Displaying items by tag: NIFA

23rd January 2023

National Inshore Fishermen’s Association Recognised as a Seafood Producer Organisation

The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today announced the recognition of the National Inshore Fishermen’s Association (NIFA) as an EU Producer Organisation.

Announcing the recognition of the NIFA as a Producer Organisation, Minister McConalogue said, “In our Programme for Government, we committed to supporting the inshore fishing fleet in generating greater marketing and promotional capacity by facilitating the establishment of a Producer Organisation for these smaller fishing vessels, thereby providing additional opportunity for the island and coastal communities involved in the inshore sector. In 2021, my Department recognised the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation (IIMRO) as a Producer Organisation which focuses on our offshore islands. I am very pleased to announce that my Department has now completed the process to formally recognise the National Inshore Fishermen’s Association (NIFA) as an EU Seafood producer organisation. The inshore fishing sector is a vital part of our coastal economies and communities and I am committed to supporting this sector and our inshore fishing families.”

Seafood Producer organisations are officially recognised bodies, set up by groups of fishery or aquaculture producers to manage the activity of their members. Producer organisations can play an important role in the market, improving the conditions for the placing on the market of their members’ fishery and aquaculture products, improving economic returns for their members, stabilising the market, avoiding and reducing as far as possible unwanted catches, contributing to the elimination of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and generally coordinating the activities of their primary producer members.

Regulation 1379/2013 on the Common Organisation of the Market for Fishery and Aquaculture Products (the CMO Regulation) provides an EU legal framework for the recognition of Seafood Producer Organisations. A group must apply for recognition as a Producer Organisation to the relevant competent national authority. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been designated the role of national competent authority for the purpose of this regulation.

Published in Fishing

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Offshore wind

ESB know the importance of offshore wind in tackling climate change and delivering net zero. Ireland has a unique capability given its prime location to take advantage of the potential of offshore wind. ESB are working hard to develop offshore wind projects for the benefit of everyone across society in Ireland and the UK. This includes ongoing engagement with marine users and local communities so ESB can deliver these significant projects.

Offshore wind will play a major role globally in our fight against climate change. It will help to replace energy generated by burning fossil fuels with that from a clean, safe and secure renewable energy source. Ireland’s geographic location on the exposed edge of the Atlantic presents us with a significant opportunity to generate electricity from wind – both offshore and onshore.

Power from onshore wind farms currently provide over one-third of Ireland’s electricity needs. But, whilst its marine area is many times the size of its landmass, Ireland’s offshore wind potential is only starting to be realised. ESB have a coastline stretching over 3,000km but only one operational offshore wind farm – Arklow Bank, with a capacity of 25 MW. In contrast, Belgium’s coastline is only 63km long, but it has already developed more than 2,000 MW of offshore wind. In Great Britain, with a coastline four times the length of ours, offshore wind generation now equates to over 440 Arklow Banks, with an installed capacity of 11,0000 MW as of late 2021.

The Irish Government's target to install 5,000 MW of offshore wind capacity in our maritime area by 2030 is set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021. It also has the objective to source 80% of Ireland’s electricity needs from renewables by the same year. In line with this, ESB is applying its professional and proven engineering expertise to the challenges set within the Climate Action Plan.

ESB are committed to playing a strong role in developing Ireland’s offshore wind potential for the benefit of the people of Ireland. This will be done in consultation with marine users and local communities, and with due care for the marine environment.