“I do enjoy watching a customer go away happy,” Kilkeel-based boatbuilder Gerry Smyth (pictured above, left, with Will Treneer, co-owner of the 14.95m Inter Nos PZ 46 – built by G Smyth Boats) told Fishing News. “I’ve always said that…
Newly appointed DAERA minister Andrew Muir heard the ‘full and frank’ views of local fishermen and met with members of the Northern Ireland Fishing Harbour Authority (NIFHA) during a visit to Portavogie last week. After the visit, Minister Muir said:…
After two years of political limbo, the restoration of the devolved government in Northern Ireland has been widely welcomed. The walkout by the Democratic Unionist Party from the power-sharing agreement, in protest at post- Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland,…
The first two international crew armed with skilled worker visas arrived for work on Northern Ireland vessels last week, after a series of initiatives by the Northern Ireland FPO (NIFPO). Lawrance Prince has restarted work this week aboard the Golden…
The Northern Irish authorities finally released the herring quota received as part of the Brexit TCA shortly after FN went to press last week, allowing inshore drift-netters and smaller trawlers on the Mourne coast to access the traditional fishery. The…
Three Northern Ireland boats targeted in ‘zero tolerance’ clampdown on employment visas A well-planned operation by a large team of Border Force officers descended on three vessels in Ardglass on 21 July. One eyewitness to the raid said it was…
Three extra Irish ports have been sanctioned for landings by Northern Irish-registered fishing vessels. Malin Head, Glengad and Bunagee in Co Donegal have all been approved by Ireland’s marine minister Charlie McConalogue, and will come under the remit of the…
Skipper Laura Wilkins is a key figure in the Women in Fisheries Network, Northern Ireland – a group that has been, she says, ‘in the making for more than 30 years’ “Women in Fisheries NI is still an informal grouping,…
A series of safety events aimed at all those working on commercial fishing vessels are taking place across Northern Ireland in December, reports Paul Scott. The safety roadshows, which follow on from the success of last year’s events, will focus…
Northern Irish fishermen welcomed an announcement from DAERA last week confirming a ban on landing soft-shell brown crab. The initial moves for new legislation came from the Northern Ireland Fishermen’s Federation in 2020, part of wider requests from the industry…
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