Displaying items by tag: fishermen
Rush Hosts Annual Blessing of the Boats
The annual Blessing of the Boats took place recently at Rush Sailing Club, the North County Leader reports.
Local priest Fr Kieran Coughlan conducted the ceremony, which took place away from the boats this year due to particularly blustery conditions on the day.
Fr Coughlan also led the large gathering in paying tribute to Skerries fishermen Ronan Browne and David Gilsenan, who lost their lives last month.
The North County Leader has more on the story HERE.
Search Resumes for Missing Fishermen Off Skerries
The lifeboat and Coastguard search for two fishermen missing off the north Co Dublin coast has resumed this morning.
The Irish Times reports that the two men, believed to be in their 20s and 40s, were on a small open fishing boat that departed Skerries harbour around 11am yesterday (Friday 1 April). The alarm was raised at 6.30pm when they failed to return to port.
A Dublin Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed that items and debris believed to be from the missing boat were discovered during the initial search yesterday evening.
The search, involving three coastguard units, three lifeboats and a number of local vessels, was scheduled to resume at 7am this morning.
RTÉ News has more on the story - including video - HERE.
Programme for Government will Reinstate Marine Department
It maybe the second last item on the programme for government issued by Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore yesterday but the indications are good that the marine sector will see a reinstated Department of the Marine. the Fine Gael and Labour coalition say 'marine responsibilities will be merged under one Department, for better co-ordination in policy delivery'. Here is the relevant excerpt:
Coastal communities, fisheries & marine environment
We will negotiate the best possible deal for fishermen in the review of the Common Fisheries Policy.
We will support the development of sustainable aquaculture and fish farms by streamlining the licensing process and reducing associated bureaucracy.
Marine responsibilities will be merged under one Department, for better co-ordination in policy delivery. We will develop an integrated marine and coastal planning process in order to maximise the potential of Ireland's coastline in fishing, aquaculture, ocean energy and tourism.
A Sea Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment, based on consultation with all major stakeholders, will be brought before the Dáil annually before EU fisheries negotiations commence.
We will replace criminal sanctions system for minor fisheries offences with administrative sanction system to bring Ireland into line with other European jurisdictions. Safety at sea and decent working conditions must underpin the development of the fisheries sector. We will explore the provision of an emergency towing vessel for the Coastguard.
Fishing Exhibition Show Heads for Galway
The exhibition times are Friday 4th March (10:00am - 5:30pm) and on Saturday 5th March the opening hours are repeated (10:00am - 5:30pm). For further information on the trade-only show Tel: (053) 74 954 8037 / 954 8935 or by clicking here
Kerry Fishermen Want Seal Cull
Kerry fishermen are calling for a cull of the local grey seal population over claims that they eat up to 10kg of fish a day, The Irish Times reports on marine animals.
Fishermen along the Kerry coast are arguing the the seals are "over-protected", are too great in number and are posing a threat to salmon conservation, as well as depleting stocks of hake and pollock.
Concerns are on the rise that seals will be culled illegally if there is no official intervention on the matter. However, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has ruled out any action.
Locals in the Blasket Islands have claimed that more than 1,200 seals inhabit the area. Research by the Seal Track programme showed only 400 seals in the Blaskets in 2003, down over 40% from 1998 numbers.
The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.
Fishermen Rescued From Sinking Vessel off Ardglass
Belfast Coastguard received a Mayday call at 5:54pm from the Newry registered vessel, which operates out of Ardglass, and immediately sent the Southdown and Portaferry Coastguard Rescue Teams to the scene. The launch was requested of the RNLI Portaferry inshore lifeboat. The Irish Coastguard Rescue Helicopter was tasked but was later stood down.
Steve Carson, Watch Manager, Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, said:
"The crew aboard the fishing vessel were rescued by the inshore lifeboat and then taken to Ardglass Harbour where they received medical attention; one of the crew has since been taken to Downpatrick Hospital.
It is imperative to always ensure you are carrying the correct safety equipment and have it serviced regularly. Due to the prompt and appropriate action of the crew I am pleased to say they are all safe but shaken by their traumatic experience.
The rescue was successfully coordinated by Belfast Coastguard with assistance from their colleagues at Dublin, Liverpool and Holyhead Coastguard Stations.
The vessel has now been successfully refloated and is now alongside in Ardglass Harbour."
Crosshaven Lifeboat Rescues Crew from Sinking Fishing Vessel
At 11.19am , Valentia Coast Guard alerted Crosshaven RNLI Lifeboat that the fishing vessel was in serious trouble off the Church Bay area and requested an immediate launch. Crosshaven lifeboat launched within 5 minutes and with its volunteer crew of Kieran Coniry, Dan O'Donoghue and Vincent Fleming, made good progress through a two metre sea swell arriving on scene to find the fishing boat had at this stage sank and the crew safely in the Liferaft.
The Ballycotton RNLI all weather Lifeboat was at sea on exercise at the time and immediately altered course to the incident. Crosshaven Coast Guard were also tasked and en route.
When it became clear that the two crewmen were safely aboard the Crosshaven Lifeboat, the other emergency services were stood down. Crosshaven Lifeboat then brought the two fishermen back to Crosshaven.
While it is unknown what caused the fishing boat to flounder, the crew had little time to deploy their liferaft and make an emergency call before the boat sank.
Related Safety posts
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Lifeboat Rescues Two Fishermen After Ten Hours Stranded in Liferaft
Two young fishermen are recovering today (Sunday 31 October 2010) after being rescued by lifeboat crew from Ballyglass RNLI. The two men were found in a liferaft 13 miles north of Belderrig in County Mayo after a lifeboat crewmember raised the alarm when they had not returned after to shore last night. Their fishing vessel had capsized and unable to raise the alarm the two men spent ten hours at sea in a liferaft waiting for help.
Ballyglass RNLI volunteer crewmember John Walsh contacted the Ballyglass Lifeboat Operations Manager when a fishing vessel had not returned to Porturlin when expected. Lifeboat Operations Manager Harry McCallum got in touch with Malin Head Coast Guard and the Ballyglass RNLI all weather lifeboat was launched at 11.49pm along with the Sligo based Coast Guard helicopter.
The rescue crews headed to the area where the fishermen were understood to be recovering pots from the water. The helicopter crew spotted the liferaft with the two men onboard and communicated the position to the lifeboat, which was nearby. The men had managed to remove their wet clothes and had put on plastic sacks to keep warm. They were recovered onto the lifeboat and taken to Ballyglass to recover.
Commenting on the callout Ballyglass RNLI Coxswain JT Gaughran said, " These two young men were extremely lucky. There had been nobody out searching for them until our crewmember John Walsh, who is an experienced fisherman, raised the alarm. Things can go wrong very quickly out at sea and every second counts. Thankfully conditions were moderate and once the search was underway they were spotted quickly."
The lifeboat pictured below returned to Ballyglass at 3am this morning with the two men onboard.
Related Safety posts
RNLI Lifeboats in Ireland
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New Safety Regs Anger Fishermen
New RTE Documentary Series on Irish Fisherman
RTE turns its cameras on Ireland's fishermen in a six-part series starting this Sunday on RTE One. Skippers takes the Irish audience aboard working fishing vessels in the Irish fleet to meet the men who lead these boats; the Skippers.
Crews in pursuit of their lucrative catch, involving long absences from home, 24 hour shifts, huge waves, 80-mile-per-hour gales, and the unpredictability that is the ocean itself are part-and-parcel with this job.
The series was shot by DV Directors who ate, slept, breathed and fished with our Skippers while they were out on the high seas in the world's most dangerous job, creating a sense of immediacy with the audience at home; bringing the action, and turmoil wave by wave, roll by roll. Visually stunning images of the Irish coastline and sea wildlife, along with the roaring ocean will compliment the strong-character presence of our Skippers and their crews, with the illusive lights of home becoming a beacon in the night for the Skippers as they make their way ashore after their gruelling trips.
In the first episode, two former construction workers try to make a go of it at sea, a fisherman's wife tells her story, and a mystery fish causes havoc for a trawler crew and a rookie skipper feels the pressure to make the grade.
THE SKIPPERS
DAVID PRICE:
Howth in North County Dublin is home to the Price fishing family and youngest son David is carrying on the tradition as an energetic skipper on his fathers 60 foot, €2 million trawler "The John B". David is fishing 80 miles off the east coast of Ireland in search of prawns. Times have changed for David as he has to work twice as hard as he did five years ago when he used to sell his prawns for double what he's getting for them today.
David is frustrated with regulations that make little sense. He has to throw away perfectly good fish due to quotas. The pressure of costs versus the price he is receiving for his catch is not adding up and this frustration is sometimes taken out on his crew.
The collapse of the building industry has meant that some Irish are looking at fishing again for work. This trip has brought on board two former construction workers John and Emmet who both want to make a go of it in the fishing business. For John it's a big change from his previous job as a plumber but he's hoping he won't have to be fishing for too long.
This trip will be make or break for the two Irish lads as David has to decide if they are cut out for the hard life at sea.
His training is tough and they won't be getting any special treatment.
ROSS CLASSON:
Portnoo in Donegal is home to 42-year-old skipper Ross Classon. He's been fishing since he was 15. But Ross has no family background in the industry and is the son of a school principal. He went to sea purely because he loved it. This comes with a price to pay as he has less time to spend on shore with his family, when he does come home it is not long before Ross has to leave again.
His wife of 25 years, Anna, remembers the strain of bringing up their sons while Ross was out at sea. Anna has learned to deal with not seeing Ross for weeks at a time, she's learned to cope but she knows other families who haven't found things so easy. Ross's boat is based in Ullapool, Northern Scotland. He has to make the 430 mile journey by road and sea.
MICHAEL MEADE:
60 miles off the south coast of Cork is skipper Michael Meade. He's been fishing for the past 25 years and has owned his trawler the Buddy M for the past 10 years. Along side Michael are four regular crew members including Brendan from Cork and Sergey from Warsaw. Michael has seen the fishing industry slowly being eroded and is not too hopeful for the future. He fishes out from the small port of Cross haven in Cork.
CATHAL O'SULLIVAN
The old fishing village of Castletownbere in Co. Cork is where the ambitious and determined Cathal O'Sullivan is based. Cathal has no background in fishing and originally comes from Kenmare in Kerry. He started fishing at 16 and now at 24 is one of Ireland's youngest skippers in charge of the 40foot trawler the Tea Rose. This €1 million boat is owned by Paddy O'Sullivan who has recently put his faith in Cathal to go it alone.
Cathal leaves behind a young family, his son gets upset each time Cathal leaves , but Cathal's duration at sea is getting longer due to the rising price of fuel and the decrease in the value of his catch. He often will do three fishing trips in a row leaving his family for up to 20 days at a time. With every trip comes the pressure of finding a good catch for the crew in order for himself and his men to earn a decent wage
