#VOYAGE - The Irish Independent reports on the rapturous welcome received by retired Irish fisherman Finbarr Murphy in Iceland as he retraces the route of St Brendan the Navigator.

The West Cork sailor has already travelled on his restored yacht, the 19-metre Bella Donna, via the Orkneys, Norway and the Faroe Islands - crossing the freezing waters of the far north Atlantic to reach Iceland last month.

Since his arrival he's been treated as a celebrity, with regular appearances in the press and on TV and radio, and so has understandably decided to spend the rest of the winter in Iceland before the final leg of his voyage to Greenland early in the new year.

Murphy isn't the first to retrace the voyage of the legendary St Brendan, as last year a crew of sailors, artists, musicians and historians attempted the same on board Paddy Barry's 45ft yacht Ar Seachrán.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, that trip hit a snag along the way in May last year when the boat was refused permission to land on Skellig Michael off the Kerry coast.

The crew of sailors, artists, musicians and historians on board Ar Seachrán - who are retracing the famous voyage of St Brendan - were refused permission to land on Skellig Michael, it has emerged.

The Kerryman reports that though some visitors are understood to have landed on the island in recent weeks, the OPW refused the Brendan's Voyage crew on health and safety grounds.

A spokesperson for the OPW said it requires at least 10 days notice to make preparations for any visitors and repair damage to pathways and buildings occurring over the winter months.

Dr Breandán Ó Ciobhán of the voyage party described the news as "very disappointing".

Ar Seachrán, a 45ft yacht owned by Paddy Barry - himself a veteran of unique ocean voyages - will continue on its journey up the west coast of Ireland and Scotland, by the Orkneys, Shetlands and Faroe Islands to Iceland.

This week's edition of Seascapes on RTÉ Radio 1 features accounts of two very different voyages across the Atlantic.

Presenter Marcus Connaughton hears from Pat Hanafin who is currently crossing the pond on board the US Coast Guard clipper Eagle, which as previously reported on Afloat.ie is due to call at Waterford on 27 May ahead of the Tall Ships Races.

The show also features news of a group of sailors hoping to retread the route of St Brendan's famous voyage.

A crew of "mariners, poets and musicians" will set sail from Dingle on 16 May - St Brendan's Day - on the 45ft vessel An Seachrán, heading up the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland towards Iceland.

The latest edition of Seascapes is available to listen HERE.

At today's Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers Meeting in Brussels, Sean Connick TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, welcomed the opportunity to prepare for negotiations on the current international impasse with Iceland and the Faroe Islands with regard to the management of the mackerel fishery in the North East Atlantic.

Minister Connick said "I want to see a fair deal to resolve this issue and secure the future for our fishermen and fish factories. However, I made it clear that I will not accept a deal at any price."

Currently Iceland and the Faroe Islands are acting unilaterally and outside of normal fishery management protocols and their actions pose a serious threat to the well being of the mackerel stock which economically, is Ireland's most important stock. The item was placed on today's agenda in advance of the intensive negotiations on mackerel management due to commence in October and as a follow up to the June Council where Ireland lead the debate.

Minister Connick reiterated his dismay at the continuing irresponsible fishing by Iceland and the Faroes on the mackerel stock, and his desire to see a resolution to the situation. So far in 2010, Iceland has caught about 115,000 tonnes which is more than 25 times their catch four years ago. In the case of the Faroes, their 85,000 tonnes is more than 3 times their catch in 2006. Ireland's quota in 2010 is 62,000 tonnes.

The Minister said "Ireland has consistently supported the need to reach an international agreement on mackerel management. However we can only accept an agreement that is fair and proportionate. We consider that the current fishing levels by Iceland and the Faroes are totally unjustified and that any eventual agreement must involve much reduced levels of fishing by these countries. We must robustly put our case and minimise the final cost to our fishermen."

The long term stability of the lucrative mackerel stock is of paramount importance to Ireland and in urging for increased intensification of efforts to reach a solution the Minister advised the Council that "It is my opinion that a joint approach with Norway, considering our long term agreement with them, would have added weight and would be more likely to succeed".

Minister Connick said, "I was heartened by the widespread support of my EU colleagues for the concerns that I first raised on this issue at the June Council".

There will be intensive negotiations over the autumn and the Minister committed that Ireland would work closely with other Member States and the Commission to consider all options to make progress and find a basis for a long term agreement. The Minister emphasised the critical importance of securing fair and equitable arrangements at international level that will deliver a sustainable mackerel fishery for the Irish fleet and ensure the continued prosperity of the seafood processing sector in coastal communities.