Ifpo information for members 09.09.08

office: 01 6401850 www.ifpo.ie

IFPO BOARD ELECTIONS – back to REAL business

The IFPO Board has two new members – Alex Crowley for Inshore and Cliona Conneely for Galway. Brendan O’Rourke (Kerry), Colum Browne (Donegal), Frank Doherty (Pelagics) were re-elected unopposed. Barry Faulkner won an election for the Prawns constituency. Special thanks are due to outgoing members who have given great service – Paddy Mullen and Neil Doherty. Neil has given over 30 years service to the IFPO as a member and as Chairman. We wish the new members and outgoing members well.

No newsletters were issued during the election process to avoid any hint of bias, but it is now time to get back to business after a long hot summer of controversy and after the August shutdown in Government and in Brussels. IFPO will try to “up our game” for members. Your continued support is appreciated.

MSO CODE OF PRACTISE 15-24 METRES

IFPO is aware that the MSO15-24 metres Code of Compliance is causing lots of problems. So far, we have failed to get any resolution to these from MSO. They have not delivered the promised Guide to 15-24M Code and the appeals mechanism for problem areas. As members are aware, FIF hired a Surveyor to deal with MSO when this code was introduced. We have sought an urgent meeting with the head of the MSO, Brian Hogan, to try to get some order on things. We will keep members posted when things move.

THREAT TO PRAWNS QUOTA 2009

ICES, the EU Scientific advisory body, is proposing an effective cut of 25% in the prawn quota for 2009. What they are actually saying is that the catches should be kept at current levels but as France and UK do not fill their quotas, and the fact that the percentages each country stay the same, Ireland would be the big loser. This is totally unacceptable. IFPO has strongly made the case already to the EU Commission some months ago (in the midst of all the mayhem of the summer), in the NWWRAC, and to the Minister and Marine Institute. We will be pressing this as a top priority in all the relevant forums in coming weeks and right up to Christmas if necessary and we are confident that this disastrous cut can be averted.

OTHER QUOTA THREATS FOR 2009

Far from getting more quota share, there is actually a huge threat to some of Ireland’s quotas for 2009, which is the real battle. The French (who hold the EU Presidency at present) are intent on rolling back the Hague Preferences which for example would reduce Ireland’s share in Celtic Sea Cod by 33% in itself. It could also apply to other quotas. The current FIF Chairman brought this up with president Sarkozy when he visited in July. We are also facing cuts in other stocks and the addition of Skates / Ray to the “endangered species” list for the Irish Sea which is another serious theat. Serious cuts in Blue Whiting, Area VI Herring and Celtic Sea Herring are also there to be fought. We have a series of meetings on the cards with DAFF, Minister, NWWRAC, Pelagic RAC, EU Advisory Committees all in the coming month at which we will press all these major issues.

ADMIN SANCTIONS, SHORT TERM AID, DECOMMISSIONING

We are very unhappy, as members are, about the lack of any obvious progress on these issues which have caused so much controversy all Summer. IFPO had a long and difficult meeting directly with Minister Killeen during August to press home all these issues as well as Polyvalent Scad and other IFPO priorities.

FIF is to meet the Minister and DAFF on September 17 to follow up on all these issues.

DECOMMISSIONING

There has been a good takeup on decommissioning – a scheme that would not have taken place without FIF and the IFPO. We fought for this for the past two years. We now need to have the under 18 metre decommissioning and to deal with vessels which applied and lost out due to technical problems.

QUOTA UPTAKE AND SFPA

Members are doing your level best to stay legal in a very difficult situation. The increased control and enforcement and the increase in Prawn effort is having serious effects, but we believe there is unacceptable mis-logging going on too.

We are very concerned at the high level of uptake of the quotas to date, particularly in Prawns. We urge members to be very careful about filling in logsheets and to get the logsheets in on time. This is VITAL now that we are approaching year end and we try to keep fisheries open at the highest levels possible.

That said, we (collectively) are going to have to come up with better ways of doing our business - and that involves you as well as those of us who are trying to manage an impossible situation.

We are due to meet SFPA in coming weeks to discuss a range of serious issues with them.

The SFPA is planning to have a series of Area Meetings in the next six weeks. We urge members to attend and say your piece. The SFPA is not going away and we all have to live with them……

MARINE INSTITUTE INDUSTRY/SCIENCE PARTNERSHIP

We have had one very useful meeting with MI of the above group which was set up by Minister Killeen in Athlone. A follow-up is planned in October. Better science is the only way to get more quota, if stocks justify it and of we can get them to have real information.

BIM MARKETING INITIATIVE

We met BIM at the end of July for a very informative meeting at which we were briefed on imports and the Irish market. More work is planned for October.

PELAGIC SEASON

Pelagic season is upcoming for Celtic Sea, NW Herring, Scad and Mackerel. We have submitted a list of potential vessels to DAFF as required before Thursday 12 Sep. Any new entrants get your names in URGENTLY to John Ward 087 9439695

UPCOMING MEETINGS AT WHICH IFPO WILL BE REPRESENTED

10 Sep BIM Economics Workshop, Dublin

11/12 Sep NWWRAC Meeting and Meeting on Long Term Management, France

17 Sep FIF Meeting, Dublin

17 Sep FIF meets Minister, Dublin

17 Sep Sea Fisheries Consultative Committee, Dublin

18 Sep EU Advisory Committee on Fisheries, Working Group 1, Brussels

20 Sep Board Meeting IFPO

23 Sep FIF / DAFF / SFPA Meeting Designated Ports, Cork

23 Sep Whitefish Monthly Quota Management Meeting, Cork

24 Sep Pelagic RAC Meeting, Holland

25 Sep Irish Lights Consultative Committee on Aids to Navigation

29 Sep Marine Institute Seafood AdvisoryGroup, Galway

End Sep EU Council of Ministers meeting, Brussels

IFPO MEMBERS INFORMATION NOTE – 9 9.08 page 1 of 2