor with the necessa Panel. to change meet O’Donnell believes an individ guilty and n Mills d with to to meet step al ination appointment of the tory requirement within their 200-mile zone any other EU member,” objectiv er added Gillia the challen ation and grow to consult the Comm Determ Invited ry funding”. gRade entary es of the now havethey will not the Gallagh until proven nt, no penalty Policy. on Fisher s legal the to respond tment and CMO ges we face meet and less to others —including Lorcán Ó Cinnéide of the RetRo their CFP involve parliam innoce Deputy the the stateme on ndent s will raising new capacity expand ies ,a proven n remain nt he indepe Depar At a recent g, Donegal Chief from ted the “More regulations. after and , and sees Irish fishermen who have to Irish Fish be Processors employ CFP, in particuunder Inshore Ireland he would DAFMlture, of three nomina l, “an opportu or sanctio But this is notpenalty Pat the a market this as lar Francis executive of the in the Dáil and washas to indicate importantly, they Agricu the party meetin and additio shared these waters for years. Exporters Ministe of outline ing expert to O’Donnell, matter Association nity missed” lly d that DAFM professionals ey Genera IFPO, recess support ing Fáil deputy, d that “In my also character. the proposed … Ireland that paid insuffic current Fianna told er, publican of we won’t nal personn Foody and told aside a r Covene “The Irish catching and toldtheInshore Ireland. red tely separat had with by the Attorn the full had a disconn opinion there’s . has of e Gallagh ient case el, budget set has been the funding Inshore be conside nt comple new and y attentio able the on intentio party. be Cope speciali ect betwee Marin instrum the overall of €3m based to outsour the issue Fáil that processing sectors want to Ó confide Cinnéide believes ‘thereb t r Commission’s n to sed ents ment and ns’. points being would not process a long and arduou EMFF envelope the POs, n that within ey Dermo ce Ministe questioned required. consultancy fund recognise of the Fianna functio view the such as available to POs being the enforce retain full access to these process has rstalled l Creed, e solicito as it in effect the penaltyess the Brexit over the that has dragged s The workloa when to and Market Inshore Ireland the Attorn e, ination Produc d POs over will be immen Michae lture, Food and be lifetime central of the remove Maritim ed the past two on out the regardl determ extent possibl ce waters and retain our share because theyUK refuses to to rolling of thefrom able to describ thenot an advice years: He revealeing plans.” tion ry se over d next five for Agricu , to introdu it would the EMFF. board Up until once issueduent To on al, on Conwa DAFM. policy and that Statuto r the d years take e of the catches. 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that decimated Hull and Grimsby, it was the outcome of the Icelandic Cod wars in the mid- seventies,” Ó Cinnéide believes. He is critical of those who argue that Brexit offers a unique opportunity to renegotiate the CFP, saying it would be a “serious mistake” to see Brexit as an opportunity for Irish fishing and a reason for re-negotiating our share of fish quotas or even to leave the EU altogether. “It is overwhelmingly in Ireland’s national interest to remain in the EU, and it would be a very unfortunate time now to pick fights with the very people whose

interests coincide with ours as regards fisheries. “Moves by the Irish government and the industry to work with EU and other countries with similar interests represent the only logical direction to take right now.”

FREE TRADE ARRANGEMENTS

He says Ireland clearly wants to maintain the free trade arrangements in fisheries products which he believes are crucial for the Irish industry, mindful of the high level of trade with Britain itself and that a great deal of our seafood exports to continental Europe and the

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wider world are shipped via Gery and Britain. Northern Ireland Flynn “While the fisheries aspects of the draft transition arrangements havenew been repres agreed – maintaining the entati organ isationve status quo until 2020 – there industthatfor fishing is no certainty thethe overall ry that backe is being transition dealdwill agreed. by be the Produ Organ This means theisation UK could cer been welco s has also ‘crash out’ next March with State agenc med by key no security over access, quota ies includ the Marin or trade arrangements.” e Institu ing te, the This, he says would be very serious, particularly in relation to mackerel and Nephrops [prawns] processing and exporting, two of Ireland’s most significant fisheries.

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Song of the Sea (Courtesy, Cartoon Saloon) will showcase at Seafest 2018 (June 29-July 1). Details page 20.

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SFPA and BIM acting as secretwhich is “The initiativ ariat. up the Nation e to set Development al Fisheri es from within Group came the fishing industry by peopleand was conceiv need for who felt there ed help thema new organis was a ation to day workin with their day-toTyndall, g lives,” Dr Peter exclusivelythe group’s chairm told Inshore an Ireland.

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page 21

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20 & 21

ers Fish Produc d the Danish sation, outlineds: to Organi deman (the said, “clearly who he issues and stability ; three Danish relative Barnier the maintain arrangement) , understands of Brexit for . g addressr British training. quota sharing s sector” significance access to before In the openin Ministe ’s fisherie vital that Fisherm A National to retain go back l Creed, Ireland en’s Registe it was chief fisheries Michae lture, Food and proposed,” waters “that oghue, gs He addedwork together. r is also and the and to see for Agricu , pointed to Seán O’Don the EU” trade policy. Accord he explained. FisheriesRegional Inshore all sectors rs to be of the Killybe access the Marinereal concerns” who took ing to Tyndal Forums linked with executiveen’s Organisation, the heads “For ministe who agreed , UK wants (RIFFs so that the “very d two key “If the few monthsup the role a l, an market Fisherm Millsthere was ) for n g at a Brexit effective, and government outline ining a represe Europe with and a speakin the BIM’s Gillia topics like ago, practic need mainta to was ntative and comprising Flynn of State Barnier’s team se ence to be linked ahead of al group, objectives: issues facingthese are constan that has our fishermen & Gery briefing Seafood Confer quota shares from each two membe and Mr and prioriti l existing rights of access. fisherm t rs access for waters. “Even before e National of June. the POs, NIFFs and of en: be essentia understand linkag , existing ts to restrict he RIFFs s, it will fishing approached, I was to British colleagues claim at the end that that access is attemp independent en fisherie and and “Any a united fisherm betwe four rights “British cheated in 1973; already He addedrelating to the membe aren’t aligned andrstrade en had we have both nationally talked to s be our existing quota whoty” and to the they were d Heath sold their POs problem Fisheries Policy ents will with priori industry and that an level.” entitlem a “clearany PO.” Fisheries National Inshore 6 that Edwar Common“parked’ as fighting usly resisted g that and at Europe Forum » page strenuo will be insistin of the Irish andctive in (NIFF) must be on two fronts would from an perspe » page a is why I must form part a battle tely crazy”. EUROPEAN tions.” European talks, warns 9d’s of fisheries ECTIVE negotia d be “absolu which fishing in Irelan PERSPWichmann, CEO r the Brexit wider trade r also outline figure “No matter in - whethe Niels ministe with the EU leading industry. al, The you’re ions sector , demers fishing I talk about his discuss tor, Michel species about you’re pelagic “And when or mixed chief negotia not talkingtalking shellfish is a real disaster I’m trade, I’m trade - - we cannot - Brexit wrong.” seafood trade does if it does about total linkage. If it is over.” break that , the game happen

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WWW.INSHORE-IRELAND.COM Inshore Ireland was established in 2005 by marine journalists Gillian Mills and Gery Flynn to report on research and commercial development within Ireland’s coastal and deeper waters, and inland waterways. Inshore Ireland is a niche publication covering all sectors that operate within these zones, rather than specifically concentrating on a particular industry. About 85 per cent of our content is non-revenue-generating news that we source, research and assess for relevance to our customers and readers. As an independent publication, advertising, sales and subscription are the only revenue streams, and are essential to sustaining Inshore Ireland. We offer advertising space to commercial

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INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

NEWS

Decision on Marine Harvest application deferred until mid-2019

reland’s leading organic salmon producer and Donegal-based firm, Marine Harvest Ireland (MHI) has expressed its disappointment at the latest delay in reaching a decision on a finfish licence application in Bantry Bay, originally submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2011. The application for a site at Shot Head was approved by the DAFM in September 2015 but was subsequently appealed to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board (ALAB). MHI were among the appellants since some of the conditions set-down in the licence rendered it unfit for purpose and grossly out-of-kilter with international best practice. Having indicated it would reach a decision by October 2018, ALAB has now stated it was extending its latest deadline until June 30, 2019. The application is the preferred single licence size for MHI’s organic operations and is smaller than its very successful and well-established operations at Clare Island off the Mayo coast. An investment

of €3.5m was earmarked to create six full-time jobs during the farm set-up and a further two additional jobs when fully operational. The company would also commission a marine vessel with a local ship builder to service the Shot Head site. “While respecting ALAB’s mandate and independence, Marine Harvest Ireland (MHI) wishes to place on record its disappointment that a final decision still hasn’t been reached,” remarked a spokesperson. “Seven years later we are told that the decision won’t be taken until the middle of next year at the earliest. It sends out a very negative message to the Irish aquaculture sector and doesn’t provide any of the certainty necessary for those seeking to invest and create employment in the industry.” Those who end up bearing the brunt of this inaction and suffering most are our workers who don’t have the certainty and security of regular work because we cannot grow enough fish.” The Minister for Agriculture has been asked to address the serious bottlenecks in the aquaculture licencing system in an independent report commissioned

by his own Department published in May 2017. MHI and the IFA have asked the Minister to implement the recommendations of the report to break the never-ending cycle of unnecessary delays. “As it stands, ALAB is quite obviously underresourced. It needs to be given adequate resources to do its job especially with the Minister putting further work its way by making promises about clearing the backlog of licence applications and committing to the issuance of 300 shellfish licences both this year and next.” MHI has €22m earmarked for investment in Irish sites that would create 250 jobs in rural, coastal locations. “Ireland’s failure to meet aquaculture targets set out in various Government strategy documents will result in lost income of €1.3bn by 2020 if no tangible, progressive action is taken by the Department,” concluded the spokesperson. With global demand for reliable sources of quality protein increasing rapidly, MHI already contributes over €21m to the domestic economy annually with 800 Irish suppliers currently doing business

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‘Connecting marine and seafood companies with customers in Ireland and worldwide’ Do potential new customers know you exist online? A link on the Inshore Ireland website could bridge that gap! Contact sales@inshoreireland.com and we’ll call you back. Gillian Mills: 01 235 4804 087 290 2045 Gery Flynn: 091 844 822 085 747 5797

with the company here. MHI is a subsidiary of the Marine Harvest ASA headquartered in Norway. It is a global entity with more than 13,200 employees operating across 24 countries and services 70 markets worldwide. The company recorded a turnover of almost €3.6bn in 2017 and is prepared to invest in market opportunities

that offer growth potential. To that end, it has recently approved an £80m investment in Scotland. Marine Harvest has operated successfully in Ireland for 39 years and employs approximately 300 people between its salmon farms and hatcheries in Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Cork and Kerry.

Inshore Ireland invited DAFM to respond to the following query: A report commissioned by DAFM and published in May 2017 addresses the bottlenecks in the aquaculture licensing system. Why has Minister Creed/DAFM not implemented the recommendations of the report, and can DAFM outline when these recommendations will be implemented.

DAFM REPLIES:

‘Since receiving the report of the Group commissioned by the Minister to undertake the independent review of aquaculture licensing the Department has engaged in detailed consideration of the recommendations set out in the report with a view to their implementation, having regard to the legislative, environmental, technical and public interest issues that arise. The Department has also engaged closely with industry representatives and relevant State agencies. It has been emphasised by all stakeholders that the core recommendation of the

report relates to the early reduction and elimination of the backlog in the processing of licence applications. Accordingly, the Department has been actively working towards the achievement of 300 licence determinations this year with a further 300 projected for 2019. The Department’s commitment to achieve 300 licence determinations this year is on target for successful completion and clearly illustrates the Department’s ongoing commitment to the implementation of the report’s recommendations. In relation to ALAB, the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board is an independent statutory body established for the purpose of determining appeals against aquaculture licensing decisions. The Department has no role in relation to the management of the Board’s activities.’

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

NEWS

Citizen science information to feature in first Maritime Spatial Plan Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch

itizen scientists have been participating in the Coastwatch survey since 1987 and now, a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency enabled Angel Duarte de Campos to transform >20,000 survey occasions from around the island of Ireland into one searchable open source format. Some of the data was then transformed into time series graphing how oil/tar pollution on our shores has dropped to near zero, visible stream pollution has reduced and certain plastic waste like shopping bags too. Counts dropped dramatically with introduction of the bag tax. See www.coastwatch.org. Detailed shore information is crucial if we want to manage our resources wisely. A swimmer, forager, harvesting from the wild, or aquaculture operator would want to know

the quality and risks associated with all streams and pipes discharging into their area. With the new river basin management plan and Local Authority Waters & Communities Office (LAWCO) officer support, we are seeing a steady increase in official data and knowledge which is being boosted further by citizen science data. MARITIME SPATIAL PLANNING: After decades of talking about it, a first official MSP is now being drafted and citizen input is being sought. But not too many know about it. In the forthcoming Coastwatch Survey (Sept 15-Oct 15) is a new question about local shore uses and other observations surveyors feel should be included in our first MSP. There is also a ministerial advisory committee with a wide range of stakeholder groups represented where feedback will be given. To help raise awareness for this window of opportunity Coastwatch organised a workshop (Aug 30) when the MSP topic was introduced by Stephen Hull,

Director, ABPmer who outlined approaches in other European countries, and by Dr Robert Wilkes, EPA seaweed and seagrass expert, who showed how priority species information like seagrass bed locations and health, are

being recorded and mapped. Delegates highlighted the importance of including traditional rights and uses like seaweed harvesting, landscape character and discussed how to overcome the problem that

Ireland has not yet designated a coherent network of marine protected areas (under EU Marine Law). For more detail see the workshop report on www.coastwatch.org.

Frank Mc Donald Irish Times and Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch founders with Dr Robert Wilkes EPA and Angel Duarte Coastwatch technical coordinator cutting the open source Coastwatch data ribbon with workshop participants in Trinity College Dublin.

BIM Schedule September/October 2018

Second Hand Full Certificate

Enhanced Safety Training

Marine Engineering Processes (3 weeks)

– 05 September-07 December 2018, NFC Greencastle – 03 September-19 December, NFC Castletownbere

– – – –

– 30 October-16 November, NFC Castletownbere

Class 3 Marine Engineer (Fishing)

Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (3 day)

05 September, NFC Castletownbere 10 September, NFC Greencastle 01 October, NFC Greencastle 24 October, NFC Castletownbere

– 17 September 2018-July 2019, NFC Greencastle – 18-20 September, NFC Castletownbere – 08-10 October, NFC Greencastle

Navigation Control (Fishing)

– 24 September-05 October, NFC Greencastle – 01-12 October, NFC Castletownbere

Electronic Navigation Systems (Fishing)

– – – – –

11-13 September, NFC Castletownbere 18-20 September, NFC Greencastle 25-27 September, NFC Castletownbere 16-18 October, NFC Castletownbere 23-24 October, NFC Greencastle

www.bim.ie

– 08-12 October, NFC Castletownbere

Commercial Diver (5 weeks) – 01 October-02 November, NFC Castletownbere

Surface Supplied Diver (3 weeks)

GMDSS GOC Radio

– 12-30 November, NFC Castletownbere

– 24 September-05 October, NFC Greencastle – 29 October-09 November, NFC Castletownbere – 12-14 December, NFC Greencastle

NFC Greencastle +353 74 938 1068/938 1099

– 05-21 September, NFC Greencastle – 17 September-05 October, NFC Castletownbere GMDSS SRC Radio – 22-25 October, NFC Castletownbere

3-day Safety

Advanced Fire Fighting (5 day)

Passenger Boat Proficiency

NFC Castletownbere +353 27 71230 CTU 2 +353 87 233 4620 Please contact the CTU instructor for final confirmation of the course schedule.

– 24-28 September, NFC Castletownbere

Ireland’s EU Structural and Investment Funds Programmes 2014 - 2020 Co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union

EUROPEAN UNION This measure is part-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

REPORT

Understanding the value of ecosystem services to the marine environment VALUING IRELAND’S BLUE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

his latest report from the SocioEconomic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) focuses on the ecosystem service benefits that society receives from Ireland’s marine environment. For example, the oceans are known to produce half of the oxygen in the atmosphere and absorb 30% of all CO2 emissions. They are

a key source of food and play significant roles in the mediation of waste and provide recreational opportunities. Valuing Ireland’s Blue Ecosystem Services complements previous reports that give in-depth analyses of the economic importance of the Irish ocean economy, estimated to be worth €1.8m or approximately 0.9% of GDP in 2016. Marine ecosystem services are provided by the processes, functions and structure of the marine environment that directly or indirectly contribute to societal welfare, health and economic activities. These services are vital to ensuring blue growth in the ocean economy. ‘Blue growth is about fostering development of marine economic activities in such a manner that the long-term ability of the marine environment to continue to provide ecosystem service benefits is not compromised.’ Authors Norton, Hynes

and Boyd state that knowing what those benefits are and understanding how marine ecosystems’ ability to continue to deliver services is impacted by changes in economic activities in our waters ‘is vital for deciding on the best use of our marine resources and to support blue growth’. Until recently, very little information has been available on the value of the many services provided by the marine environment, such as carbon sequestration, waste assimilation, coastal defence, aesthetic services and recreational opportunities. These services, the authors suggest, have been largely invisible in the decisions made regarding management and use of our marine resources. ‘Harnessing our Ocean Wealth’, the integrated marine plan for Ireland, highlights the need for further research into generating ‘economic values of marine biodiversity and ecosystem services to ensure best practice,

planning and management of the ocean resource’. This report is a first step in filling this research gap. It aims to: »» provide a profile of the marine ecosystem services derived from Ireland’s coastal, marine and estuarine natural resources »» provide estimates of the value to society of these marine ecosystem services »» provide data that assists delivery of management and planning decisions relating to human activities in the marine environment »» provide information on the relative importance and potential economic tradeoffs of existing marine uses as reflected in their social and economic values. This information should feed into assessments required under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive »» identify knowledge gaps that continue to exist in

the valuation of marine ecosystem services The report indicates the significant contribution that provisioning, regulation and maintenance, and cultural marine ecosystem services make to society’s welfare, health and economic activity. On an annual basis, recreational services are estimated to have an economic value of €1.6bn, fisheries and aquaculture are estimated to be worth €664m (output value), carbon absorption services are valued at €819m, waste assimilation services €317m, scientific and educational services €11.5m, coastal defence services €11.5m, seaweed harvesting €4m, and the added-value to the housing stock of being close to the shore (aesthetic services) is valued at €68m. While not all of the ecosystem services provided by the marine environment can be ‘monetised’, the authors believe the value of those that can, is substantial.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

REPORT

Inshore Ireland spoke to Dr Stephen Hynes who co-authored the report Gery Flynn

arnessing Our Ocean Wealth identified the need for further research into generating ‘economic values of marine biodiversity and ecosystem services to ensure best practice planning and management of the ocean resource.’ This report is a first step in filling this research gap. Did the HOOW strategy influence this report? HOOW highlights the need for further research into generating economic information in terms of ecosystem service values and that there had been little work done in Ireland in this area. We see this report as a first step in filling this research gap. HOOW is all about looking to our marine resources and maximising the benefit we get from them. A big part of the picture however has been missing, and this is ‘non-market’ values. We have a fair idea of what we get in terms of the value of shipping, fishing, aquaculture etc but with many of these other types of ecosystem service benefits, we never really tried to find a value, and they are some of the key values associated with our marine resources that often when it comes to planning, we don’t think about. The report lists a variety of Ecosystem Services but cautions against adding the figures and arriving at a total value for Ireland’s marine ecosystem services. What does that mean? At Our Ocean Wealth 2018 I made the point that you can’t aggregate these values because they use different types of values. For example, take agriculture, fisheries or education, the value is measured as revenue. Others however, such as waste treatment and coastal defence are measured using

a cost-based approach, so you can’t add them together. I made that point also to Minister of State Damien English, Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government with special responsibility for Housing and Urban Development at the OOW conference. I emphasised that caution is required when using these values. It’s particularly important not to aggregate them because there are different valuation methods used in each case. That’s an important point to keep in mind. The report refers to nonmarket value, what is that? When we go down to the sea for a swim, we usually derive great benefit from it, but it’s not something we have had to pay for. Neither is it priced in any market, so we refer to that kind of activity as a non-market benefit. It’s important though that we still consider such activities are benefits to society. Similarly, if people regularly use a local cove for swimming and if there’s a plan to develop that cove these big non-market benefits should be considered at the planning stage but often are not because there’s no monetary values on them. Economists can put values on such activities even though they’re not priced in any established market. This report really was trying to just get the public thinking about the different values we get from our marine resources that are often not considered either by the public and policy makers. Why are we not more aware of the importance of our maritime economy which provides employment for 30,000 people? Ireland’s maritime economy is small relative to countries of similar size. It’s often said that we turned our back on the sea for very long time and that the focus was on the land. We saw ourselves as an agricultural nation and not a

seafaring nation. But that has changed in the last decade, and there’s a growing interest in our marine resources now and a real coordinated effort of support through the likes of the Marine Co-ordination Group, Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth, and Europe with its regional sea strategies. There’s real interest now in developing our marine resources in a sustainable manner, and that’s important. Marine here is small, about 1% of GDP. It is growing in absolute terms but you’ve got to remember that while the absolute value is going up, the whole economy is also rising so the share of per cent of GDP hasn’t changed dramatically. What is relevant is that many of these 30,000 jobs are in places where there aren’t many other employment opportunities. BIM’s figures on the growth rates around fishing and aquaculture in the last couple of years have been phenomenal, and good for these rural areas. This report refers to ‘blue growth’. What does that mean? It’s a term that has been hijacked somewhat but to me, it’s growth that takes into account the impact that development or commercial activity in the marine space – whatever it might be – and factors in its impact on the marine environment. Blue growth means the sustainable growth of our marine industries. Our report defines the blue economy as when the ocean economic activity is in balance with the long-term capacity of marine ecosystems to continue to deliver their services. Valuing Ireland’s Blue Ecosystem Services* by Daniel Norton and Stephen Hynes, SEMRU, Whitaker Institute, NUI Galway and John Boyd, MFRC, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology *http://www.nuigalway.ie/ semru/documents/marine_ ecosystem_service_non_ technical_report_final.pdf

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

FRESHWATER FOCUS

The Native Woodland Conservation Scheme offers funding to restore existing native woodlands, tackling issues such as overgrazing by deer and ‘exotic invasives’ such as rhododendron. Doing so will restore ground flora and other features and functions of woodland ecology that act to protect adjoining waters and aquatic life.

All forestry operations, including thinning, need to be carefully planned and managed to protect against the mobilisation of sediment and the release of nutrients onsite. Modern harvesting and extract machinery can operate with a very low ground pressure and have considerable reach, making them suitable for use in many water-sensitive areas.

Ireland’s forests and water: realising a new role Kevin Collins and Ken Bucke, Forestry Inspectors, DAFM

ccording to the UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO), approximately 75% of the world’s accessible freshwater for agricultural, domestic, urban, industrial and environmental uses comes from forests. According to the US Forest Service, in the face of challenges created by rapid and compounded climatic and socioeconomic changes, forests from rural to urban landscapes will be increasingly relied upon to provide clean, reliable water supplies for human uses, as well as for aquatic ecosystems due to their ability to moderate hydrologic extremes and improve water quality by filtering nutrients and sediment. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), an increase in the scarcity of water has led to a focus in Europe to provide clean drinking water from forests. Forests serve to replenish and provide clean drinking water, and it is estimated that forests provide more than 4km3 of water annually to European citizens. The

EEA also highlights the large potential forests have in water retention. In water-basins where the forest cover is 30%, water retention is 25% higher than in basins where the forest cover is only 10%.

WATER QUALITY DECLINE

The 2nd cycle of Ireland’s River Basin Management Plan 20182021 is strongly focused on identifying and implementing the solutions to problems within those catchments ‘at risk’ of not meeting their Water Framework Directive (WFD) objectives. Forestry as a land use can be a cause of water quality decline, as poorly sited, designed and managed forests can result in sediment and nutrient release and impacts on hydromorphology. This is reflected in forestry being the fourth most significant pressure on ‘at risk’ waters, and significantly, the leading pressure on existing high-status objective waters deemed to be at risk, perhaps reflecting previous State planting in upland areas and headwaters. The response of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the wider forestry sector to the 2nd WFD cycle is 3-fold: (i) to safeguard water during all forestry operations (ii) to restructure existing forests to reflect

All afforestation projects must include undisturbed setbacks from watercourses. These create separation between the water and the forest and associated operations, intercept sediments and nutrients, and develop into valuable seminatural habitats

water sensitivities, where required; and (iii) to situate and design new woodlands and forests in a way that protects water quality, by ‘delivering’ waterrelated ecosystem services Regarding (i) & (ii), many wetland habitats and watersensitive landscapes are no longer eligible for afforestation due to rules introduced in March 2016 regarding site eligibility. Those proposals that are valid must undergo a rigorous evaluation process incorporating site inspections by Forestry Inspectors, application of Appropriate Assessment and EIA screening, referrals to relevant statutory bodies and public consultation.

WATER SETBACKS

Licensed proposals must adhere to environmental requirements that include (in relation to water) mandatory water setbacks and other protective measures regarding cultivation, fertiliser application and herbicide use. Forest restructuring is also crucial to reshape the existing forest estate to take account of water and other environmental sensitivities. This is being undertaken primarily at reforestation post-clearfell when the replanting of the site can incorporate water setbacks, native woodland zones and hydrological restoration, thereby ensuring a far more sensitive forest ‘footprint’ regarding water. These measures focus on eliminating negative impacts. But what of the positive role woodlands and forests can play in relation to water? There is a growing realisation that forestry in Ireland has a significant contribution to make in this regard. At a general level, forests only require fertiliser and herbicide application within the first 2-3 years of growth, and such inputs are added only as required.

After that, the forest rotation is characterised by long periods where no activities or inputs take place. Factor in water setbacks and the strategic use of the mandatory 15% broadleaf component within each plantation, forests may be far more benign regarding water quality compared to other land uses.

CREATING NATIVE WOODLANDS

Furthermore, financial supports available from DAFM can be used strategically to protect and enhance water quality. Foremost among these is the Native Woodland Scheme that funds the creation of new native woodland and the restoration of existing native woodland (including the conversion of conifer forest to native woodland). Creating permanent native woodlands along watercourses, to be managed under ‘continuous cover forestry’, is a highly significant and far-reaching measure to improve water quality — so much so that the approach forms a key component of the KerryLIFE Project in the Caragh and Kerry Blackwater Catchments, which is exploring and demonstrating sustainable agriculture and forestry practices compatible with the highly endangered Freshwater Pearl Mussel. Native woodlands have been shown to buffer watercourses against overland sediment and nutrient flow, stabilise river banks, restore riparian zones, provide food, shading and cooling for fish and aquatic life, and help to reduce flood risk. This is in addition to their ‘land-based’ functions regarding biodiversity, landscape, woodland and non-wood production, outdoor recreation and environmental learning, etc. The DAFM document Woodland for Water (2018), developed with input from

Woodlands of Ireland, explores that opportunity in greater detail. The DAFM and the wider forestry sector are dedicated to eliminating negative impacts on water. These are real but manageable, through the careful siting, design and management of our forests. Irish forestry is also offering a range of innovative measures focused on protecting water against all pressures, not just forestry-related. The DAFM is working closely with other bodies involved in implementing the RBMP and with landowners and with other partners to continue to roll-out real initiatives on-the-ground. Forestry can often be assumed to be a negative ‘player’ regarding water quality but sometimes solutions are buried in what’s perceived to be a problem. Throughout the world, forests are recognised as underpinning clean water supply and aquatic ecosystems. Hopefully, through the targeted measures under the RBMP 20182021, we can establish a similar role for Ireland’s woodlands and forests.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Forests & Water: Achieving Objectives under Ireland’s River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021 Woodland for Water: Creating new native woodlands to protect and enhance Ireland’s waters Both available at www. agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/grantsandpremiumschemes2015-2018/. The consultation process regarding the DAFM’s draft Plan for Forests & Freshwater Pearl Mussel in Ireland. Closes October 3, 2018: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/ publicconsultation/ planforforestsfreshwaterpearlmusselinireland/

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

FRESHWATER FOCUS

Study suggests Irish pike may have changed their diet

ike living in two well-known Irish lakes may have changed their diet preferences, research carried out by Inland Fisheries Ireland suggests. ‘Pike (Esox Lucius) in Ireland. Developing knowledge and tools to support policy and management’ reports the research carried out on Lough Conn, Co Mayo and Lough Derravaragh, Co Westmeath in 2016 and offers new insights into the dietary habits of pike. Similar dietary research undertaken in the 1960s and 1970s in Lough Derravaragh and Lough Sheelin indicated that pike mainly eat brown trout and perch, but this latest research reveals that pike appear to have changed their prey preference and now predominately eat roach. Similar changes in pike diet in Loch Lomond (Scotland) and Lake Windermere (England) have also been reported by researchers who believe the changes are due to the invasion of roach in these waters.

within freshwater only. They range from France to Siberia and as far south as Northern Italy are not found in Northern Scotland. They range from France to Siberia and as far south as Northern Italy but are not found in Northern Scotland. They are present in many medium and large Irish watercourses. The research examines whether pike and brown trout can co-exist in the same habitat. Using statistical models, it found that pike and brown trout could live together within relatively large deep lakes with strong stream connectivity. In small, low-complex systems however, pike introductions could potentially have a devastating impact on resident brown trout populations. The IFI report also examined the practice of pike removal and the impact

it has on brown trout stock. The findings suggest that pike removal may only be effective in protecting brown trout populations in systems where trout are the only available prey but may have little effect in systems where other prey, such as roach, is available. Launching the report, IFI chief executive Dr Ciaran Byrne, said the research aimed to answer some on-going questions relating to the dietary preference of pike and the pikebrown trout interactions in lakes across Ireland: “Previous studies in this area were carried out more than 50 years ago which is a long time within our changing lake systems. This research is important as it gives an insight into the behaviour of the pike species and provides updated information around their relationship with brown trout. “The changing food web

Boom boat electrofishing on Lough Derravaragh

and altered preferences of predators in the water systems highlights the need for continued monitoring and updated data to inform effective management strategies.” Dr Byrne said the research would be considered alongside “the many historic, socio economic and management

factors which all inform fisheries management and development work. Inland Fisheries Ireland uses the best available scientific information to underpin management decision making and advice.” The report is available at www.fisheriesireland. ie/pikeresearch.

Lough Derravaragh Upper Basin

Lough Derravaragh Lower Basin

BETTER MANAGEMENT

According to IFI, this type of research helps to better understand the behaviour of the pike species by providing updated crucial information around their relationship with brown trout. The changing food web and altered preferences of predators in water systems also highlights the need for continued monitoring and updated data to inform effective management strategies. The Irish project not only attempted to answer some on-going questions relating to the diet but also looked at the interactions between pike and brown trout in specific habitats. Such information, says IFI, will be used to better manage pike and brown trout populations. Pike are found in lowland lakes and rivers, migrating

Using gastric lavage to remove stomach contents from an anaethetised pike

Lough Conn, aerial view looking NW

Loughs Derravaragh and Conn; lakes where pike dietary data was collected, August 2016 to July 2017.

10 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

FRESHWATER FOCUS

Roach galore! Brendan Connolly

he lake surface was calm. Occasionally a fish splashed at the surface, breaking the near perfect reflection of the trees surrounding the lake. This serene aura however belies the drama of life and death that takes place below its deceptively tranquil surface. A hidden world of insects populate the depths. Smaller fish graze algae and pursue insects; larger fish lie in wait for smaller fish. This aquatic realm is like a parallel universe that borders on ours yet is very different from it. An angler strode quietly towards the spot on the lake shore that he had groundbaited the previous day with bread crumb and maggots. He saw surface dimples of small fish close to the bank. This is a good sign: the ground bait seems to have attracted a shoal of fish overnight. First, the angler shot out a few handfuls of maggots with his baiting catapult. He set up one rod with a hook and a swim-feeder, baited the hook with worms and filled the swim-feeder with dampened bread crumbs, cast out, and

set the rod in the rodrest. He then tackled up a second rod with a float and small hook, baited the hook with one white and one red maggot, and cast a few metres from the shore. Almost immediately the float quivered. Before the angler had time to sit down, the floats plunged downwards out of sight. He lifted the rod and felt the jerks of a fish. Reeling in, a roach emerged from the depths and splashed vigorously at the surface. Sliding his first catch into the waiting keep net, he quickly sat down, rebaited, and cast again. Almost immediately he caught another roach; two fish in less than a minute. Before he could re-bait and cast again, the rod with the worms on the bottom gave a strong twitch, he reeled in to unhook another roach. The angler proceeded to regularly catch roach for the next hour. Then as he was watching his float, a dark green elongated body curved out of the water, hit his float, and was gone as quickly as it had arrived, leaving the float bobbing on the surface. The angler was amazed because it happened no more than a couple of metres from shore. He fished on, and after another while he felt that a

roach he was reeling seemed to get ten times stronger. An upwelling at the surface told him that a pike had taken the roach he was reeling in… The pike held on to his catch and the roach was still hooked, so the angler was now playing two fish. The float-fishing rod was bent over much more now! The pike was strong and plunged downwards at speed. It took some time before he rose to the surface but when he did the roach shot loose from the pike’s mouth. The roach landed in the shallow water at the angler’s feet, but to his amazement the pike rushed up out of the deep and snatched at the roach but missed it. The angler raised the roach slightly, and the pike swirled back and this time took it down into deeper water. Shortly afterwards however the pike once more let go. The roach was badly damaged, but the angler put it in the keep net with the others to see if it would recover. After this consternation, the rate at which the angler was catching roach dropped; they seemed also to have moved further into deeper water. Yet he continued to catch fish, perhaps enticed by the regular handfuls of maggots that he catapulted out. Hooking a fish in deeper water, the line seemed to snag in the bottom. Then the line moved parallel to

Red tape cuts funding fisheries Noel Carr, FISSTA

ince FISSTA was launched in 2015, it has tried to improve the working of the National Strategy for Angling Development. However, our public consultation submissions were ignored, and as we have feared, our fisheries are being put in danger by allowing the unqualified public to develop habitat enhancement projects that are likely to cost much more to rectify later. According to IFI, a key element of the NSAD is to build capability and improve governance across the sector. FISSTA challenged the sincerity in this objective if Inland Fisheries Ireland were not going to be in charge in the future. IFI have so confused many potential applicant angling clubs that many will not participate in any

scheme in the future. However, clearer confirmation of the IFI policy change came in a letter from Minister Sean Kyne to his colleague Minister Helen McEntee, when he responded to her letter seeking clarification on a set of possible management errors regarding the NSAD. The Minister stated: ‘To make the best of the resources available, to assist with the wide range of new projects approved nationwide, IFI undertake an enabling and supervisory role in projects rather than resource intensive design and delivery. IFI recognises the key role angling clubs and other stakeholder organisations play in the area of fisheries development. The NSAD aims to engage stakeholders and maximise the use of volunteerism where it is of benefit to habitat and fisheries development.

…It is not a case that IFI have ceased working with the OPW. In recent weeks, IFI and OPW have signed an agreement .. to build on existing good practice.’ So there we have it — and from the Minister himself: ‘IFI undertake an enabling and supervisory role in projects rather than resource intensive design and delivery.’ This is just civil servant speak for what FISSTA and our angling colleagues feared. IFI has, effectively, washed its hands of liability for vital stream conservation projects in the future. These works will instead be left to members of the public (volunteers and stakeholders) who, though well intentioned, will probably not have the necessary expertise or access to professional advice to undertake such work. And instead of improving our already depleted freshwater fisheries, they are more likely to damage them - permanently.

the shore and the angler realised that once more he had two fish on, one of which a pike. This pike was on for a long time, cruising up and down along the shore with the rod bent in a tight arc. This was a stronger pike, and at no time did it surface. Suddenly the line snapped, leaving the pike with its prey. At this the angler took the previously damaged roach and rigged it up with two triple hooks on a steel trace. He cast it where he had lost the pike and waited. No more

than ten minutes later the rod was jerked forcefully from its stand, and this time, a pike was landed, well hooked on one of the triple hooks. Despite the mayhem caused by the pike attacks, the roach kept taking the maggots, albeit at a slower rate than during the first hour in the morning. The total for the day was 38 roach and two perch for a total weight of 10.6lbs, plus one pike of around 3lbs. Even with the pike intrusion, this was still good fishing and certainly ‘roach galore’.

Minister declines to support wild Atlantic salmon at Sea Fund wild salmon NGOs in the North Atlantic, to protect wild salmon in their feeding grounds and increase returning stocks for spawning in their natal rivers. very Spring the Irish Despite little support from Government lodges an Irish, EU and other state parties, Annual Progress Report the private agreement was on Actions taken under secured, and the wild salmon its wild salmon National protection plan is now being Implementation Plan for implemented. First year scrutiny at the international NASCO (North Atlantic Salmon payments have been made with twelve more to follow to 2030. Conservation Organisation) How this money will be found in meeting which FISSTA (Federation of Irish Salmon and the future is not certain; Ireland Seatrout Anglers) has attended will have to contribute as FISSTA as an accredited NGO since its has always done since 1991. Sadly, Minister Kyne declined formation thirty years ago. to offer any assistance, citing This week-long meeting last the apparent advice from Inland June was held in Maine, USA, Fisheries Ireland which states: and the agenda was by far the ‘The main business of the North most important one to hold East Atlantic Commission which our government to account, whose stock report answer has is chaired by CEO of IFI Mr Ciaran Byrne on behalf of EU/ been the same for years: ‘No Ireland is to control measures in new initiatives.’ Therein lies the source of our many salmon Faroese waters.” This was and has been the problems and that is why FISSTA took the pilgrim path to policy since the1990s, but we had sought fresh thinking from represent Irish salmon anglers as the only Irish NGO to hold our a new visionary minister who we hoped would protect our government / IFI to account. salmon in the feeding grounds Our members appreciate the and not just leave it to private very positive messages and agreements and donations alone feedback from Inshore Ireland as has been the case with deals readers to this column in the last edition which reported the done by the late Orri Vigfusson RIP since 1991. truly historic deal secured by Noel Carr, FISSTA

A BIM Sustainability Initiative:

Marine Litter

What is it? Increasing amounts of litter are ending up in the world’s oceans. The solution lies in waste prevention and better waste management.

Help Turn the Tide!

Many items that we throw away could be refused, re-used, repurposed and others can be recycled. Pick up litter when you see it! www.bim.ie

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12 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

FISHERIES

Operation ‘stones and pots’ tackles lost fishing gear on Ireland’s west coast

n international movement that retrieves lost fishing nets and gear and other marine debris, spent a week on Ireland’s west coast earlier this month. Using plotted locations in Killary Fjord, 57 lost lobster pots were recovered by a team of Dutch, UK and local divers under ‘Operation Stone & Pots’ from Scubadive West, Glassilaun, Co Galway. ‘Marine debris poses a threat to the livelihood of marine mammals,’ says the Ghost Fishing Foundation. Lost fishing gear leads to socalled “ghost-fishing”. Trapped fish die and attract predators that also get caught in the same net. The ghost net becomes a deadly trap; it continuously catches fish, birds and marine mammals on the seabed. An estimated 640,000 tonnes of lost fishing nets kill more

than 136,000 seals, sealions and whales ever year, in addition to millions of birds, turtles and fish. At a public event, the divers gave a presentation of the gear retrieved; the event was followed by a beach clean-up on Grattan Beach. Inshore fishermen however expressed disappointment at ‘misleading information’ being shared on social media: “I explained that the gear costs thousands of Euro and no gear is ‘left behind’ intentionally,” Trudy McIntyre, Dunmore East, told Inshore Ireland. “They say they would like to set up cooperation between fishermen and divers — that we should be able to help each other. Then why not invite industry representatives to the presentation?” she asked. “They found twenty-two pots one day – that’s not even a full string of gear belonging to the smallest of fishing boats. Nobody, least of all

fishermen, want ‘ghost’ gear on the seabed; they would rather have it fishing and earning money.” “How many divers would be willingly to dive after storms and retrieve gear for fishermen, can’t say I know many myself!” Bas Poelmann told Inshore Ireland the event had been announced, on websites and in the news. “Everyone was invited, although we did not specifically target anyone, fishermen were also free to attend, just like anyone else. “I’m sorry that they didn’t feel invited, but that was not our intention. We sent out our invitation just through public communication channels.” He added it was clear to them that lost pots were never intentionally discarded or abandoned: “No discussion there. We are not native speakers, so we may have misused the word ‘abandoned’,” he explained.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 13

FISHERIES

Response from the Marine Institute (Dr Paul Connolly) to Dr Jens Christian Holst’s article (Inshore Ireland, Summer 2018) that proposes overgrazing and predation by mackerel are to blame for declining salmon stocks

here is no doubt we have witnessed an increase in the north Atlantic mackerel stock in recent years and that the stock has occupied new areas. Furthermore, salmon stocks have declined and increased mortality at sea is seen as the main driver for the decline. Against this background, Dr Jens Christian Holst has presented an hypothesis that overgrazing and predation by mackerel are major factors behind dwindling salmon stocks. The Marine Institute has examined Dr Holst’s article and makes the following comments on his hypothesis focused on the salmon and mackerel perspective. Dr Holst presented an early version of this hypothesis on overgrazing and predation at the Atlantic salmon Ocean Silver Conference in 2011 (see http://www. atlanticsalmontrust.org). At the time there was an expectation that a set of field experiments / desk top assessments to test the hypothesis would be undertaken, leading to a publication in the scientific literature. However, there does not appear to be a peer reviewed publication that supports the Holst hypothesis. Published scientific research has shown that predation and a drop in the abundance of both the quantity and quality of plankton may be important factors affecting the survival of salmon at sea. Other published works have demonstrated a correlation with sea surface temperatures and mortality of salmon at sea. These published works appear to have been rejected by Dr Holst whose own hypothesis has gone through several iterations, the latest of which proposes that burgeoning mackerel stocks may be a key factor in the decline of salmon survival at sea. The hypothesis assumes that since mackerel can predate on smolt-sized mackerel, then salmon smolts must be predated on. There is no hard evidence for this, except in the common area of sea where both fish occur during certain periods of their migrations. The extent of this overlap and whether there are behavioural differences that segregate migrating smolts from migrating mackerel are not clear. Experimental trawling for salmon smolts in 2008 and 2009 has shown that salmon smolts can be taken in trawl hauls with both very few mackerel and large concentrations of mackerel.

The current approach by salmon scientists has been to work with colleagues in the Atlantic and the Pacific, to examine all sources of ocean mortality that can be identified. This approach has been outlined in a recent Atlantic Salmon Blue Book which summarises the conclusions and recommendations of an international Workshop held in Edinburgh in November 2017. This approach places candidate mortality factors within an overall spatial and temporal framework, covering the full lives of salmon at sea. Such an approach could help to quantify the potential of each factor to influence survival (identify the likely suspects). These factors would be linked dynamically in such a way that the cumulative effects of these factors could explain the variations in survival of different year classes of salmon.

SCIENTIFIC HYPOTHESIS

A key objective here is to establish a testable scientific hypothesis about the factors influencing salmon survival. It is also planned to learn more about how these factors influence marine survival and how best to target research to further refine the current estimates of the scale of mortality at each part of the marine phase of the salmon’s life cycle. A particular focus would be on identifying where and how mortality factors had changed between earlier periods of higher marine survival (60s and 70s) and the more recent/current low survival. There are several assertions in the Holst article that we feel are incorrect and undermine his hypothesis. The article asserts that underestimation of the mackerel stock size led to ‘underfishing’ and caused the stock to expand. No time period is identified as to when this underestimation occurred. If it is therefore a longstanding feature of the mackerel assessment, one might logically assume that the underestimation and thus the expansion of the stock should have occurred since the start of the assessment and TAC setting for the stock in the 1980s. This is not the case. The narrative further continues that the expanded mackerel stock then ‘overgrazed’ the food resource, leading to competition with and predation on salmon postsmolts. The reason for this, it adds, is that the ‘southern salmon populations’ are more

depleted than the ‘northern populations’, is that the former have to migrate through a greater volume of predators.

Extractions from Dr Holst’s article:

ECOSYSTEM MODELLING

If this was true, then the decline in all Atlantic salmon populations would follow the same timing (just at a different rate) and their decrease in abundance would be coincident with the increase in the mackerel population. This is not the case. Ecosystem modelling of the wider north Atlantic to investigate predator-prey linkages is only at the very early stages. Even in areas where there is good knowledge of the effects of a predator fish on a prey species (as in the Baltic Sea), the information has not been used to adjust stock assessments, as scientists feel they do not have enough information for even the simple and well-studied Baltic Sea ecosystem. The narrative concludes by claiming that a ‘solution’ to the situation of low salmon abundance would be a ‘cull’ of the mackerel population, to bring the ecosystem of the north Atlantic back within ‘normal’ range. Mackerel and salmon have co-existed in the north Atlantic for millennia before fishing ever started, so the idea that fishing is the solution to an ‘ecosystem imbalance’ is difficult to accept because it suggests ‘lack’ of fishing has caused the mackerel stock to expand. Overall, we feel the article takes some empirical observations at a relatively small temporal and spatial scale and draws conclusions of cause and effect on an ecosystem scale of the north Atlantic. The cause and effect relationships are based on simple correlated occurrences, which is not any form of proof, but simply conjecture. As such the article is the opinion of an individual rather than the result of a study that draws a scientifically rigorous conclusion. The general feeling among many scientists in relation to the Holst hypothesis is that it needs to be developed and tested through the normal research channels in order to assess the extent to which the suggested impacts from increasing mackerel populations are affecting the overall marine survival of wild Atlantic salmon. This testing is very important as it provides the scientific community with the opportunity to challenge the hypothesis based on data and analyses rather than conjecture in the public press.

“

As a marine fisheries scientist, I have worked closely on the marine ecology of salmon and the factors affecting marine survival of Atlantic salmon since 1991. Based on my ecosystembased research in the NE Atlantic, I have developed the hypothesis that overgrazing and predation are major factors behind dwindling salmon and sea bird stocks of western Europe. “As a marine fisheries scientist, I have worked closely on the marine ecology of salmon and the factors affecting marine survival of Atlantic salmon since 1991. Based on my ecosystem-based research in the NE Atlantic, I have developed the hypothesis that overgrazing and predation are major factors behind dwindling salmon and sea bird stocks of western Europe. Based on what I consider to be strong empiric evidence, the NE Atlantic mackerel stock has grown totally out of proportion due to gross underestimation, leading to overly cautious fishing quotas and underfishing as a consequence.” Holst believes that it is because of this “very large mackerel stock, the food resources of whales, seals, sea birds, salmon, other pelagic fishes and the mackerel itself are now heavily overgrazed. Today, a 7-year-old mackerel weighs half of its weight of 10 years ago — a clear sign of the overgrazing and lack of food.” “Some scientists claim temperature and climate change is the culprit, but in my view there is no empiric basis for such a conclusion. If we study water temperatures in the main feeding area of ‘southern’ European post-smolts in the Norwegian Sea, they rose from the 1970s to 2007 and have now dropped to close to or below normal, according to the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Norway. “The temperatures in the Atlantic water along the Norwegian continental shelf have since 2013 been close to or slightly above normal. The temperatures in 2016 were mainly above normal, except the south-eastern Norwegian Sea were the temperatures were lower than normal. Climate change will probably lead to higher temperatures at the peaks and troughs of the coming cycles, but I expect the cycling to continue as documented in sedimentation layers on the seabed since the last ice age of 10,000 years ago. Consequently, there is no correlation with temperatures and the Irish salmon stock collapse but there is very good correlation with the growing mackerel stock and its potential for competition and predation on the Irish post-smolt salmon.” Holst believes this situation will continue to worsen until the heavy competition and predation by mackerel is reduced: “The reduction [of mackerel stocks] should be done through an internationally agreed and closely monitored thinning fishery on mackerel, where some of the extra catch goes into meal and oil. Not to give the pelagic fishermen higher quotas but to bring the ecosystem of the northeastern Atlantic back within ‘normal’ ranges where both salmon and seabirds dependent on plankton and small fishes will return to stock levels where they belong.” He concludes with the question: “What is most likely to kill a northward bound 15 cm Corrib postsmolt salmon today —temperatures close to normal or a starving mackerel?”

Image: Brendan Connolly

14 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

FISHERIES

UK white paper on fisheries described as a ‘sea of opportunity’ Gillian Mills

eaving the European Union is an opportunity to move away from the Common Fisheries Policy and to create a sustainable, responsible and responsive policy. A White Paper launched in July on the future of the UK fishing industry sets a roadmap for fisheries management and outlines how powers will be

Photo FishComm

White paper highlights

nder the CFP’s principle of relative stability, the UK receives a fixed share of fishing opportunities based on historical fishing patterns during 1973-1978. ‘This is unrepresentative of the fish now in UK waters. On average between 20122016, other member states’ vessels landed in the region of 760,000 tonnes of fish (£540m revenue) annually caught in UK waters; whereas UK vessels landed approximately 90,000 tonnes (£110m revenue) caught in other member states’ waters per year in the same period.’ ‘It is in both our interests to reach a deal that works for the UK and the EU’s fishing communities’. The UK is also seeking to move away from relative

stability towards ‘a fairer and more scientific method for future Total Allowable Catch (TAC) shares’ as a condition of future access. They aim to secure increased fishing opportunities through the process of annual exchanges as part of the negotiations with a view to multi-annual agreements on appropriate stocks. ‘We will seek to agree a process with the EU for future annual negotiations on access and fishing opportunities, as well as an approach for continued cooperation on fisheries management and on longer term sustainable approaches.’ Cross border cooperation ‘to ensure sustainable management of shared stocks’ between Northern Ireland and Ireland is also emphasised, in line with the

introduced to enable full control of UK waters and the ability to set fishing opportunities such as quota. The UK will become an independent coastal state under international law (UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)) and will have the right to control and manage access to fish out to 200 nautical miles. In line with UNCLOS, the UK will continue to cooperate with the EU and coastal states on sustainable management of fish stocks that cross borders.

commitments agreed by the UK and the Commission in December 2017. Negotiations on NorthEast Atlantic mackerel, blue whiting and AtlantoScandian herring fisheries will be pursued through membership of the regional management organisations. The UK will continue to apply the principle of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) when setting or agreeing TACs and will promote fishing within MSY ranges ‘in line with international scientific advice on mixed fisheries’. Developing new initiatives is also proposed to end fish discards; these include Remote Electronic Monitoring and CCTV on vessels fishing in the UK’s EEZ ‘to ensure compliance with fisheries regulations across the UK’.

As an independent coastal state, the UK will decide access rights through annual negotiations to their waters and on what terms, consistent with the current approach by other coastal states, including Norway. In July 2017, the UK gave two years’ notice it was withdrawing from the 1964 London Fisheries Convention that allowed access to fisheries in its 6-12nm zone by vessels from France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland.

Photo Fishing News

The paper also commits to publishing an annual statement setting out the health of fish stocks based on the latest scientific evidence. One of the biggest challenges facing the fishing sector is ‘choke species’ which occurs when fishermen have used up their quota of a specific stock. When this occurs, fishermen cannot target a certain area for risk of accidentally catching exhausted stock; they either must stop fishing or risk breaking the law if they land the extra stock. The white paper proposes two new approaches in England: a reserve of quota that could be used to offset choke species, and a new scheme to help fishermen unable to find quota to set against their catch. This flexibility will be particularly important in mixed fisheries where it is difficult to avoid by-catch. ‘Traditional enforcement methods such as quota penalties and prosecution

might not always be appropriate.’ EU regulations for managing the impacts of fishing activity on the marine environment will be retained and more empowerment might be leveraged to decide what measures are needed to protect habitats and species in UK waters. A new independent body is proposed to hold government to account on environmental standards post Brexit, to underpin future policy-making. ‘The White Paper is a first step in setting out our future approach but we remain committed to working closely with the industry, the NGOs and other stakeholders as we pursue legislative and other methods to implement reform. This will help us to refine proposals so that they deliver for the economy, the environment and society.’ Interested parties were invited to share their views by September 12.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 15

FISHERIES In March of this year, the UK and the EU reached agreement on the nature and length of the implementation process. The agreement clarifies that the UK’s share of quota will not change during the implementation period and that the UK can attend international negotiations in 2018 and 2019 as part of the EU delegation. In 2020, the UK will be negotiating fishing opportunities for 2021 as a third country and independent coastal state completely separately from the CFP.

TAKING BACK CONTROL

Speaking in the Commons, Prime Minister Theresa May said she had “made it clear” the UK would take back control of their waters and assured that fishermen would not be unfairly denied access to EU waters. Leaving the EU created a “sea of opportunity” that would revitalise coastal communities, added Environment Secretary, Michael Gove. “We will be able to put in place our own systems, becoming a world leader in managing our resources while protecting the marine environment. We will work closely with everyone who has an interest in this important industry to make the most of

this historic opportunity.” Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisation said the white paper presented a broad vision that was “clear and cogent” and aligned

Photo Fishing News

with international law. Being outside the EU would provide the basis to “rebalance quota shares and implement effective and adaptive management measures for our fisheries”. Bernie Armstrong of

the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation added that while the outcome on a future economic partnership was not yet known, market access for fisheries products would be separate to the question of fishing opportunities

and access to water: “Access to waters and fishing opportunities will be negotiated on an annual basis. This is consistent with the approach to fisheries taken by other coastal states including Norway,” he said.

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Ireland’s EU Structural and Investment Funds Programmes 2014 - 2020 Co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union

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Surface Supplied Diver Training For most commercial diving operations the preferred method of diving is Surface Supply. As the name suggests, the diver’s air or gas mixture is supplied from the surface, unlike Scuba where the air supply is limited by the volume of the cylinder worn by the divers. Surface Supplied Diving (SSD) has many health and safety advantages providing greater protection for the diver, unlimited air supply and a fully independent back-up supply. Divers with a Surface Supplied qualification can work on all Aquaculture works as well as inshore civil engineering projects, construction works, maintenance, rigging and almost anywhere divers are required. Duration: Three-week course, full-time. Monday to Saturday (inclusive) Course Fee: €5,500.00 EUROPEAN UNION This measure is part-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund

16 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

FISHERIES

»» from page 1

“In the current Fund, this obligation only applies to MS with more than 1,000 inshore boats and is very generally worded. The Commission is now calling for ‘preferential treatment through a 100% aid intensity rate, including for operations related to control and enforcement’ with the aim of encouraging sustainable fishing practices,” explains Ruciński. Fleet modernisation measures (engine replacement and purchase of second-hand boats for new entrants) are restricted to vessels under 12m and not using towed gears. To obtain grants, these boats need to belong to a fleet segment with a fishing capacity in balance with available fishery resources. While LIFE welcomes fleet modernisation, it believes lack of access to resources is affecting profitability: “In the main, inshore fleets have to fall back on nonquota species with the lion’s share of quotas allocated to larger scale operations. And the looming application of the landing obligation to all species on January 1 next will have a major impact on this sector,” warns O’Riordan. “Lack of quota, especially for ‘choke species’ implies that the smaller boats will either have to tie up go bankrupt, or put to sea and break the law.” (Choke species describes a species with a low quota that can cause a vessel to stop

fishing even if they still have quota for other species.)

QUOTA UPLIFT

LIFE fears there’s a real danger that a zero-discard policy could well become a “zero-fishing, zeroincome policy” for inshore fleets unless there is some meaningful quota uplift. LIFE believes that vessel and engine replacement grants for new entrants must be linked to access to quota. Article 17 of the 2014 Common Fisheries Policy could be used to enable this. They are calling on MS to provide incentives to fishing vessels deploying selective fishing gear or using fishing techniques with reduced environmental impact. Article 17 (permanent cessation of activities) and Article 18 (temporary cessation of activities) of the new EMFF can be used only by vessels that have fished for at least 120 days for the last three years: “This high threshold may be prohibitive for many small-scale fishers and should be lowered, especially for Article 18 which covers tie-ups due to natural disasters,” says Ruciński. LIFE believes that if properly implemented at MS and regional level, it might be possible to turn around the difficult situation and uncertain future of Europe’s inshore fishing communities, but warns the new rules alone will not heal the current situation:

“Much more needs to be done to genuinely address ‘the class, not the mass’- quality not quantity - approach to enable inshore fleets to benefit directly from the added value they provide,” emphasises Ruciński.

COMPLEX RULES

Current and past Funds have included a complex menu of support from which MS could choose, prescribing to MS options proposed by the Commission. The new programme will not contain such detailed prescriptive measures, only a list, detailing investments that cannot be financed. “By adopting an ‘if it not ineligible, it can be funded’ approach, the Commission is trying to avoid the new EMFF from being prescriptive and so give flexibility to MS,“ O’Riordan believes. While the new ‘nonprescriptive’ approach is also gender neutral and so enables female entrepreneurs and fishery workers to avail of financial aid, changes in the new EMFF are “rife with risks” for both the fishery and aquaculture sectors. This is because the final shape of the Fund at national level will be decided upon by individual MS in negotiation with the Commission. “This enormously raises the importance of negotiations in respect of shaping each national Operational Programme and or smallscale fishers to fully engage in

such talks,” Ruciński stresses.

CROWDED PLAYING FIELD

Another concern LIFE highlights is the opening up of the Community Led Local Development (CLLD) approach of the FLAGs initiative beyond the fisheries sector and its related diversification activities. (Fisheries Local Action Groups is a community development strategy with a fund of €240m to 2020 for fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors.) “To date, significant investment in good, innovative projects have been made in this small-scale friendly environment. In the post 2021 set up, all ‘blue economy’ participants will be entitled to influence the shape of local development strategies and the resulting measures,” he cautions. This new development creates the risk of fisheries interests within FLAGs being ‘crowded out’ by financially stronger and privileged blue growth interests such as aquaculture, tourism and marine energy. While 2021 may seem like a date far away from today’s realities, the future of the Commission proposal is being decided now. Technical-level negotiations in the Council as well as first preparations in the European Parliament have already started. “Some elements of the extended support for small-

scale fisheries will not be accepted easily by largerscale fishers and national administrations used to the freedom of programming,” warns Ruciński. “Whether we like it or not, money is both mover and shaker in world affairs. EU funds for fisheries are no exception,” he adds.

BIASED FUNDING FLOW

LIFE stresses that for too long, European funding for the most part has flowed in the direction of those financially strongest and most capable of successfully lobbying authorities at all levels in favour of their needs: “Since the inception of the CFP in 1983, small-scale fisheries have been outsiders. We simply cannot afford to miss the changes offered by this new, potentially revolutionary Commission proposal,” says O’Riordan. “Now is therefore the time for small-scale fishers to engage in shaping the next EMFF and in national Operational Programmes, to ensure that the potential for EU funding to meet their needs is realised.” The aim of LIFE is to provide a clear and coherent voice at EU level for the previous mainly silent majority of European fishers, who are smaller scale and who use low impact fishing gears and methods but have historically lacked dedicated and effective representation in Brussels and at Member State level.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 17

FISHERIES

Irish Fisheries Science Research Partnership (IFSRP) marks a decade

he 50th meeting of IFSRP took place on the fringes of Seafest 2018 in Galway when latest scientific advice on fishing opportunities for 2019 was the main item on the agenda. The IFSRP is now 10-yearsold and has been meeting every quarter to discuss a range of scientific topics of great importance to the fishing industry. Topics include data collection, research vessel surveys, technical conservation measures, results from gear trials, scientific advice on fish stocks, research project outputs and

research gaps in relation to marine fisheries resources. The partnership was established in June 2008 by Minister Killeen (Minister for State at the then Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) as an important forum for science and industry engagement. The group is chaired by the Marine Institute and involves the Fish Producers Organisations (KFO, ISEFPO, ISWFPO, IFPO), a representative from the NIFF and a representative from BIM. The group deals with many sensitive issues and there have been many robust

debates over the years. “We may not always agree with each other, but the discussions tease out the issues. The key point is that every quarter we all return to the table and continue the dialogue and the discussions,” remarked chair, Paul Connolly. An important remit of the IFSRP is to identify research gaps and funding opportunities to address these gaps. The agenda also includes the research outputs from key EU-funded research projects and how they might impact the fisheries resource. The period October to December (Fisheries Council when quotas are decided) is a particularly important time for the fishing industry and the IFSRP represents a forum to discuss the latest scientific advice and the key factors that have framed the advice. Each meeting has an agreed agenda; action points from the previous meeting are circulated to ensure discussions are followed up.

National Fishermen’s Development Group one year on Gery Flynn

lmost a year after its establishment as a new representative organisation for the fishing industry, the National Fishermen’s Development Group reports steady progress but admits there was still a way to go. Speaking to Inshore Ireland, NFDG spokesperson, Tracey Floyd said that while she was satisfied with what the group had achieved so far, she described it as “very much a work in progress.” She said that much of the effort during the past year had been directed at capturing feedback from members – an “absolutely critical exercise” which she said would take time. Floyd confirmed that a good working relationship had already developed between the NFDG and the long-established producer organisations, and there was “no misunderstandings” regarding the issues that either side represented: “There’s been complete working transparency between

the two organisations. Each of the POs is represented within the NFDG and they go back to their meetings and present everything that we have discussed. “So, for example, regarding the education programme, the POs have contributed on pensions and health care issues and this works very well. There really is no crossover, we do not want to tread into the path of what the POs do, which is at a much higher level than where we work. The NFDG is really just looking at grassroots issues, but with the support of the POs, and the work that we’re attempting to do can only enhance the overall reach of the POs” she said. Another area of interest is education and training for fishing crews which the group has been developing with BIM in Greencastle. “This is probably one of the bigger achievements and is actively supported by BIM who are very much behind this initiative. We’re working on a model with consultant Olivia Slevin in Greencastle. BIM have consulted with us at every stage to ensure we’re happy that

everything is going in the right direction. “And when they show us that model, we will report back to the wider and bring our feedback back to them. We hope the training scheme will be available to roll out next year.” Floyd is positive that development of the NFDG is moving in the right direction, but is aware that progress might slow due to the difficult working environment of their members: “Fishing is an all-consuming occupation, it’s a really, really busy way of life. Fishermen always have so much to deal with— whether that safety surveys, COCs, dealing with atypical crews, dealing with the SFPA – and that’s all before they even get into their boat and actually go fishing. And while fishermen may welcome new ideas that we bring to them, they’re often too busy to take action. “That’s reason why a group like the NFDG can be helpful because we can actually work in the background on their behalf and hopefully ultimately enhance it,” she believes.

Trudy Mc Intyre, Dunmore East

n August 2017, a group of women from around the coast involved in the fishing industry were invited to attend a networking event organised by BIM. Likeminded women who are proud of their industry – an industry that has put the roof over their head, kids through school and food on the table. An industry that has been under attack from people who simply don’t understand what it takes to be a fisherman/woman or a member of the fishing community. The event was held in Dublin where we met three amazing women from the ‘Women’s Industry Network Seafood Community’ in Australia who we discovered experienced the same issues and challenges in their own fishing industry. Ireland’s Women in Fisheries Network has partnered with LAST (lost at sea tragedies) to help raise its profile nationwide and help with fundraising. The group also identified the #fishingforlitter initiative as a good-news topic that needed promotion and encouragement, recognising the effort fishers make to bring ashore domestic and commercial waste they come across while fishing. WIFN have received an invitation to bring members to Australia for their twentieth anniversary event on October 19-20. The event is keen to hear about the LAST and #fishingforlitter schemes along with our background in the fishing/seafood industry and other initiatives we have been involved with since our inception. LAST is currently organising an event that will coincide with the boat show in Galway 2019. As I write, ‘Ghost net removal Ireland 2018’ is currently removing abandoned lobster and crab pots on our west coast. I believe they changed their target to this gear having seen the success of the fishing for litter campaign. Videos on their Facebook page however promote very misleading information on the death of whales and dolphins. We in the industry know that lobster pots do not cause the death of these beautiful marine mammals. The industry does not intentionally leave pots or nets on the sea bed. Losses are caused by snagging on the bottom or indeed storms like Ophelia and the many more that followed. We know the cost of fishing gear and do not treat fishing gear, nets or pots as disposable ‘single use’ items that can be discarded easily. The cost of a lobster pot ranges from €45-€90, not including the ropes, floats or anchors and a trawl can cost thousands of euros. Many fishing businesses face being wiped out following a storm and simply do not willingly discard their gear. I haven’t heard of any industry representatives being invited to attend a public presentation of their work on September 6. I would have thought that having the industry present to answer any questions would be important.

Tracey Floyd is based in Howth, Co Dublin but works with fishermen around the coast

18 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

AQUACULTURE NEWS

Richie Flynn Richie Flynn had the true writer’s gift of being able to produce impeccable, well-crafted press releases, letters and articles on behalf of IFA Aquaculture — with apparent ease and often at very short notice. There was never any ambiguity in his message. It was always clear, concise and to the point; you never had to read between the lines to understand what exactly he meant. Richie was a champion for Ireland’s salmon and shellfish sectors; a ‘dog with a bone’, a constant voice. Earlier this year he wrote on the frustrations associated with Ireland’s aquaculture licensing log-jam in Aquaculture and Seafood Ireland (kindly reproduced below) and we invited the sectors to reflect on his passing which has been felt in every coastal community.

(First published in Aquaculture and Seafood Ireland 2018)

Avoiding the Rocks in Fair Winds – how the momentum to develop aquaculture can be captured at home

s 2018 opened, the sails on European aquaculture began to billow with the combined forces of a number of significant developments. The momentum to develop aquaculture moved up several gears as a combination of Brexit, a very positive international independent scientific report, a review of the CFP and a highly constructive European Parliament initiative and the work of the Aquaculture Advisory Council combined simultaneously to push policy makers and industry alike to take advantage of the opportunity to develop sustainable aquaculture. Meanwhile in Ireland, despite the relative flatlining of production output and problems in mussel prices,

the publication of the Independent Aquaculture Licence Review in 2017 had stirred politicians and officialdom into finally recognising that – with a lot of work – we could start pushing the rock up the hill again to get a workable licensing regime. Effectively the IALRC report is the blueprint for a new type of industry in Ireland. If the recommendations are followed, we could have a workable, efficient licensing regime which is acceptable to industry, the public and the so-called “system”. Minister Creed, who commissioned the report, also recognised this opportunity. Although, one suspects, he is faced with the same obfuscation and resistance to change within his own Department, there was a significant breakthrough when at the IFA Annual General

Meeting in January 2018 he announced that to clear the backlog of applications for renewals and reviews and new licences, 300 licences would be issued in 2018 and a further 300 in 2019. This left a lot of questions and it subsequently turned out that the 600 licences referred to were exclusively shellfish. While this is to be welcomed, the question of marine salmon licences has got to be addressed as a matter of urgency. And there are a host of other questions to be answered as well, many of which were raised at a special Oireachtas Joint Agriculture Food and Marine hearing with the Department in March which is very well worth reading. The Committee heard the Department saying that the industry’s main issue is with the long backlog of renewal applications across all sectors,

IFA’s Aquaculture team on their way to meet the Minister on licensing. L-R: Gerry O’Donoghue; Richie Flynn; Kian Louet-Feisser; IFA President, Joe Healy; Michael Mulloy; Jan Feenstra; and IFA Director General, Damian McDonald.

in both SAC and non-SAC areas. While this has been the biggest factor holding back our industry from development for over 10 years and IFA has continuously raised this with Ministers, civil servants, the EU Commission and the Joint Committee itself. However, our priority is to have a working licence system that is fit for purpose, delivers an efficient decision-making process, is clearly timelined and cost effective and is acceptable to all stakeholders. That objective is the industry’s key to sustainability. The clearing of the backlog is vitally important but should be seen only as a means to clear the way to deliver on a functioning and acceptable licencing process within the context of an active sustainable development agenda. The ECJ case continues to be referred to at every opportunity by the Minister and his Department. The case occurred 11 years ago and can be summarised as follows – »» The case arose due to successive government’s neglect of the provisions of the Habitats Directives »» The industry is not to blame for the outcome of the case which identified massive gaps in successive governments’ implementation of the Directive »» It took years of negotiation between domestic departments and the EU Commission to produce a roadmap which was then “rolled out” at a very slow pace. »» The industry continues to lose momentum, investment and markets due to the lack of priority given to the needs of the sector in processing the backlog of licences »» We now have a solid political commitment to clearing the backlog which must be continuously tracked by the Joint

Oireachtas Committee. At the hearing and at various meetings with industry and in Dáíl, the Minister and his staff refer regularly to a low amount of applications for finfish. This needs to be clarified: All existing finfish licenses have an application in for their renewal, in many cases the industry is awaiting further communication from the Dept. What is required for renewals now (which was not clear when the applications were made) is that most will now need to include a license review/changes. When it costs an applicant in excess of €100K to submit a finfish application but these do not progress (from the evidence to date) for up to 10 years, it is not surprising that the sector has not submitted a high number of new applications. Every application submitted has brought up new requirements relative to the previous application and this is because the guidelines are too broad and the process is so slow, and the Dept. and its engineers demand that the applicant addresses minutiae which are barely relevant to the operation of the farm. As ‘Aquaculture and Seafood Ireland 2018’ goes to press there continues to be uncertainty within the industry as to whether the Department will implement its policy of Maximum Allowable Biomass on finfish sites – which is the most appropriate and scientifically robust method of assessing environmental impact and used throughout the rest of the world. By early 2018, and despite having the legislative tools already in place within the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, there have been no pro-active changes to the regulatory framework to ensure that new and latest best practices are adopted. This is symptomatic of

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 19

AQUACULTURE NEWS the lack of advocacy for the industry. It is totally inadequate to say that “the applicant can apply for an amendment to the license, if this is substantive then the usual consultative process will apply”. If an application for a change takes 5 years with the Dept. and a further 1-3 years with ALAB then this is an unacceptable answer, what is worse – this approach illustrates little or no interest or appetite to help the industry progress and is demonstrative of the increasing friction between industry and the regulators over the past number of years. It is also a contributing factor to the supposed lack of industry reputation with the public (which we would strongly dispute, particularly at local level). The Dept. has not enabled the industry to improve by facilitating best practice and is in fact blocking the industry to do so. This is equally a problem for the shellfish and finfish industry – the oyster sector’s issues with disease over the past few years having shown the need for a responsive and common-sense approach which apparently is not recognised by the Department or the Minister. Within the IALRC report there is a recommendation to increase the period of a licence to 20 years. The Department has argued that this would cause delays because of foreshore evaluations. The most important point to make here is that the renewal date is technically irrelevant if the system of licence enforcement, regulation, monitoring and application for renewal are working properly. In such a system, it is only when breaches of a licence or in extreme cases that a licence would not receive an automatic renewal (similar to a driving licence). The Department also raised the issue of the extension to 20 years would impose an unsustainable imposition of rates on farm sites. However, IFA has pointed out that farmers already pay annual licence fees to the State through the Department of

Agriculture. The Department has been aware that a new foreshore Act to replace the 1933 Act (it’s been 8 years in the making). It is not clear whether or not the issue of rates was raised with the IALRC during the writing of the report which may have influenced this particular recommendation. Within the new foreshore act, it must be possible to agree rates for aquaculture, which is already defined as “agriculture” for valuation purposes under the Valuation Act 2001. There are members of the public with legitimate concerns about the licensing process. Essentially, the system causes problems of perception with information and transparency and we as industry get the blame. Hence, we must learn from the likes of local authorities in planning and the EPA in their licences and the Department must ensure the earliest possible finalisation of Recommendation 8.5 of the Independent Aquaculture Licence Review Committee on the establishment of a Web – based Aquaculture Application and Monitoring System. This must include a complete and user friendly application and monitoring system and a single portal to all relevant administrative, engineering and scientific material Finally, in recognition of the government’s commitment to fully address the backlog of licence applications and renewals by the end of 2019 (300 in 2018 and 300 in 2019) it is imperative that the bottleneck in the system is not simply passed up the line to the Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board (ALAB). It is essential that this body has the sufficient technical and administrative resources to deal with appeals in a speedy and efficient manner. DAFM and ALAB must agree a Service Level Agreement and make available the adequate funding required to allow ALAB to process any appeal it receives – whether for finfish, shellfish or algae – within the four month period allowed under 56.(2)(a) of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997.

Courtney Hough General Secretary, Federation of European Aquaculture Producers

first met Richie in 1998 when he had taken over the position of secretary of the aquaculture section of the Irish Farmers’ Association, prior to the FEAP annual meeting in Westport, 1999. After working as a journalist in Dublin, he entered the aquaculture sector with no technical knowledge but armed with the keenest political sense, a fluid pen and a sharp wit. While looking after shellfish and fish farming in Ireland, he rapidly became involved in European affairs and soon became chair of the Aquaculture Working Group of the Advisory

Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture of DG MARE in the European Commission. He also chaired the European Mollusc Producers’ Association for several years. Providing fair and reasoned views combined with keen commentary was his trademark and once the Aquaculture Advisory Council was created in 2016, he became the chair of this organisation. Richie participated actively in many professional meetings, workshops and conferences and his lively and articulate presentations were appreciated by all audiences and interest groups. His writing skills were legendary, and he contributed to several FEAP papers and documents, notably ‘Streaming Sustainability’

– a declaration of the FEAP Member Associations on working towards sustainable aquaculture, presented at the last FEAP Annual Meeting to be held in Ireland (Malahide 2013). Many of us have had animated and enjoyable discussions with Richie – before, during and after meetings – where his outstanding commitment to the aquaculture sector was always evident. I have been privileged to know him as a friend and see the other side of Richie – the family man, doing things around the house and garden, assembling IKEA kitchens and a loving husband and father – a side that was not so visible to those who met him professionally. He leaves his wife Trish and his children, Liam and Róisín – his mother Helen and his sister Sinéad.

when the stormy waves had to be confronted to survive, and Ritchie was IFA’s breakwater who bore the frequent force. The late Jim Maxwell, former FISSTA chairman, locked horns with Ritchie first in 1995 when he began in salmon farming and those early podium debates and press statements became legendary heated affairs at that sensitive time when salmon farming was in its infancy. Of course our volunteer federation structure in FISSTA could not match the commercial power of the IFA but he always

respected his opposition to stay on message rather than drop to the personal. His legacy, which future communications students should study, is on how he professionally focused on the message, which allowed his salmon farming industry overcome the many challenges for it to still survive today. On behalf of the members of FISSTA, I want to offer our condolences to his family, in particular his wife Trish and their two children, Liam and Róisín, his mother Helen and his sister Sinéad. Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam dhilis.

Noel Carr Federation of Irish Salmon and Seatrout Anglers

he sad news came as a great shock to all who knew Ritchie and despite being in the opposite trench to us, representing the salmon aquaculture industry, nobody could doubt his utter dedication to his work. Ritchie was the ultimate communicator and managed the industrial message with his unique professional approach. There were many times

20 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

AQUACULTURE NEWS

Bryan Barry Assistant Director General Irish Farmers Association

quaculture has lost one of its greatest advocates. Colleagues across the fish farming sector were shocked and deeply saddened when news came through on August 24 that Richie Flynn had died suddenly at the age of 49. For 22 years, Richie worked as Executive Secretary of IFA Aquaculture — a role that was very wide ranging. Encouraging membership, collecting fees, dealing with media events and issues arising; keeping members abreast of policy changes, rules and regulations, as well as seeking views and opinions. It began with salmon farming and the Irish Shellfish Association was added to IFA membership in the 1990s. The Richie we knew in IFA was a fearless lobbyist for farmers, proud of his Leitrim roots a colleague you would always want in the trenches. As one of his European colleagues Courtney Hough (FEAP) put it following his untimely death, Richie entered the aquaculture sector with no technical knowledge, but made up for it with the keenest political sense, a fluid pen and a sharp wit. He represented the fish farming sector at home and in Brussels, where his lively and articulate presentations were appreciated by all audiences and interest groups. Richie was a former board member of the Marine

Jan Feenstra Institute; he chaired the EU Advisory Committee on aquaculture from 2001 to 2011 and was President of the European Shellfish Federation (2012-2016). Science was central to Richie’s work and he was very proud of his Masters in Science Communication. He deployed all his political skill in the creation of the EU Aquaculture Advisory Council in 2016. This group advises the Commission and the Parliament on the sustainable development of the sector and is backed with European funding. And of course, Richie became the first chairman. Like fishing, the aquaculture industry is very fragmented, but somehow Richie kept the show on the road and kept his members up-to-date on the issues that mattered, even when he was quite ill. He would not hesitate to drive across the country to help the smallest of farmers with their challenges and concerns. There is no doubt Richie had a very difficult job, but he chipped away, sometimes with a smile, if not a grin. His tussles with anti-fish farming campaigners and sometimes Department officials were not for the faint-hearted and his passion for the industry never dimmed. It’s worth noting the respect in which he was held: the outgoing Secretary General (DAFM) described Richie as ‘A great advocate for the aquaculture sector and important partner of the Department.’ And to the end, Richie remained a tireless campaigner for the industry. Always striving to realise the full potential for job creation

in coastal communities. And demanding a fit-for-purpose licensing system. Jan Feenstra, who worked closely with Richie as Chairman of the Irish Salmon Growers Association, said his depth of experience and knowledge was a big loss to his profession; his humour an inspiration to all who worked with him; and his ability to dust himself off and have another go was something we could all learn from. Those who knew Richie will recall having animated and enjoyable discussions with him – at times he was infuriating, at times stubborn, but he was always entertaining. It’s not all work with us in IFA – we have had some great social occasions. And one of the highlights was Richie singing ‘The Auld Triangle’, delivering a rendition that rivalled the great Luke Kelly. When he wasn’t singing, he had an ability to tell a yarn that kept audiences enthralled and entertained. As colleagues, we have been privileged to know Richie as a friend. As IFA President Joe Healy said when remembering Richie at his funeral, “Richie will always be known for his loyalty and his fearless work in promoting fish farming.” He was a well-respected colleague and somebody who was utterly dedicated to his work in IFA. But the other side to him was the family man who was a loving husband to Trish and father to Liam and Róisín, a devoted son to Helen and his recentlydeceased father Liam, and brother of Sinead. May he Rest in Peace.

he team at Inshore Ireland offer their sincere condolences to Richie’s wife Trish and children, Liam and Róisín, his extended family and friends. Richie was an extremely articulate and passionate voice for Ireland’s aquaculture industry who campaigned tirelessly on behalf of the salmon and shellfish sectors.

with officials at endless meetings that from afar and in hindsight often yielded little progress. His sometimes battling and confrontational s executive approach reflected his secretary of IFA frustration and that of his Aquaculture, members – an industry which Richie’s job remains puzzled, saddened was very wide ranging. and angered by the lack of Encouraging membership, growth and development in collecting fees, dealing indigenous Irish aquaculture. with media events and There is no doubt Richie issues arising; keeping had a very difficult job, but members abreast of one he chipped away at changes in policies, rules with a smile if not a grin and regulations, as well as seeking views and opinions. which could not have been easy when the department The aquaculture industry, responsible for regulating like fishing, is very and developing the industry fragmented and I am sure it you represent effectively must have felt like herding stonewalls constructive cats at times but somehow intent. he kept the show on the He fulfilled his role road and kept up-to-date admirably but will have been on the issues that mattered disappointed in not reaching —even during times when the ambitions he held for job he was quite ill. He was creation through aquaculture quite selfless and would not in the remote communities hesitate to drive across the along the West coast. Nobody country to help the smallest of shell fish farmers with their appears to be successful at this, and the delays go on challenges and concerns. and on. Richie was inevitably His long experience and drawn into the industry’s in-depth knowledge is a frustrations on the lack of big loss to his profession, licensing, an out-of-date his humour a loss to all he regulatory framework, worked with and his ability and the lack of conviction/ ambition in the department. to dust himself off and have another go is something we He participated and rose can all learn from. to many heated discussions

Marine Harvest Ireland

Michael Mulloy Chairman, Irish Shellfish Association

irstly I want to pass on my condolences to Richie’s family and friends at this sad time. I want to pass on the sense of shock and loss felt by the entire shellfish industry on the news of his passing. Richie was appointed as a fulltime representative of the aquaculture industry at the young age of 27 years. He stood out from other candidates (many of whom would have had more experience) by his firm grasp that aquaculture had an important place in the economy of this country. Richie always rightly believed that aquaculture was a vitally important industry in rural Ireland and was not to be side-lined by the well-established traditional views that prevailed in the government policy makers of the day. Richie was chosen for his role because he could demonstrate his willingness to further the cause of the struggling aquaculture

industry of the day. In his long tenure at the helm of IFA Aqauculture, Richie came to know every road along the seaboard and every operator in the bays and shores around the country. He never shirked from supporting aquaculture industry efforts to establish themselves against a tide of bureaucratic ambivalence and political disinterest. It was through his efforts that positive strides were made in the licensing issue and our industry is deeply indebted to his success in invoking positive progress and a realisation by successive ministers that aquaculture has an important place in the Irish food industry. Richie always demonstrated his ability to keep the bigger European picture in clear focus and through his many contacts in the European Commission, he reminded the industry of European policy and financial support for the aquaculture industry. The Irish shellfish industry will sorely miss Richie’s role as champion. We have, for the moment, lost our voice.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 21

MARINE R&D

Drones to combat plastic pollution

lastic Tide, the UK-based charity is using state-ofthe-art drone and algorithm technology to develop an open source map that will eventually pinpoint and quantify the amount of the plastic pollution, first around the UK coast and inland waterways, and eventually worldwide.

“In the last ten years there’s been a 250% increase in plastics washing up on our beaches,” says Peter Kohler, Founder of the Plastic Tide Project. One of the biggest challenges is that of the many millions of tonnes that wash into the ocean every year. “We can only account for just one per cent of where that ends up, the 99% we just don’t

know, it’s missing. That’s why we’re using drone technology to measure the increasing tide of plastic that is washing up on our beaches,” he says. According to Plastic Tide, the impact of this synthetic tide is pervasive, with increasing evidence showing how quickly our oceans are becoming swamped. From clogging the deepest depths before we have even explored

them, to starving ocean birds, this is a problem that affects all marine life. But it also has increasing impact on human life too, from toxicity to rising economic costs. Kohler says that the problem of plastic pollution is growing by eight million tonnes a year, and if nothing is done, he estimates this figure will rise to 80 million tonnes a year by 2025. “This tide does not recede,” he adds, “It consists of all sizes of plastics, with larger pieces taking at least 400 years to break down into microplastics which then enter the food chain. These and other tiny pieces of plastic, like microbeads, accumulate, forming an oceanic soup that are estimated today to be between 15 to 50 trillion pieces.”

ALGORITHM

Following detailed essential technical tests on the drone technology, the Plastic Tide team are “training the

Reducing the impact of plastic products on the environment

he European Parliament Committee on Fisheries has published a Draft Opinion on the Commission’s proposal for a Directive to reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, particularly the marine environment. ‘The problem of plastic dispersal in the sea is a global one and it must therefore be tacked via actions on various levels and through better coordination of international efforts.’ The initiative focusses on ten single-use plastic items and fishing gear containing plastic. These items were chosen based on beach litter counts and the data gathered under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Monitoring at 276 European beaches over 679 surveys observed 355,671 items of which almost half was from

single-use plastic items and 27% from fishing gear. Dispersal of plastic in the sea adversely affects marine biological resources and impacts fishing activity with estimated net losses for the European fleet of €70m-€350m per annum. The proposal recommends ‘extended producer respon sibility schemes and awareness-raising measures’ in the fishing industry to ensure ‘better management of gear waste’. The schemes would be funded and should be complemented by a ‘modulated tariff ’ that encourages long-lasting reusable and recyclable gear, in line with EU on waste. These schemes would include measures laid down in the proposal on port reception facilities for waste (COM (2018 33) that reduce the financial burden on ports and fishery operators ‘to ensure there is consistency between the two Directives’.

The proposal also includes Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy and contain measures (preventive and remedial) for reducing the impact of fishing gear lost at sea.

algorithm on a much bigger scale. This means setting off on a 5,100km journey around the UK coast to collect 30,000 different images of plastics. “Eventually we’d like to build up a global database with images from all around the world to identify the areas that are hit particularly bad. And that will be really important because this would allow governments, councils, NGOs to estimate how effective their proposals are to reduce the impact of plastic waste. “And that’s why I think this is a very exciting project where technology actually provides benefit to all of us on this planet,” believes their mission director, Ellie Mackay. “It’s really a revolutionary project, a 21st Century solution to the beach clean issue. The scale of it, the speed of it, the efficiency of it and the ability to put it all on line in a massive data base just opens up a whole new world of possibility, says Mackay.

Graphics: UNEP - Marine Litter Vital Graphics

‘The review of the Regulation on control that is currently being carried out must therefore take the aims of this initiative into consideration.’ Regarding innovation and research on alternative materials, the Committee on Fisheries considers

Messy Beach, west coast of Denmark (Kimo)

that the EU should adopt a ‘clear definition of biodegradable plastic and bio-based plastic’ along with ‘harmonised standards on biodegradability, particularly marine biodegradability and composability’ to provide a clear and uniform legal framework.

22 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

MARINE R&D

Marine Institute hosts successful biodiscovery workshop in Galway

he Marine Institute hosted a one-day workshop that brought together Irish and international researchers working in the field of marine biodiscovery, to share their knowledge and to identify potential synergies and research links to increase awareness of the national expertise, data and other resources. “Recognised by the European Commission through H2020 calls that focus on blue growth and marine bioresources represents an untapped reservoir of biomolecules with applications in diverse sectors like the agri-food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. “The consortium of researchers meeting in Galway highlights the importance of building and maintaining strong partnerships among academic researchers, funding agencies and the private sector to deliver

in this space, which represents a key component to achieving the socioeconomic benefits outlined in Ireland’s national strategy – Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth,” remarked Dr Peter Heffernan, chief executive of the Marine Institute in his opening remarks. The workshop included key Irish researchers from the NUIG, University of Limerick and UCC Cork; the private sector, and invited international experts from MATIS Iceland, Fundacion Medina (Spain), and UIT (Norway). Presentations highlighted new research findings in natural product chemistry derived from collections of macroalgae, deep-sea invertebrates, fishery by-products, and marine microorganisms, and demonstrated the antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties of some of these novel compounds in a range of bioactivity tests. The work displayed how Ireland can maximise the commercial potential of marine

biodiscovery as fundamental to national efforts focused on expanding the marine bioeconomy, while at the same time contributing to the development of this field of research and development in a European context. Marine biodiscovery looks to the vast diversity of organisms in the marine environment for bioactive compounds that could be commercialised to confront some of our most pressing challenges in human and environmental health. In this light, speakers noted the huge growth potential for Ireland in this space, where marine resources represent a diverse biomass of underexplored value to the State. “From the nearshore and intertidal zones where easily accessible micro and macroalgae and a range of invertebrates are available, to underutilised by-products of the commercial fisheries and aquaculture industries,

and the extreme deep-sea where cnidarians, sponges and a tremendous diversity of micro-organisms are only relatively recently being discovered, our marine biodiversity offers enticing untapped potential for marine biodiscovery if used sustainably. “The experience that our European colleagues working in marine biodiscovery and in the development of supportive marine biorepositories provided good lessons on how to progress in this area. With the collaborative intent of

building Ireland’s research capacity in this field and a supportive National Marine Biorepository at the Marine Institute, the biodiscovery workshop showed how recent studies from Irish researchers are benchmarking our activities, and helping to set a course for the future,” explained Dr Jeff Fisher, Marine Institute’s Director of Marine Environment and Food Safety Services, and co-convener of the workshop with Professor Olivier Thomas of NUI Galway.

Scientists discover rare ‘sponge reef’ and new corals in Ireland’s deep ocean

team of marine scientists has returned to Galway following a three week survey of Ireland’s deep ocean territory 300 miles off the west coast. The expedition led to new discoveries using the Marine Institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Holland 1 onboard the ILV Granuaile. The high definition ROVmounted video captured a number of ‘firsts’ in Irish waters, including a species of octocoral of the genus Corallium, which grows into huge fans with a delicate porcelain-like skeleton, and a species of black coral different to others described to date, which may prove to be an entirely new species. The survey confirmed Irish deep-waters as a haven for these rare and delicate deepsea black corals. The team of scientists also reported areas of potential ‘sponge reef ’ on the Rockall Bank — a highly unusual accumulation of living and dead sponges forming a complex habitat for many other creatures. Such formations are very rare and have previously only been recorded in Canadian waters. Cold water coral reefs are ecosystems that host a diverse range of marine

animals including sea fans, sponges, worms, starfish, crustaceans and a variety of fish species, making them vitally important habitats for marine biodiversity. These fragile deepwater reefs are commonly associated with topographic features subject to strong bottom currents, for example continental margins, seamounts and mid-ocean ridges, because as filter feeders, the corals depend on suspended food particulate matter. The high-resolution bathymetric dataset acquired as part of the national seabed mapping programme – Integrated Mapping For the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource (INFOMAR) - was used to target potential locations of reef habitat for this survey by identifying specific seabed morphological features likely to support cold water coral. The last two decades have seen a dramatic increase in our understanding of the cold-water coral reef ecosystems, their susceptibility to environmental change, and their low resilience to human impact. “We are very pleased to discover what appear to be new coral species and a rare sponge reef, neither of which have been previously documented in Irish waters.

These sensitive habitats are very important, and this study is key to getting a better understanding of Irelands’ deep sea. “Our key objective is to discover, protect and monitor Ireland’s rich offshore marine biodiversity so we can manage our marine resources effectively. Without a knowledge of what lives on our seabed we are at risk of never fully understanding and appreciating Ireland’s invaluable marine environment,” remarked David O’Sullivan, chief scientist, Marine Institute. Dr Kerry Howell, Plymouth University said this was a first to see a sponge reef like this in twenty years of studying the deep NE Atlantic. “This is an important find. Sponges play a key role in the marine ecosystem providing habitat for other species and recycling nutrients. They may even be a source of new antibiotics. These new data will help us to better understand where and why these reefs occur.” Prof. Louise Allcock, NUI Galway, who is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and the Marine Institute to study the pharmaceutical potential of deep-sea corals and sponges added: “This project highlights collaboration and cooperation

between Irish and international marine scientists, helping us to further our understanding of these sensitive ecosystems and has also been able to provide training opportunities and sea-going experience for young scientists.” The ‘SeaRover’ survey is the second of three planned expeditions jointly funded by the Irish Government and the EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The cross-government initiative is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine; Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht and Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) as

part of the Marine Institute’s implementation of the Marine Biodiversity scheme. Survey operations were coordinated and led by the DCCAE funded INFOMAR programme, which is a joint venture between the Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute. This year’s expedition extended the habitat exploration area to the Rockall Bank, the farthest offshore extent of Ireland’s Economic Exclusive Zone. Scientific experts onboard to witness the exciting findings were from the Marine Institute, National Parks and Wildlife Service, National University of Ireland Galway and Plymouth University.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 23

MARINE R&D

World’s most advanced harmful algal monitoring ship completes survey of Irish waters

looms of toxinproducing algae and the occurrence of unprecedented levels of microscopic plastic particles were detected in an oceanic survey carried out by phytoplankton, biotoxin and oceanographic scientists from the Marine Institute. Bristling with sensors and state-of-the-art technology, the German Research vessel RS Heincke completed a circumnavigation of the UK and Ireland during a monthlong survey in August. A team of six Irish scientists joined the survey, which was conducted by the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in collaboration with the Marine Institute and the University of Oldenburg Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment. Seventy-five stations were surveyed using the latest instrumentation, primarily designed to investigate ‘Azaspiracid’ toxins produced by micro-planktonic species of the family Amphidomataceae. “This research is important for us as Ireland remains the most affected country in the world by shellfish poisonings caused by toxins produced by these species,” remarked Joe Silke, senior scientist at the Marine Institute. These toxins, which were first discovered 23 years ago during routine shellfish monitoring of Irish shellfish, have resulted

in annual temporary closures of shellfish production areas with resulting economic loss in sales and markets.

PELAGIC PLANKTON

Recent research has led us to believe that the Amphidomataceae, unlike many other toxic algae, are pelagic plankton found in the open sea to the west of Ireland. These can accumulate in specific cases of currents and wind direction, creating toxin problems in production bays along the West coast. This was the first time that near real-time analysis was possible underway due to the advanced equipment available for the survey. This ship included a fully equipped chemistry lab aboard, capable of measuring and identifying trace levels of toxin produced by the plankton, using a Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry instrument. Only 30 minutes after taking plankton samples, a full characterisation of the toxins present was possible. The team was able to confirm the presence of these phytoplankton at several offshore and nearshore stations and collect an integrated data set comprising oceanographic, bio-optical, meteorological, plankton and sediment data accompanied by taxonomic determinations, toxin measurements and DNA analysis. “Having the capability to carry out near real-time

analysis of microscopic plankton while at sea to reveal the species present and their toxins, is a huge leap forward in opportunities for our research programmes,” Joe Silke added. Simultaneous research activities included taxonomic analyses of the filtered plankton. Scientists used high-resolution microscopy supported by real-time analyses of the plankton using molecular biological technology designed to recognise the DNA fingerprint of individual species. Automated instruments on board such as a Ferry Box carried out physico-chemical analysis of underway water, and a Flow-Cam™ carried out automated particle measurements and image analysis of phytoplankton samples. Full bio-optical properties of the water were measured using instruments on the ship, measuring spectral properties both above and in the water.

LATE SUMMER BLOOMS

During the survey, several other algae blooms were detected along the oceanographic fronts traversed by the ship’s track. These included large blooms of the usual late summer phytoplankton commonly see in coastal waters. These comprised mostly of diatoms and dinoflagellates, such as Dinophysis acuta that produce DSP shellfish toxins, and Karenia mikimotoi that can

Primary school children to track Ireland’s Golden Globe Race solo sailor

rimary school children and teachers can now use the resource pack, Gregor’s Journey Ocean Adventurers’ Educational Programme, to track Ireland’s entrant in the Golden Globe Race, Gregor McGuckin (32) as he sails solo, non-stop, around the world on board his 36ft yacht Hanley Energy Endurance. A large race tracking map and a free 76-page teacher’s resource produced by publisher CJ Fallon, supported by the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme, will soon be distributed to primary schools throughout Ireland. “As soon as we heard of Gregor’s plans to take part in this amazing race, we decided to support him in the only way

we knew how – by producing an educational resource. The book and map are free to primary school teachers, and when used in class will provide fun and engaging lessons based on the ocean and marine life along with a means of tracking Gregor’s progress. All lessons are in line with the national curriculum,” explained Laura Fitzgerald, CJ Fallon. Barbara O’Kelly, author of the resource pack and primary school teacher described the race as “very daring” and “only for the extremely brave. While Gregor is at sea he will experience some of the most extreme weather on our planet. Only a week ago he was dealing with ten-metre waves and 50-knot winds (92km per hour) off the coast of South Africa.” The race began on July

1st at Les Sables d’Olonne, France, and will finish in March 2019 in the same French port. Gregor’s campaign is sponsored by numerous companies lead by Hanley Energy. If successful Gregor will be the first Irish person to sail alone nonstop around the world. Gregor has been at sea for just over two months and hasn’t seen land since he passed the Canary Islands. One of the rules of the race is that absolutely no modern technology may be used. The only exception is that Gregor can make one satellite phone call a week to report on his expedition. “Gregor only gets to talk to people who might be passing on trade ships and to his fellow competitors. Therefore, he is always

Irish and German scientists aboard the RS Heincke for the HE516 Phytoplankton survey of the North Sea, English Channel and Atlantic Shelf

cause fish and invertebrate mortalities if it accumulates in coastal areas. The survey also revealed several species of Azadinium, the target group for this survey. These included some rare species, and some not previously recorded in Irish waters. One unexpected observation in the plankton net-hauls was the diverse and frequent observation of micro-plastic particles in the same size range as the phytoplankton. While the survey was not looking for these in particular, it was evident that their occurrence is more widespread than observed in previous and would also appear to

be diverse in nature based on shape and colour. In a recent opinion, the European Food Safety Authority stated that particles of this nature are less likely to pass to humans through fish because they do not pass through the intestine into other tissues of finfish, and the digestive tract is normally discarded. They may however pass to the food chain through filter- feeding shellfish species where the GI tract is consumed. The size of the particles observed would lend support to this although the risk of exposure to humans and its consequence on health requires a lot more research.

keen to let us know about the adventures he is having, including seeing the amazing animals in the ocean such as whales, dolphins an albatross – and even catching a tuna,” said Barbara. Teachers and students will be able to log onto http:// www/cjfallon.ie for soft copies of the book and to listen to the most recent satellite phone calls. Students can then track his progress on the map and carry out one of the lesson plans from the resource pack. “Gregor has just passed the tip of South Africa entering the Indian Ocean. Therefore, tracking Gregor’s progress using the Live Race Tracker - https://goldengloberace. com/livetracker/ is a great way to incorporate ICT into the class as well as learn about the ocean names, continents and countries around the world,” Barbara added. Speaking ahead of his departure, Gregor said that ensuring the next generation can take better care of the ocean than previous generations was hugely important to him:

“I really hope teachers, parents, and students are inspired to follow the race, learn about the oceans, and also realise that they can achieve anything if they have the drive and determination.” CJ Fallon’s position as Ireland’s largest primary school book publisher combined with the Marine Institute’s position as one of the world leaders in marine research ensures this programme is an excellent resource for teachers. “Gregor is an inspiration to all of us. From a marine perspective, he is an incredible ambassador helping to engage a new audience with the ocean. The programme with CJ Fallon complements our existing Explorers Education Programme and we encourage all to take part in following the race online over the next six months. The 24/7 live tracking combined with the satellite phone calls from the boat make this a really engaging and exciting opportunity to learn more about the ocean,” remarked Dr Peter Heffernan, Marine Institute chief executive.

24 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

MARINE R&D

Deep-sea expedition west of Ireland discovers new corals and rare sponge reef Janine Guinan, GSI & David O’Sullivan, Marine Institute

team of scientists spent three weeks at sea investigating Ireland’s deep ocean seafloor aided by bathymetric data acquired under Ireland’s national seabed mapping

programme INFOMAR (INtegrated Mapping FOr the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s MArine Resource) jointly managed by Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute. The Marine Institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Holland 1 was used aboard the ILV Granuaile to assess the extent and distribution of Annex 1

reef habitat in line with the EU Habitats Directive (EC 92/43/EEC). The survey, ‘SeaRover’ (Sensitive Ecosystem Analysis for ROV Exploration of Reef Habitat), is the second of three surveys commissioned and jointly funded by the Irish government and the EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The cross-government initiative is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine; Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment as part of the Marine Institute’s implementation of the Marine Biodiversity scheme.

COLD-WATER CORAL REEFS

(Relicanthid) Species in this unusual taxonomic group until recently were classed as Anemones. Very little is known about their ecology and they are rare in Irish waters

Scientists from the Marine Institute, National Parks and Wildlife Service, National University of Ireland, Galway and University of Plymouth participated in the survey which this year extended the survey areas to include Ireland’s farthest offshore area within its Exclusive Economic Zone at the Rockall Bank. The survey is part of a project that aims to assess the spatial extent and distribution

of cold-water coral reefs in Irish waters. These are important ecosystems which host a diverse range of marine animals (sea fans, sponges, worms, starfish, crustaceans) along with a variety of fish species, making them important habitats for conservation. These fragile reefs are commonly found at locations with high bottom-water velocities such as continental margins, seamounts and mid-ocean ridges, because as filter feeders, the corals depend on suspended food particulate matter. The high-resolution bathymetric dataset acquired as part of INFOMAR was used to derive seabed morphology and to define target sites such as submarine canyons, mounds and escarpments.

UNIQUE VIDEO FOOTAGE

During the survey, the scientists recorded high definition ROV video footage at fifty-two locations as the vessel travelled 1500 nautical miles along the Rockall and Porcupine Banks west of Ireland in water depths ranging from 300m to 3000m. The video footage captured for the first time two species of octocoral, one of which,

in the genus Corallium, grows into huge fans with a delicate porcelain-like skeleton, and a species of black coral that differs from all other species described to date and may be an entirely new species. The survey confirmed Irish deep-waters as a haven for these rare and fragile deep-sea black corals. The team also reported areas of potential ‘sponge reef ’ on the Rockall Bank where unusual accumulations of living and dead sponges form a complex habitat for many other creatures. Such formations are rare and have previously only been recorded in Canadian waters. We were very pleased to discover what appear to be new coral species and a rare sponge reef none of which have been previously documented in Irish waters. These sensitive habitats are very important. Our key objective is to assess, protect and monitor Ireland’s rich offshore marine biodiversity so we can ensure effective management of our marine resources. Dr Howell a senior scientist from the University of Plymouth said this was the first time he had seen a sponge reef like this in nearly 20 years of studying

A closer look at the RV Holland The ROV is equipped with 2 x Hdmi lights and 4 x high power Cathx ocean lights to give adequate illumination when using HD cameras.

(Lophelia Reef) The stony coral Lophelia pertusa, forms an ideal reef habitat for the Lepidion fish.

The ROV is fitted with 2 pan and tilt units which control the science cameras and the pilots navigation camera. The Mini Zeus High Definition colour zoom camera, which is contained within 3000m titanium pressure housing, is mounted on a pan and unit.

(Gorgonocephalus) An Ophiuroid Basket star.

Two x 7 function manipulators. Typical operations include collection of samples using the manipulators arm jaws; operation of the slurp sampler to collect specimens and use of push cores to recover sediment.

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 25

MARINE R&D

Living, eating and breeding in a plastic soup Oisin O’Briain, GSI the deep NE Atlantic: “Sponges play a key role in the marine ecosystem, providing habitat for other species and recycling nutrients. They may even be a source of new antibiotics. These new data will help us to better understand where and why these reefs occur.” The ROVs robotic arm was used to collect biological specimens for NUIG’s SFIfunded project ‘Exploiting and Conserving Deep Sea Genetic Resources’. “The project highlights collaboration and cooperation between Irish and international marine scientists helping us to further our understanding of these sensitive ecosystems and provides training opportunities and sea-going experience for young scientists.” The specimens will also assist research at the Deep Sea Conservation Research Unit at University of Plymouth,” remarked Professor Louise Allcock, NUI Galway who is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and the Marine Institute to study the pharmaceutical potential of deep-sea corals and sponges.

CHARACTERISE AND EVALUATE

The 2018 survey also visited existing Special Area of Conservation designated areas to monitor signs of impact and recovery along transects that have been surveyed previously. Data acquired will be analysed and the key projected outputs will help to characterise offshore reef habitat in the Irish EEZ, evaluate the impact of fishing on reef habitat, and input data to support policy as part of the reporting requirements for Ireland under the Habitats Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive. In addition, the data will be used to validate predictive biotope models for deep water species, some of which fall into the category of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the Irish area of the North East Atlantic. The INFOMAR programme is one of the largest civilian mapping projects in the World and is acquiring high-resolution seabed data that contributes to ensuring the sustainable management of Ireland’s marine resource.

lastic is everywhere, from the clothes we wear to the deepest ocean trenches. Our children chew it, we drink and eat from it and then throw it away. We as humans, so consumed with convenience, remain conveniently blind to the ultimate logic of our habits. The abundance of raw thermoplastic supplies and cheap production of plastics has shifted perceptions of the value of the longevity of goods to an ephemeral attitude to waste. Successfully unlocking and normalising these attitudes has been key to the growth of the plastics industry as illustrated in a 1957 article in Modern Packaging magazine: ‘The biggest thing that’s ever happened in moulded plastics as far as packaging is concerned is the acceptance of the idea that packages are made to be thrown away. Plastic moulders are no longer thinking in terms of re-use refrigerator jars and trinkets boxes made to last a lifetime. ‘Taking a tip from the makers of cartons, cans and bottles, they have come to the realization that volume lies in low cost, single-use expendability…..Consumers are learning to throw these containers in the trash as nonchalantly as they would discard a paper cup - and in that psychology lies the future of moulded plastic packaging.’ GLOBAL CRISIS Sixty-one years after the publication of this article, the shift in attitudes as envisioned by the plastics industry to consumption and disposal has led to a global plastic pollution crisis. Plastic’s ubiquity has become second nature as it is transported from our daily lives to the sea where its near indestructible matrix is immersed in the water column, swallowed by biota and the sedimentary layer. The disposable single-use coffee cup and drinks bottle is synonymous of the market envisaged by the plastics industry. Used once and discarded, singleuse coffee cups cannot be recycled in this country. Even in the UK, only two plants can separate the paper from the plastic liner. Even if correctly disposed of, nonrecyclable plastic makes its way to landfill where it can easily be windblown and transported to its next vector: rivers and the sea. Our streets are strewn with cigarette butts. Toxins are in-haled and the detritus is flicked without second thought. Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a semi-synthetic fiber. Each filter

contains around 15,000 plastic fibers. TOXIC WASTE From our streets, the discarded filters are washed into storm drains and join the estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette filters that are littered annually.There it will join discarded litter and other synthetic polymers such as facial cleansers and synthetic fibers released from clothes by washing machines. Microplastics - plastic particles less than 5mm - have been reported in riverine systems globally. Plastic particles in the Danube are estimated to have a presence higher than that of fish larvae and are a source of Black Sea contamination. Substantially higher levels of microplastics have been found in Chinese river estuaries. As riverine vectors flow to the sea, it is estimated that at a minimum, 233,400 tons of macroplastics (larger than 5mm) and 35,000 tons of microplastics are adrift across the oceans. Plastics degrade through solar UV induced photo oxidization and wave action on sea surfaces and shorelines. This increases particle numbers. Following circulatory currents, plastics converge in oceanic gyres and reach the most remote areas of the planet, including the Arctic and Antarctic. Polar sea ice has been identified as a major sink for plastic particulates, with concentrations several orders of magnitude higher than that of the North Pacific Gyre. Rising temperatures associated with climate change will likely release these plastic particles from the ice for further distribution. Fouling biological organisms increase the density of floating plastic, inducing transport to the seafloor. As depth increases, polymer degradation decreases in line with decreased oxygen levels. Submarine canyons and their associated currents are thought to transport plastics before settling in areas of high sedimentation. As plankton ingest microplastics, their diurnal migration and faeces may present a further transportation vector to the seafloor. SEABED CONTAMINATION Researchers from NUIG recently found widespread microplastic contamination of seafloor sediments both inshore and on Irish Continental Shelf margins.Visual investigations of the deep sea using submersibles have found particularly high densities in the Mediterranean basin. In the Ryuku trench, north-west Pacific Ocean, plastic debris was identified to depths of 7,216m. As the sedimentary layer of plastics and their associated

chemicals builds over time, it has been suggested that plastics may become fossilised (larger plastic artefacts moulded) buried and compressed in a similar fashion to biotic fossils in limestones and mudstones. The ubiquitous nature of plastic in marine sediments perhaps presents evidence of a new geological epoch where an anthropogenic horizon may be identified in millennia. Aquatic biota are living, eating and breeding in a plastic soup. It has been surmised that it is almost unavoidable that any species in the marine domain will avoid ingesting plastic at some stage. One 2015 review reports ingestion or entanglement by 100% of marine turtle species, 59% of whale species, 36% of seal species and 40% of seabird species. The Great Barrier Reef, already under severe strain from higher acidic Ph. levels, may be under additional threat from widespread microplastics in the Reef’s water column. In experimental trials, corals have been shown to ingest microplastics mistaken for prey. As plastics cascade through the water column, filter-feeders that ingest plastics at the lower trophic level are prey for secondary ingestion through the food chain: large quantities of ingested plastic have been found in mesopelagic Lantern fish. Microplastics have also been detected in biota widely consumed by humans such as bivalves, shrimp, cod, whiting and haddock. Microplastics ingestion by Nephrops norvegicus, a commercially important lobster, suggests a wide intake of microplastics in bottom feeders. EARLY MORTALITY Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion; the inability of many juvenile seabirds to regurgitate ingested plastic has been directly linked to early mortality. Ingestion blocks or damages the gastrointestinal

tract and leads to starvation. This may present a significant threat to future seabird generations and a cascading effect on marine biodiversity. In 2013, two adult and one juvenile True Beaked whales beached on Ireland’s western and northern seaboard. Researchers from GMIT and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group discovered one adult female had microplastics evident throughout the digestive tract, while larger plastics lined the stomachs of both adults. The loss or abandonment of synthetic fishing gear has led to prolonged suffering through entanglement. Scientists studying North Atlantic Right Whales with prolonged entanglement in abandoned fishing gear identified ‘sky-high hormone levels’. This indicates a severe stress, prolonged suffering and agony of a sentient ‘other’. If any doubt remains linking cause and consequence of plastic pollution, this is the painful reality of anthropogenic behaviour. Degraded plastics sorb and concentrate persistent organic chemicals from the ocean in addition to leaching synthetic chemical additives from the production process. While research on the consequences of plastic ingestion in humans is still in its infancy, nanometre sized plastics can pass through cell membranes. One study proposes that through trophic transfer of seafood, a recirculating pathway for polymer nanoparticles is formed after ingestion. Polymer particles are transferred from the cells of the gut to the bloodstream, continuing through the lymphatic system to the liver and gall bladder before returning to the gut for excretion. In this hypothesis, plastic may have consequences far beyond the future predicted by Modern Packaging in 1957. Plastic has become so ingrained in our culture of consumption that it returns to consume us.

Seaweed and driftwood washed ashore contains a very high plastic component, Mutton Island, Co Galway Oisin O’Briain

26 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

SEAFOOD BUSINESS

Oysters: Ireland’s hidden treasure consumed for thousands of years Richard Donnelly, BIM

xtensive evidence exists in shell middens from around the coast of Ireland of oyster consumption dating back over 5,000 years. This would have been the native European oyster, and we get snippets of information about it in the following centuries – most notably around the 1500s when we begin to see increased management of these wild fisheries. In 1595, the city corporation of Dublin asked for gravel and stones to be laid to provide a suitable substrate for juvenile oysters to settle on in Poolbeg. Later in 1614, the first import of oysters was recorded from stocks at Milford Haven to Bannow Bay. This practice of supplementing stocks continued, and by the midnineteenth century there was significant movement of stocks around the globe. We get an insight into this in 1838 when the famous oyster beds of Clontarf were stocked with oysters from America and France. These American oysters are the same species, Crassostrea virginica, farmed to this day in much of North America. The constant movement of stocks to fattening beds continued throughout the nineteenth century. During this time we see an increasing commercial aspect to oyster fisheries, and movement towards what could be called extensive farming. This led to greater exploitation, and stocks in all major fisheries in Ireland, Britain and France began to suffer.

LOCOMOTION HERALDS CHANGE

In Ireland, licences were issued all around the coast in a bid to control, monitor and preserve the remaining stocks.

The extent of the industry can be seen from one observer who reports over 50 boats and 200 men engaged in the Clew Bay Fishery in 1835. But the big change to the Irish industry came in the following decade with the arrival of railways. In the past, oysters from fisheries around the coast were transported to the lucrative markets of London and other cities in England mainly by steamer and sailing ships. The railways changed all this. Now oysters could be transported rapidly from all corners of Ireland directly to ferry ports in Dublin and quickly onward to their destinations in Britain. Oysters were also being sent to supplement the depleted fisheries in England and France. Large quantities of half-grown oysters were taken particularly from the east coast of Ireland for restocking abroad. Licensed owners were acutely aware of the impending depletion of their fisheries, and numerous attempts were made to alleviate the predicament. This included importing American, French, Dutch and Portuguese oysters. Attempts were also made to spawn oysters artificially, most notably in 1903, at the Ardfry Experimental Oyster Cultivation Station in Galway. But it was in vain – all the native and Irish stocks were in critical condition at the start of the twentieth century. This situation prevailed until the 1950s despite sporadic attempts to restore some sites to their former glory. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), was established in July 1952 when only the Tralee, Galway Bay and Clew Bay oyster fisheries were of any significance – and they were a shadow of what they had been. It was not until 1967 that a great leader of the Irish oyster industry arrived from Wales to work for BIM. Dr Eric Edwards would

Gigas (Crassostrea gigas) from Moyasta Oysters, Co Clare.

become instrumental in driving the modern shellfish industry in Ireland and was a pioneer in rescuing the Galway Bay stocks from probable extinction.

INDUSTRY REVIVAL

France, like Ireland, had its native oyster industry decimated and investigated ways to preserve this vital industry and tradition. After some success with the Portuguese oyster (Crassostrea angulata) in the 1950s and ’60s, the French industry switched totally to the species we are familiar with today — known by a range of local names such as Pacific or Japanese oyster (Crassostrea gigas). It was grown very successfully in France and also in Canada, so in the early 1970s Ireland looked at this species to rejuvenate its moribund oyster industry. Today this oyster is the main species grown in Ireland and France; Ireland having adopted many of the techniques of the French industry. In fact, in the 1980s and ’90s, French operators were the key to expansion of the industry, which now flourishes all around the coast of Ireland. Production is approaching 10,000 tonnes annually, or about 90 million oysters a year: very impressive when compared with the famous Arklow Banks fishery of 1863 that harvested about 30 million oysters annually. The Irish rock oyster now predominates, accounting for over 95% of all oysters produced in the country. Oysters from different bays have distinctive flavours. Similar to wine, location provides its own unique taste. This is what oyster lovers call the ‘merior’. Globally, Crassostrea gigas is the number one species of farmed oyster, with most production in China. Other popular species farmed around the world include the American

oyster (Crassostrea virginica), Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) and Southern mud oyster (Ostrea angasi). The whole art of oyster tasting is to identify the subtle flavours that the growing environment produces in the flesh. Consumption of oysters raw is often favoured as the best method because it helps to reveal these flavours. Like a wine connoisseur, the oysterphile will describe taste in terms of brine, tannic, cucumber and a myriad of other aspects of these complex flavours. And like wine tasting, it’s all about what you enjoy – leave the hyperbole to those who enjoy such endeavours of the palate. Within Europe, France is the single most important market for oysters, and it’s the close relationship of French and Irish producers that has helped supply this market in the last 30 years with premium quality oysters. Unfortunately, however, the French consumer is not always aware that the premium oyster they are tasting is from Ireland.

BRAND IRELAND

In the past five years the Irish industry has begun to invest in packing and marketing oysters directly from Ireland. Prior to this, nearly all Irish oysters were simply exported in bulk to France and relayed there for packing under French brand names. It was the opening of direct sales to the Hong Kong and Chinese market that gave consumers an insight to just how good are oysters are. This led to a dramatic expansion in sales and an awareness of Irish oyster brands. Names like’ Harty’s’, ‘Majestic’ and ‘Carlingford’ are becoming the ‘go to’ brands for top food service establishments in Asia. Twelve Irish companies are currently packing oysters under the Bord Bia Origin Green programme.

This segment of the industry has led the way in recent years in terms of identifying Ireland as a premium producer of oysters. This is reflected in the market place, in Hong Kong and China in particular, where Irish oysters are now commanding prices on par and often above the top branded French oysters that have dominated this market in the past. This commitment to develop the Asian market is evident through the substantial investment by Irish producers. Almost €4m was directly invested in the Irish oyster industry in 2016-2017, co-funded by the European Maritime Fisheries Fund and the Irish Government under the Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme. Another major factor that has allowed the sector to capitalise on these distant markets has been the increased capacity and service schedules of the air freight industry. It is this area that has given us regular and efficient access to the Asian markets with a significant increase in direct flights and reduction in transit times to major cities in China. Earlier this year, BIM commissioned a study to examine the possibility of a dedicated seafood airfreight hub in Ireland to better serve the industry. All indications are that this could be a real possibility. A number of freight companies are now involved in the development of a prototype of this concept. This will offer buyers in the market place a much more simplified order process from Ireland with the ability to consolidate loads of different seafood products from various suppliers on the same flight. Access to high end markets is vital for this category of seafood and a diversified global market is the key to success for the Irish seafood sector.

Photo Julien Behal

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 27

SEAFOOD BUSINESS

Inaugural Seaweed4Health conference

n the last decade, algae have become a popular subject for science and foodies alike; for use as biofuels, alternative protein resources and bioactive molecules, as well as in the kitchen for Umami and as a condiment. There has been little or no focus on the health aspects of seaweed which in light of peer-reviewed literature, is slightly strange, says Dr Stefan Kraan, President of the International Seaweed Association. Seaweeds, or their constituents, have major potential as products in the functional food market; many novel products based on macroalgae have now entered the food market. Numerous studies show that marine macroalgae are an unrivalled source of bioactive molecules with the potential to maintain and improve health. Dr Kraan of the Ireland-based company Aquaceuticals Ltd teamed up with his colleague Dr Susan L Holdt, Associate Professor at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), to organise a new format of seaweed conference — one that would focus mainly on health and bioactive molecules coupled to food and food-product development. “This is necessary because our relationship with food has become a very precarious one. After decades of manipulating and optimising production and farming systems —including animal dietary needs in parallel with the temptation of processed and fast food — it seems that the human population has run into some major health and disease issues, ranging from Type II diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and increased rates of cancer,” he remarked.

DIETARY AND GUT MICROBIOME Seaweed4Health was a full two-day academic programme held at GMIT Galway covering health topics such as dietary and gut microbiome, cancer, viral, antioxidants, anti-aging and skin care, functional ingredient, animal health, risk assessments, legislation and other barriers. Keynote speakers included John J. Bolton, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Scholar, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, who gave a talk on ‘The seaweed revolution and the problem of naming seaweed species’. According to Professor Bolton, there is some confusion about species and names, and in view of developing certain bioactives, he believes it would be good to actually know what species one is working with. On the food side, the conference attracted Professor of Astrophysics, Ole G. Mouritsen, Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador and President of the Danish Gastronomical Academy at the University of Copenhagen, who presented on Phycogastronomy which discussed the Umami potential of brown seaweeds and how Umami actually works. Dr Jane Teas from the University of South Carolina spoke about ‘Seaweed Iodine and Cancer’ and revealed that ancient

Egyptians already used seaweed to treat breast tumors (Case 45, Smith Surgical Papyrus; written about 1700 BC, based on texts from 2640 BC.) Dr Stefan Kraan explained how humans actually have a second brain in the gut, and how seaweed, as prebiotic, can benefit the gut biome. Dr Susan Holdt spoke about legislation, standards and levels, and asked the question: ‘Is Europe ready for seaweed?’ The final keynote speaker, Ira (Ike) Levine from the University of Southern Maine talked about ‘Seaweeds in Health and Disease Prevention: A Way of Life’ – a presentation based on some personal experiences. Day 2 saw delegates swap the lecture theatre for the kitchen of GMIT where they were treated to a practical seaweed cooking demonstration by two of Ireland’s most renowned health and food celebrities, Dr Prannie Rhatigan and Sally McKenna. This was a genuine ‘theory to practice’ display of how various seaweeds can be easily integrated into the everyday diet – right through from starter to dessert. The conference ended with a visit to Trá an Dóilín, the coralline algae beach at Carraroe to sample some typical Irish seaweeds and learn about Ireland’s growing industry. The second conference will be hosted near the Mediterranean in 2020.

Sustainability, innovation and competitiveness recognised in National Seafood Awards

he biennial National Seafood Awards organised by Ireland’s seafood development agency will recognise innovators across ten categories at a gala event in Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral on November 27. The awards recognise the achievements of individuals and businesses revolutionising the seafood sector under the themes of Sustainability, Innovation and Competitiveness. BIM chief executive said the awards recognise “cutting-edge innovators” who are helping to build the reputation and value of Irish seafood “on a national and global level”. Ireland’s seafood sector employs 14,000 people, contributed €1.15bn to Ireland’s GDP in 2017 and is a source of sustainable economic support for

coastal communities throughout Ireland. CATEGORIES: • Best in Fishing Innovation • Best in Aquaculture Innovation • Best in Processing Innovation • Best in Sustainable Fishing • Best in Sustainable Aquaculture • Fishing Enterprise of the Year • Aquaculture Enterprise of the Year • Processing Enterprise of the Year • Best Seafood Retailer of the Year Two special awards: Best Student of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award wil be dedicated by the awards team. Further details on the website: BIM.ie/awards

Maksim Beleckij, McBride Fishing Co, Donegal

28 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

MARITIME NEWS

Commemorating RMS Leinster Richard Mc Cormick, President of the Maritime Institute of Ireland

athaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Council, Cllr Ossian Smyth officially opened the RMS Leinster Exhibition in the National Maritime Museum at the end of July which commemorates the largest ever loss of life in the Irish Sea, just one month before World War One ended. The name of her Radio Officer, Arthur Jeffries, on the War Memorial reflects the Museum’s connection to this historic ship, as many of her crew would have worshipped in what was called the Mariners Church in Kingstown as Dun Laoghaire was then known. As RMS Leinster departed its familiar Carlisle Pier berth on the morning of October 10, 1918, her crew and military passengers were all too well acquainted with the pitiless unpredictability of the Great War. The civilians however had good reason to have confidence in this fine ship and her captain, because she was fast and crucially had an excellent reputation for evading submarines and reaching her destination safely and on time. Approximately one hour later, just as the 800 plus passengers and crew were

settling into a routine sea trip from Kingstown to Holyhead, three torpedoes were launched from German submarine UB-123 at RMS Leinster, two of which sank this fine ship. Survivors lucky enough to survive the torpedo blasts donned lifejackets and boarded a lifeboat or struggled to survive in terrifying circumstances in bitterly cold water only 12.25 nautical miles (23 km) from Kingstown. Or worse still they were trapped below, scalded by steam and fire or seriously injured saying their final prayers and resigned to meeting their Maker. Seven out of ten of the 800-plus passengers and crew onboard RMS Leinster perished on that fateful day from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, the USA and Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The 36 German submariners on UB-123 also perished returning to Germany. Funded by DL/R Co Co, the exhibition explains the RMS Leinster tragedy through display boards, ships artefacts, memorabilia and touch screens. An impressive scale model that once graced grocer Tom Connolly’s shop window in Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire, forms the centrepiece of the Exhibition. Sixteen-year-old cabin boy Tom Connelly and his father Philip, a greaser on RMS Leinster were lucky to survive the sinking. The display also includes a silver pocket watch presented to heroic fireman William

Cllr Ossian Smyth Cathaoirleach, DL/R Co Co; Richard McCormick, President of Maritime Institute and Padraic O’Brolchain. Photo Peter Cavanagh Photography Maher by 13-year-old passenger Dorothy Toppin with an eloquent inscription expressing her profound gratitude for saving her life. A large manuallyoperated brass fire pump manufactured by Stone & Company Deptford emphasises the scale of this 115m (377 feet) long ship capable of 24 knots speed. A ship’s bow display with simulated riveted sections fitted with two original RMS Leinster brass portholes offers an atmospheric glimpse of the luxurious interiors of a first-class cabin and dining room. Also displayed are medals, memorial cards, galley keys and a franked letter retrieved from the sea and subsequently delivered to the addressee in Canada. Two BIM/FLAG funded interactive touch screens display

Through the porthole, view of first-class dining room all known information about the casualties and survivors plus the 36-man crew of UB-123. The Museum’s Amateur Radio Station with Call Sign EI100MCV (MCV was RMS Leinster’s call sign) is spreading the story of the disaster worldwide and has received over 25,000 contacts from 77 countries to date

https://www.qrz.com/ db/EI100MCV. The Maritime Museum is very keen to encourage school children and families to avail of free entry during the commemoration week to learn about this maritime tragedy in which seven out of ten people died. Details: www.mariner. ie for further updates.

Women and children on the RMS Leinster restored to history

enowned maritime historian, Philip Lecane, author of Torpedoed! The RMS Leinster

Phillip Lecane

Disaster has just written a new book to be published by Elm Books in October to commemorate the centenary of the sinking

photo courtesy, Richard McCormick

of RMS Leinster by German submarine UB-123. His exhaustive research over twenty-five years has uncovered previously unknown accounts and photographs of the virtually forgotten 122 women and 27 children aboard RMS Leinster on her final voyage from Kingstown to Holyhead on October 10, 1918. Of the more than eight hundred souls onboard that fateful morning, seven out of every ten would be dead by nightfall. The death rate was higher for the women and children of whom only 36 in total survived. The author skillfully narrates the enormity of the stricken ship’s plight as background to the traumatic fates of RMS Leinster’s women and

vulnerable children. And what emotionally compelling stories they are, replete with unforgettably descriptive imagery for readers to absorb and to contemplate how they might have reacted in similar circumstances. The story of fifteen-yearold Gerald Palmer from ‘The Cripples Home’ in Bray en-route to Doctor Barnardo’s Home in London, who was never found nor had his obituary published, is immensely sad. Twenty– two-year-old Holyhead born Second Stewardess, Louisa Parry, heroically sacrificed her life assisting a woman and her child to abandon ship when their cabin door jammed shut condemning all three to a lonely death by drowning. Elizabeth Costello’s

narrow escape and fortuitous rescue while unconscious from a life raft and her revival through artificial respiration and whiskey on HMS Mallard, echoes with pathos and hilarity among overwhelming catastrophe. Philip Lecane has managed to vividly convey the horrors of war at sea while sensitively preserving the memories of the 149 women and children of RMS Leinster for posterity. A tragedy of the magnitude of RMS Leinster involving six nationalities on a Dublin registered ship only 12.25 nautical miles (22.7 km) from the National Maritime Museum of Ireland in Dún Laoghaire 100 years ago should never be forgotten, as indeed it was for many years. This book and its

INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018 29

COASTLINE NEWS

Rebuilt fishing vessel to serve as active educational platform

arlier this year, a long-held goal of rebuilding and relaunching the wooden sailing ship Ilen – Ireland’s sole surviving, ocean-going wooden sailing ship — was realised. The 93-year-old vessel is afloat once more and brought to a happy outcome through the work of many individuals and groups involved in the Ilen Project. A convivial community learning workshop was established in Roxboro, Limerick City, with support and good will of an international seafaring community who sent representatives from the East and West Coasts of America, New Zealand, UK and many other places where the powerful remnants of old maritime traditions still survive. They joined the West Cork communities of Oldcourt and Baltimore where the Ilen was originally built and who had the resources and capacity for her rebuild. Her regained strength is a gift of many noble trees, particularly Irish Oak, Bavarian Larch, North American Douglas Fir and many other noble species. Ilen will soon

COMPETITION

he author has kindly offered two copies as competition prizes.

Q: WHAT WAS THE DATE OF RMS LEINSTER’S LAST VOYAGE?

Answer by email to mills@inshore-ireland.com or by postcard to 3 Hillview Cottages, Pottery Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin

A Limerick Sailing Ship, 1926 The Ketch Ilen is the last wooden ship from Ireland’s age of sail. Designed by Limerick man Conor O’Brien and built by the Baltimore Fisheries School, West Cork, she was launched in 1926 and delivered to the Falkland Islands as an inter-island transporter. She plied her trade for seventy years before repatriation in 1997 to Ireland. Her rebuild was completed in 2018 by the Ilen Project, Limerick, and Hegarty’s Boatyard, West Cork, within a ten year community learning programme.

www.ilen.ie

take up a new operational role in the service of community and will continue as an educational platform to promote the marine and as a gateway to the seas and lands beyond. “The work has had a good spinoff in the development and diffusion of boat building skills throughout the land and overseas, as ancient tasks were performed in our own time and to the highest contemporary marine standards,” Gary McMahon told Inshore Ireland. Ilen is a 56ft auxiliary ketch, designed by Conor Obrien and

Author: Philip Lecane ISBN-13 9780993198946 Format: Paperback, Publisher: Elm Books Publication date: 10 Oct 2018 https://wordery.com/ women-and-children-ofthe-rms-leinster-restoredto-memory-philiplecane-9780993198946

Deadline: November 9 illustrious predecessor by the same author will stand the test of time and serve to revive interest whenever and wherever in the world people gather to commemorate the RMS Leinster tragedy in a dignified and respectful manner. Richard Mc Cormick, President of the Maritime Institute of Ireland

Leinster vignette (courtesy, Ian Lawler collection)

built by Tom Moynihan at the Baltimore Fisheries School in 1926 along the lines of West Cork fishing vessels for work in the Falkland Islands sheep and cattle stations. During O’Brien’s famous circumnavigation in the yacht

Saoirse he broke his homeward journey in the Falkland Islands in December 1924. His visit there led to the commissioning of a larger version of his vessel by The Falkland Islands Company. Ak Ilen would spend the next sixty years in harsh environments

as the Falklands service boat and was a testament to the quality of her construction.

In 1997, Ilen was brought back to West Cork by Gary McMahon where her rebuild was painstakingly crafted at Hegarty’s Boatyard, Oldcourt.

New lease of life for Dún Laoghaire ferry terminal

lanning permission was granted by Dún Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Council in late July to transform the 7,500m2 site into a dedicated technology hub, the largest in Ireland, enabling companies to collaborate, innovate and co-create alongside start-ups, SMEs, academic institutions and state agencies. The Harbour Innovation Campus is 100% funded by private investment and is set to deliver €15m in rent and rates to the local authority over the next ten years. Smaller regional harbour innovation hubs are also proposed across Ireland over the next three years, strategically located to provide a local business with skills, knowledge, training and resources to apply disruptive technology to specific projects according to the founder, CEO and private investor, Philip Gannon: “We have received overwhelming support from local residents and businesses

who all understand the huge benefits that this project will bring to the area.” The objective is to provide a one-stop-shop for companies to rapidly apply advances in technology such as IoT, blockchain, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, 5G and data analytics. The internal fit-out is expected to commence this month, comprising single and multiple work spaces, meeting areas, training rooms, café, restaurant, and underpin €6m annual spend in the local economy.

Lying empty since 2015 and a symbol of emigration, the ferry terminal will become a “world-class innovation space that will showcase Ireland’s capabilities in technology, create employment and bring social and economic prosperity not only to Dún Laoghaire and the surrounding areas, but the country as a whole”, added Gannon. The campus is expected to open in Q1 2019. When fully operational, the campus will cater for up to 1,000 members from over 50 companies.

Dún Laoghaire ferry terminal lying derelict since 2015

30 INSHORE IRELAND Autumn 2018

COASTLINE NEWS

The Taoiseach, accompanied by Ministers of State Sean Kyne and Joe McHugh and his senior civil servants, met the students of Coláiste Naomh Eoin.

Minister of State Sean Kyne and Head Teacher of Coláiste Naomh Eoin, Mairéad Ní Fhátharta.

An Taoiseach ‘hand delivers’ Roll Number to Inis Meáin Rhoda Twombly, CoE

hile grey skies hung over Inis Meáin great excitement was in the air as islanders awaited the arrival of An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The Taoiseach, accompanied by Ministers of State Sean Kyne and Joe McHugh and his senior civil servants, met the students of Coláiste Naomh Eoin and their Head Teacher, Mairéad Ní Fhátharta. An Taoiseach was on the smallest and most isolated

of the Aran Islands to officially hand over the new Roll Number to the school. Previously under the patronage of Coláiste Cholmcille, Indreabhán, Galway, the island school was recently recognised by the Department of Education and Skills as a stand-alone school entity under Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board. From September2018, increased funding of €15,000 per annum will be available to the five off-shore postprimary schools to help pay additional operational costs. Teacher allocations will also be increased in these schools from one extra

teacher to one and a half. The package of benefits to island secondary schools was put in place by Minister for Education Richard Bruton as part of the Government’s policy on Gaeltacht Education and was influenced by the efforts of the Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB).

TEACHER SEARCH

These are promising developments, but several challenges remain for both primary and secondary level island schools. Oileáin Chléire nearly lost its national school a month ago when the school’s two teachers, after spending their entire careers

on Chléire, were due to retire without replacements being found. The school however reopened on August 30 with a temporary head teacher. The search continues for a second teacher for the school. Attracting primary and secondary level teachers to island posts is an on-going issue as is filling posts for teaching courses taught through Irish. There are teaching opportunities advertised for positions on Oileáin Chléire and three other islands: Inis Meáin, Inis Mór and Inishturk. While these are great opportunities for any teacher wanting to spread their wings and experience life on the

islands, it is felt that more needs to be done to make these island-based jobs more appealing. The Oireachtas Education Committee has recommended reinstatement of the €1,600 annual allowance to island teachers to help off-set the increased cost of living on an island. The ability to deliver a well-rounded and up-todate curriculum in island schools is also a concern. The importance of STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math) in producing adults with not only a well-rounded education but better problem-solving skills, creativity and team-working

Inisturk showcases premium seafood and organic produce at inaugural festival Corena Ward, Inisturk Development Coordinator

nishturk’s Wild Atlantic Seafest last month showcased the island’s amazing seafood, maritime culture, ceol agus craic and highlighted why the island has such a great reputation for friendliness and welcoming visitors. This inaugural event opened with a BBQ of local seafood and lamb, and organic vegetables from the community garden, to the backdrop from the lobster stage of Don’t Tell Dad — a Connemara band who got everyone’s feet tapping. Popular singer Aoife McElwain kept the mood going into the small hours. Saturday began with how I

would now like all Saturday’s to begin: yoga on the beach with Deirdre O’Toole from Yoga Ripples. A jump in the ocean at the green flag beach Tranaun also woke me up! Drrizzle in the afternoon didn’t dampen the festivities which continued with a fish filleting demonstration by Hal Dawson. Thanks to Taste4Success for sponsoring this event. The pirate treasure hunt for all ages was discovered by a team of happy little bandits. Beach foraging and tastings with the Seaweed Gardener, Marie Power, was a real eye opener. Ingrid from the Leitrim Organic Centre gave a good insight into what needs to be done and planted at this time of year. The food fest supplied by Dooncastle Oysters, Sweet Nothings vegan treats and Caher View Restaurant was

thoroughly enjoyed after the morning’s activities. That evening it was time to throw on the comfortable glad rags for a gala seafood dinner of Inishturk crab cakes, chowder, lightly spiced pollock, pan-fried mackerel, garlic crab toes, prawns and salmon, prepared by head chef Charlene Costello, kindly sponsored by the Irish Organic Salmon Company. After dinner, traditional rockers Cula Bula played the night away. Sunday was a day to chill out and watch the Inishturk Regatta from a marquee where refreshments were provided by the new Harbour Tea Rooms. A huge ‘thank you’ and ‘well done’ to the entire community; Inisturk is now firmly set on the Mayo festival calendar and plans are already hatching for next year’s event.

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COASTLINE NEWS abilities is acknowledged and can be achieved if proper supports are in place. This makes it even more important that greater enticements are implemented to attract teachers to islands.

DEDICATED ISLAND POLICY

As noted by Tomás MacPháidin of GRETB, “Some improvements in provision (to island schools) were conceded by Government between 1997 and 2000, but little since that time. Since 2013 however, I have supported a coordinated approach, collating the challenges, proposing costed solutions, and seeking island specific education policy, and indeed island proofing of all Government policy.” Following on from the completion of this report, Mr MacPháidin has arranged an Island Education Conference to be held in Dublin in October and will be speaking on education on Irish islands at the European Small Islands Federation (ESIN) Conference in Brussels in September. An Taoiseach’s department are currently conducting a National Risk Register and GRETB will highlight island education challenges

as a National Cultural Risk, given that Ireland’s island population has fallen from 8,700 to 2,700 over the past century or so, including a 40% drop since 1970s. Writing in the Draft Risk Assessment 2018, the GRETB states: ‘… island communities must be treated as a case apart in the Government’s consideration of what constitutes strategic risk. Central to that consideration must be a concerted effort by the Irish State and all its agencies to reverse island population decline in order to ensure the sustainability of island communities into the future.’ The report continues: ‘The provision of high quality education to all the communities it serves is GRETB’s mission. Island communities form a unique cultural and linguistic cohort of those communities, and the islands’ schools … are central to the future sustainability of offshore island communities.’

BOARDING GRANTS

A unique and effective enticement to study at secondary level in some island schools is the provision of a grant to help off-set the cost of boarding. Students

find the island environment encourages the learning and everyday use of Irish, forges strong friendships and provides an environment perhaps very different from that on the mainland. The school and island involved also benefit: on small islands any increase in enrolment and population is welcome and these young people add energy and a small economic boost to the community. It is hoped more grants will be made available for this scheme. Recently announced benefits to off-shore island secondary schools were achieved after years of lobbying and work by the GRETB and DETB and are very welcome. It is felt vital however that Government puts in place an island-proofed policy not only for education but for all Government policy. As expressed by GRETB in their report: ‘The State must, however, recognise this uniqueness (of islands) and support the island communities by way of planned, strategic and systematic inter-departmental intervention, recognising the risk to said island communities and intervening in a meaningful way.’

Gregor McGuckin now two months into eight-month solo circumnavigation

n a sunny Sunday afternoon on July 1, Dublin’s Gregor McGuckin set sail from the French port of Les Sables d’Olonne as one of 17 competitors in the non-stop solo round the world race, the Golden Globe Race. Two months on and lying in third place (Sept 6), he is facing the full force of Southern Ocean storms as he enters the Indian Ocean. The Golden Globe Race marks 50 years since Sir Robin Knox-Johnston proved it was possible to sail alone non-stop around the world. No Irish person has overcome this incredible challenge. Of the 17 starters, only 10 remain in the race. Most retirees suffered gear failure related to their self-steering

systems, two for personal reasons and another who lost a mast. In a remarkable show of seamanship, the 66-year-old Norwegian skipper, Are Wiig, did not call for assistance, he calmly assessed the situation and within 24 hours had built a jury rig and was sailing towards Cape Town. On his weekly safety satellite phone call to the race organisers McGuckin reported: “I got a fairly savage knockdown in the middle of the night. Thankfully nothing major was damaged but inside got trashed in the knockdown.” When asked about the conditions at the time McGuckin said: “We probably had 50 knots or so for maybe six hours. There was a strange sea state, it

Sept 9, 1500 hrs: Gregor McGuikin lying in 3rd place

wasn’t just coming from one direction. Are Wiig got talking to a ship and they recorded 10 metre waves. The sea state was pretty horrendous. You could feel the boat getting picked up and turned sideways. “I was trailing warps (trailing ropes to slow the boat down and steady the boat) for about 12 hours or so and even with that I was getting fairly hefty wallops on the side.” Reflecting on the first storm, McGuckin said: “That was a baptism of fire. It was the first proper blow that this boat has been out in. I was pretty pleased actually, it handles well-towing warps and I was bare poles (no sails up) for a while. I was quite pleased with the boat so that is reassuring but that sea state was horrible.” The next milestone will be passing Hobart for a film drop, where competitors will hand over film footage but will not pull into port and cannot take anything onboard. The next leg, the long isolated Pacific crossing, will be followed by a dip south to round the infamous Cape Horn. For the live race tracker see www.goldengloberace. com/livetracker

Mulloy makes comeback following gear failure incident

ust seconds before the start of leg 2 of La Solitaire Urgo Le Figaro yacht race (Sept 5), Mayo’s Joan Mulloy on ‘Taste The Atlantic - A Seafood Journey’ suffered gear failure that saw her mainsail crashing to the deck. Luckily, the rules allow for outside assistance to make repairs before a certain point and she spent the remainder of the race playing catch up as the fleet raced across the Bay of Biscay towards Spain. The setback put Mulloy 3 hours and 20 minutes behind the fleet as they left the French town of Saint-Brieuc. Meath’s Tom Dolan on ‘Smurfit Kappa’ stuck with the group for most of the race, finishing 29th place out of 36 largely French entrants. Mulloy clawed back two places and managed to finish 34th. Speaking on arrival in Ría de Muros e Noia, Mulloy said she had to push “really hard” for the first 24 hours after the start because of a halyard problem. “I had to pull in and get the halyard replaced. I did not sleep at all on the first night and just was chasing, chasing all the time. I was just thinking: ‘I can do it, I can do it, I can do it’. Every single bay and rock, I was just trying to squeeze the most out of everything. I was just totally determined to be with the pack before Biscay.” IRISH ROOKIES Mulloy and Dolan are the only two Irish entrants in what is considered the most competitive offshore solo race series in the world. In France, it is a firm fixture for aspiring plant racers with dreams of the Vendée Globe. The most experienced will dedicate years to La Solitaire Urgo Le Figaro before progressing to larger boats. Both Mulloy and Dolan are considered ‘rookies’ being their first year competing. Speaking about the Bay of Biscay, Mulloy said: “Biscay was fine 30kts and bumpy, but I think all the time my mind was on Finisterre. It was hard not knowing how I was getting on with the rest of the fleet.” Leg 3 of this 4-leg series starts on Sunday (Sept 10) leaving just a few days for the fleet to recover. The next leg will see the fleet return to French waters ahead of the final leg — a 24-hour sprint to the finish line. conclusion.

THE NAME SAYS IT ALL

WEAR ONE NEAR OR ON WATER. ALWAYS.

iws.ie