Fishermen and politicians welcome £400,000 cash boost

Fishermen and politicians welcome £400,000 cash boost

5 March 2014

A MAJOR cash boost for the Co. Down fishing industry has been warmly welcomed by fishermen and local politicians.

The Department of Agriculture is making £400,000 available to help beleaguered fishermen in Ardglass, Kilkeel and Portavogie who have been unable to earn a living due to poor weather conditions for the past few months. Rising fuel costs have also hit trawlers skippers hard.

Struggling fishermen, who last week had to queue for food and home heating oil vouchers made available by the Fisheries Mission, are delighted Fisheries Minister Michelle O’Neill has now made funding available.

They have described the cash boost as a “lifeline” for the industry and hope that with better weather on the way they will soon be back at sea.

Announcing details of her £400,000 funding package, Miss O’Neill said it still has to be signed off by her Stormont Executive colleagues.

She said in addition to the cash boost, her department is looking at a taskforce to take a root and branch look at the fishing industry and how to grow the industry and make it sustainable in the future.

South Down MLA Chris Hazzard described the funding package as “welcome news” and said that in addition to the constituency’s large fishing fleet, there are also quite a number of fish processors.

“It’s the processors who depend on the industry to survive so it’s important we support the industry in trying times,” he continued.

Mr. Hazzard, who was part of a delegation which meet Mss O’Neill last Tuesday to highlight industry concern, has welcomed confirmation of the in-depth review that’s proposed.

“The Department of Agriculture will explore ways in which the local fleet could access EU funding streams easier as they currently find it difficult to maximise the potential of money available in Brussels,” he continued.

“As well as the short-term hardship payments that will help address the current difficult situation, the medium to longer-term measures will ensure that our local industry is both sustainable and successful for many more decades to come.”

Mr. Hazzard said the Fisheries Minister’s swift response to the concerns of fishermen is “deeply appreciated” by the people of South Down, a view endorsed by Ardglass councillor Dermot Curran.

He said the fishing industry is at the heart of the economy at the three Co. Down ports and hopes additional funding from Brussels can be secured.