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Unpaid salmon fishermen "let down"
15.06.09
FOYLE fishermen who
have not yet received this year's Salmon Hardship
Fund payment are threatening to take to the waters
tomorrow when the salmon season officially starts.
That's according to Fine Gael Deputy Joe McHugh and
the SDLP’s John Dallat MLA, who have reacted angrily
to news that Irish marine authorities have not
observed agreements reached with salmon farmers
several years ago.
“Three years ago Irish fishermen entered into
agreements with the Loughs Agency in good faith. In
return for not fishing for salmon, they were
promised annual payments in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
These payments have not materialised in 2009, and
today many fishermen are threatening to go to sea
when the salmon fishing season starts on June 16." |
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Mr Dallat MLA claimed
that Dublin, Stormont and EU regulations were
preventing the Loughs Agency from delivering these
payments to salmon fishermen. "The Loughs Agency is
a cross-border body and consequently it is subject
to audits from both the Stormont and the Dublin
Governments. |
Both Governments are delaying these audits," he
said. “The EU’s Directorate General for Fisheries is
also delaying the delivery of these payments.
Deputy McHugh has written to Minister Eamon Ryan
asking him to expedite his Department’s audit of the
Loughs Agency while Mr Dallat submitted a similar
question to Minister Michelle Gildernew at Stormont.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael’s Jim Higgins MEP is lobbying
the Directorate General for Fisheries in Brussels to
sign off immediately on its Loughs Agency
allocation.
“Three years ago Irish salmon fishermen entered into
this arrangement with the Loughs Agency in good
faith. These fishermen have suffered financial
headaches in recent years because of the embargo on
salmon fishing and the Hardship Fund is the only
thing that is keeping them afloat," added Mr Dallat.
"Now, as the beginning of the salmon fishing season
approaches, these fishermen will be justified in
taking to the waters if the payments are not
delivered.” |
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