A member of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority says despite the availability of better monitoring equipment and the willingness of most fishers and fish producers to cooperate with them, the actions of a small number have led to a new requirement that catches must be weighed at the pier.
At a meeting this week of the Oireachtas Agriculture and Marine Committee, Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn claimed the fishing industry is being penalised on the basis of a leaked report it jas not seen.
Addressing the committee via Zoom, he told the SFPA delegation that equipment he inspected in Killybegs was tamperproof………..
Responding, Andrew Killeen of the SFPA said the equipment is not tamperproof, and it is on that basis that the EU Commission is requiring on pier weighing………
This is the full recording of Deputy MacLochlainn’s submission, which also includes input from the SFPA’s Chairperson, Dr Susan Steele……..