The latest information available is that of over 2,000 fishing vessels currently on the Irish sea fishing vessel register, 505 are 25 years old or more. Of these vessels, 196 are offshore vessels with the remaining vessels engaging in inshore fishing activity.
The Government launched the first £80 million whitefish fleet renewal programme in 1998 which saw 33 new vessels and 11 second hand vessels enter the fleet. Fifty vessels were modernised under that programme, bringing the total number of modernisations to 299 during the Fisheries Operational Programme 1994-1999. In addition 600 vessels were approved for safety equipment grants.
In June this year the Minister launched the fishing fleet development programme under the national development plan. The strategic focus of the programme is to support the enhancement of the safety, quality and competitiveness of the whitefish fleet.
These two measures taken together will result in total investment of £155 million, 197 million, in the whitefish fleet. This is the largest ever targeted investment in the Irish fishing fleet and will significantly reduce the age profile of the fleet as well as enhancing safety and efficiency. The new programme includes grant aid for the introduction of new vessels and modern second-hand vessels, for the modernisation of existing vessels and for safety and life saving equipment.
Additional InformationIn addition, the initiative provides special assistance to enable young fishermen and women to purchase their first vessel. The new initiative will continue the success of the Whitefish Renewal Programme 1998-1999 by targeting improvements in operational safety, working conditions, efficiency, handling and quality.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara, which administers the scheme, is currently assessing applications under the new programme. As part of the assessment process, BIM has been mandated to ensure that new vessels introduced under the programme are sustainable in the context of the overall fish stock situation and in financial terms will not jeopardise the economic position of vessels already in the fleet. Accordingly, BIM will be giving priority under the terms of the scheme to projects which meet diversification and sustainability objectives for the fleet.