THE Minister for the Marine, Mr Barrett, has announced the latest round of funding for fishing fleet modernisation during a fact finding visit to Castletownbere, Co Cork.
Some £2.6 million in grant aid has been approved for 92 vessels, most of which are in the whitefish fleet. The scheme would make a "significant contribution" to safety, Mr Barrett said. He also gave details of a £680,000 investment programme for Castletownbere and Ardgroom harbours.
The Minister's announcement fell short of expectations that he might respond to industry demands for a new boat building programme.
The modernisation scheme has been in place since last year, under the 1994-99 EU operational programme.
A £6 million decommissioning scheme to "scrap" old tonnage has been delayed, but it is understood that grants have now been approved and a formal announcement is imminent.
"The modernisation of the whitefish fleet is one of our main priorities", the Minister said in his statement in Castletownbere, when confirming that 28 boats in the Cork region would benefit, and would receive EU grant aid of almost £500,000 in total.
The £480,000 provision for Castletownbere fishery harbour will be used for dredging the inner harbour and berths, renewal of fendering on the pier and improvements to the synchrolift.
As one of the top whitefish ports, it recorded almost £10 million in landings in 1995.
During his visit, the Minister met representatives of the Irish Fishermen's Federation and the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation - both of which are lobbying for a new boat building programme, to renew the ageing whitefish fleet.
Mr Barrett also announced that a harbour users' committee was to be established in Castletownbere, drawing on a broad membership to enable local industry to have an input into harbour management and development.
Rope mussel fishermen constricted by tides at Ardgroom harbour, Co Cork, are to be assisted with a £200,000 scheme to build a new pier and slipway. This reflected his commitment to the development of aquaculture in the south west as a major contributor to the marine industry, the Minister said.
