Marine Times

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December edition in all good shops this week or online now

Regular news and views from Ireland’s leading maritime newspaper. The printed December edition will be in all good shops this week and online now, covering all the major developments as reported by Ireland’s leading maritime newspaper.

INTRODUCING MARINE TIMES RADIO

A new service from Ireland’s leading maritime newspaper

This month we introduce MARINE TIMES RADIO with a round-up of news and comment from the fishing, maritime and coastal communities, as reported in the monthly edition of the paper. The December edition is now in the shops and available also as a digital edition.

MARINE TIMES RADIO and the MARINE TIMES newspaper bring you comprehensive maritime coverage. Click on image above to listen to our first episode

News 3rd December:
Time for Minister to show some backbone

Cormac Burke, Chair of the Irish Fishing & Seafood Alliance writes that; As the dreaded December Council quota talks loom ever nearer it is incredible to even consider that Ireland is likely to see even more quota reductions of certain species based on ICES scientific advice.

Given the massive hit that the Irish catching sector has suffered in the past eleven months, that we could possibly see even more revenue potential taken away from Irish fishermen is outrageous to say the least. Full story here

News 30th November:
Guilty until proven innocent, the lot of Irish fishermen

EU Commission refuses fishermen sight of contentious report - Fishermen are demanding sight of a control audit report which allegedly makes a range of damaging allegations against the sector but to which they have been denied access for more than three years. Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) CEO, Seán O’Donoghue said the Commission is playing the role of judge and jury, with the fishing industry being refused the basic right to establish what it might stand accused of. “Natural justice assumes an absence of bias and the right to a fair hearing but for Irish fishermen, it would appear that this is a bridge too far. This is borne out in the European Commission’s sustained refusals to release findings of an audit around fishing practices which concluded in 2018 and subsequently formed the basis of a new investigation into the sector. Full story here

News 23rd November:
Aran Islands RNLI comes to the aid of two fishermen after 30ft vessel gets into difficulty off Nags Head

Aran Islands RNLI came to the aid of two fishermen yesterday evening after their vessel got into difficulty off Nags Head in county Clare

The volunteer crew were asked by the Irish Coast Guard to launch their all-weather Severn class lifeboat to assess the situation at 3.48pm (Monday 22 November). Full story here

WHAT NURTURES A LIFETIME’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SEA?

On the new edition of the MARITIME IRELAND RADIO SHOW & PODCAST on the MARINE TIMES website, scientists and explorer Dr.Easkey Britton discusses a lifetime's relationship with the sea. Also on the show - a 14-year-old West of Ireland boy follows his father's lifeboat and recovers it and we hear how young islanders are being given the opportunity to decide their future on the offshore islands.

The programme is presented by Marine Times Deputy Editor, Tom MacSweeney

There is also a new blog on the programme website at: tommacsweeneymarine.ie

Listen on Spotify Here -:- Listen on Apple Podcasts Here -:- Listen on Mixcloud Here

News 19th November:
Ireland’s new marine research vessel makes its first splash

Today (Friday, 19th November), the hull of Ireland’s new state-of-the-art marine research vessel, RV Tom Crean, was launched at Astilleros Armon shipyard in Vigo, Spain.

The launch of the hull is a significant milestone in the build process, with the vessel on schedule to be completed in summer 2022. The build of the RV Tom Crean received funding of €25 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as approved by the Government of Ireland. Full story here

News 18th November:
“Help Map Ireland’s Marine Life”- SFPA call out to the public to play a role in documenting fish species in Irish waters

Stocks such as skates and rays on the decline and face significant threat

Public help needed to build up bank of knowledge to support conservation efforts

With World Fisheries Day (Nov 21st) this weekend, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), the sea-fisheries regulator, is asking the public and particularly those in the fishing community to assist in efforts to gather more information around the species of fish that come into Irish waters and add to the knowledge bank on Ireland’s marine life.

Although 577 species1 have been recorded to date in Irish seas, more information is sought as part of conservation monitoring efforts. Further to that, a recent UN Food and Agricultural (FAO) report highlighted that nearly a quarter of species, monitored across the globe, are at risk of overexploitation or on the verge of depletion.

Closer to home, once commonly sighted species such as Skates and Rays are now facing challenges, according to Declan Quigley, biologist, and Senior Port Officer with the SFPA in Howth, Co Dublin. Full story here

News 9th November:
Dun Laoghaire RNLI shop to house community defibrillator donated by family of much-loved local man

Dun Laoghaire RNLI shop, located in the harbour beside the busy East pier is the location for a new community defibrillator, donated by the family of Larry Costello, who died following a cardiac arrest in 2016. The family have funded six defibrillators which are located around the local area. Dun Laoghaire RNLI is a fitting final location, as volunteer lifeboat crewmember Gary Hayes has helped the family with the project, through his role with the Dalkey Community First Responders Group and as a RNLI crewmember.

In funding the defibrillators, the family wanted the community to have access to them in busy public areas and in doing so, to take away the fear that people have in using them. The Dalkey Community First Responders will undertake the upkeep and maintenance of the defibrillators and this one will remain charged by the RNLI’s electricity supply for the shop, which is located behind the lifeboat station. Full story here

What is happening in the Coast Guard. On the new edition of the MARITIME IRELAND RADIO SHOW & PODCAST, you can follow on from the MARINE TIMES monthly interview published in the November edition, with the Chairman of the new representative association for Coast Guard volunteers, John O’Mahony and hear the full interview. Also the question is asked – ‘Are seagulls losing the run of themselves? – and it’s answered!

The programme is presented by Marine Times Deputy Editor, Tom MacSweeney:

There is also a new blog on the programme website at: tommacsweeneymarine.ie

Listen on Spotify Here -:- Listen on Apple Podcasts Here -:- Listen on Mixcloud Here

On the new edition of the MARITIME IRELAND RADIO SHOW & PODCAST, What is happening in the Coast Guard. On the new edition of the MARITIME IRELAND RADIO SHOW & PODCAST, you can follow on from the MARINE TIMES monthly interview published in the November edition, with the Chairman of the new representative association for Coast Guard volunteers, John O’Mahony and hear the full interview. Also the question is asked – ‘Are seagulls losing the run of themselves? – and it’s answered!

The programme is presented by Marine Times Deputy Editor, Tom MacSweeney:

There is also a new blog on the programme website at: tommacsweeneymarine.ie

Listen on Spotify Here -:- Listen on Apple Podcasts Here -:- Listen on Mixcloud Here

News 15th October:
Rosslare Harbour RNLI to receive Vellum honour for ‘Storm Ophelia’ rescue that saved three lives

Lifeboat crew at Rosslare Harbour RNLI, who carried out a rescue on 16 October 2017 during ‘Storm Ophelia’ that saw three lives saved in hurricane conditions, will receive an award from the RNLI for the service. The Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke will receive the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum and the lifeboat crew involved will each receive Vellum Service Certificates.

The rescue took place in conditions described by the lifeboat crew involved as some of the worst they had ever witnessed as they battled 10-metre seas in force 12 conditions. In announcing this award, the RNLI recognised the Coxswain for his boat handling and exemplary leadership in hurricane force weather conditions and the lifeboat crew involved for their teamwork, courage and collective efforts in the rescue of the crew and the yacht. Full story here

Podcast 14th October:
JUST A WORD – THE BUDGET AND THE FISHING INDUSTRY

There was not “something for everyone” in the Budget, particularly not much for the fishing industry. ‘Fisheries’ was mentioned just once, by one of the two Ministers presenting the Budget. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that “key features of the Budget were - €872 million for Rural Development and Forestry supports, including more than €100 million for the beef and sheep sectors and €80m in farm investments. That made a total of €180 million to agriculture. There was €157 million for fisheries and coastal communities that depend on fishing.

Marine Times Deputy Editor, Tom MacSweeney, analyses how the Budget treated the fishing industry and suggests that, perhaps, an apology is needed. Listen Here