The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
FISHERMEN BLOCKADE DINGLE PORT
LOCAL fishermen blockaded Dingle pier on Monday to highlight their concerns about the risk of coronavirus being spread in West Kerry by crewmen from foreign fishing vessels.
The protest, which prevented two foreign boats from landing their catches, comes as Dingle fishermen face the total loss of their livelihoods because coronavirus has collapsed the market for their fish at home and, more importantly, in Spain.
Michael Hennessey said the blockade was being staged because local fishermen are hugely concerned about the risk posed to the community in Dingle by Spanish and other foreign fishing crews who could be carrying the Covid-19 virus. “Coronavirus is rampant in Spain and they’re coming here and walking into shops where they could be spreading the virus. As far as I can see there’s no test; they just get off the boat and walk up town,” he said.
“Fishermen want the port closed to all foreign fishing vessels,” said Michael and his fellow fisherman, Liam Flannery, added: “If the government won’t do it we’ll do it for them.”
Robert Brosnan, who also took part in the blockade, told The Kerryman foreign boats were in Dingle over the weekend and that “crews are going up town and not practising social distancing. It’s a public health issue.”
Fisherman Eddie Moore raised a concern that foreign fishing vessels are not adequately checked to ensure they comply with Marine Notice 6/2020, which requires the masters of vessels not registered with Safe Seas Ireland to present a Maritime Declaration of Health and a crew list, regardless of whether or not there is a suspected Covid-19 case on board.
“I don’t see any evidence here of the HSE collecting health certs… We’re concerned about the health of people in town. Fishermen are taking matters into their own hands because we feel Covid-19 isn’t being taken seriously enough,” he added.
In the wake of the Dingle protest the Dept of Health has commented that EU fishermen are exempt from Covid-19 entry restrictions in Irish ports.
The fishermen’s blockade of Dingle port was set against the background of a collapse in the fish market, which has forced most local boats to tie up in the past week and all the indications are that more will follow suit.
Michael Hennessey explained that many Dingle fishermen are heavily dependent on exporting their catches to Spain, which is “the big market for fish”. However, with Spain in lockdown because of the coronavirus outbreak, the market there has declined dramatically and Irish fishermen are being hit the hardest.
Michael said a truckload of fish that was independently exported by Dingle skippers was “left on the floor” at an auction in Spain last Friday but fish caught by Spanish boats was sold. Eventually the Dingle fish was sold off for a knockdown price of 40c a kilo, which didn’t even cover the €4,000-plus transport cost which has to be paid by the fishermen themselves.
“There’s no compensation package for fishermen. We’re tied up because of bad weather since last November and now this on top of it,” said Michael. “We don’t hear any of our TDs shouting for us. They did a lot of talking before the election but we hear nothing from them now.”
Another fishermen on the blockade, Ciarán Ó Lúing, added that it’s not worthwhile for even smaller inshore boats to go out because the local market has also collapsed following the closure of restaurants in Dingle.
“We couldn’t go out for months because of the weather; now the weather is improving and we can’t go out because of coronavirus,” he said.
Following Monday’s blockade Tom Kennedy, who operates three trawlers, told The Kerryman his fish is sold through Ó Catháin Iasc Teo and is about equally divided between the Irish and Spanish markets. The collapse in the market in both countries is likely to see two of his boats - which fish hake, monk and other whitefish - tied up in the coming days. However, his third trawler, the Fiona K III, is fishing mackerel and that species continues to sell because it is more suitable for freezing.
“The Irish and Spanish markets are gone so it looks like we’re heading towards being tied up,” said Tom. “It doesn’t look good for the next while.”