Tony Killeen TD, Irish Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food last week opened the Irish Skipper - Inshore Fisheries Expo in Galway.
At the exhibition, Minister Killeen launched four schemes to support safety at sea, inshore fisheries management, environmental management of fisheries and LEADER type support for coastal communities dependant on fishing. The schemes which are part funded by the EU will provide €1.82 million of grant aid in support of an investment of €4.5 million in 2010 to assist industry.
Minister Killeen said "I am pleased to launch new schemes to support the fishing industry, which are being delivered by BIM and are focused in particular on the inshore sector. These supports will particularly focus on aspects of inshore fisheries management and environmental management systems, providing the tools with which industry can not only improve their operations but also increase the value of their produce. BIM will also be launching a LEADER type scheme involving coastal areas dependant on fishing."
Minister Killeen also launched a new Stock Book for Inshore stocks. The Stock Book will provide information on all inshore stocks around Ireland and has been prepared and published jointly by the Marine Institute and BIM.
