Archive for category: Event

Tá an dobharshaothrú ar cheann de na hearnálacha is tábhachtaí i nGeilleagar Gorm i Limistéar an Atlantaigh. Tá sé ag brath ar thraidisiúin thábhachtacha in go leor tíortha san AE agus mórán dá chósta. Mar chuspóir ag an togra seo, tá muid ag brath ar thuairimí agus saineolas ó pháirtithe  a bhfuil dlúthbhaint acu le hobair sa ngeilleagar gorm, an dobharshaothrú go speisialta.

Reachtáileadh seimineár gréasáin New Opportunities for Seafood Producers ar na mallaibh mar chuid de Sheachtain Tuairimí Gnó Mhaigh Eo, http://mayoideasweek.ie/schedule/.

Clár imeachtaí Access2ea ag Seachtain Tuairimí Gnó Mhaigh Eo.

I measc na n-ábhar a pléadh ná díolachán díreach: tionscail na mbialanna sliogéisc cois cladaigh sa mBriotáin, áit a bhfuil cead ag feilméaraí sliogéisc a gcuid táirge a dhíol as bialann taobh leis an bhfoinse soláthair. Tá cuid sciar mhór d’iarthar na hÉireann buailte ar an uisce sáile is glaine san Eoraip agus tá luach an ard ar an mbia mara a thagann as dá réir. Ráite ar bhealach eile, is féidir iasc a bheirtear ar i neart cuanta an taobh seo tíre a dhíol díreach agus gan phróiseáil. Deis ar leith do phobail in iarthar na hÉireann mar sin, ach cuir chuige i gcúrsaí pleanála, reachtaíochta agus tacaíochta pobail a réiteach. Obair le déanamh go fóill, mar sin.

 

 

 

Rinne Michael Mulloy ó fheirm éisc Blackshell i gCuan Mó agus urlabhraí de chuid Chumann Feirmeoirí na hÉireann cuir síos ar dheacrachtaí anois agus ar na bacáin do thionscail an dobharshaothraithe agus bealaí le theacht as. Is mó bacanna ná an Breatimeacht agus an paindéim a bhí le sárú, reachtaíocht ag coinneáil táirgeoirí dobharshaothraithe siar go mór sa tír seo. Tháinig sé seo go mór leis an méid a bhí le rá ag Catherine McManus as Mowi, comhlacht idirnáisiúnta feirmeoireacht bradán le 303 fostaí lánaimseartha acu ar fud fad chosta iartharach na hÉireann. Tá an múnla atá in úsáid acusan bunaithe ar bhradán orgánach in ndabhacha doimhne ag iomrascáil le heaspa dul chun cinn mar nach bhfuil ceadúnais nua le fáil le glúin anuas sa tír seo. Níl maith ar bith sna seancheadúnais a ceadaíodh os cionn 20 bliain, a deir sí, os rud é nach bhfuil na suíomhanna a ceadaíodh ag an am feiliúnach do shláinte na mbradán agus cleachtais nua-aimseartha mar go bhfuil siad ar an tanaí den chuid is mó mar a bhíodh de nós ag an am.

Ag teacht leis an méid an easpa fáis in éadan níos mó coinníollacha agus bacanna ar fhorbairt ná aon cheard eile den tír atá ar cheann de na deacrachtaí is mó atá le sárú san earnáil seo agus gach réimse forbartha agus gnó eile dar le cainteoir deireadh an lae, Michael O’Boyle, Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo. D’éirigh go geal leis an ócáid inar thrasnaigh téamaí ó chainteoir go cainteoir. Ag tarraingt an méid a bhí le rá ag an gcéad cainteoir, an Dr. Colin Hannon as Institiúid Teicneolaíochta na Gaillimhe agus Mhaigh Eo leis an gcainteoir deireadh Michael O’Boyle, teastaíonn cur le luach agus comhthathú ar achmhainní in iarthar na hÉireann. Ní neart go cur le chéile.

Lón machnaimh mar sin curtha ar fáil ag earnáil na mara. Tá súil leis an gcéad seimineár gréasáin eile roimh dheireadh na bliana, áit a mbeidh Access2Sea ag cuir síos ar thogra píolótach bia mara. Coinnigh súil amach mar sin ar http://access2sea.eu!

 

The Seaweed Manifesto, initiated by the Lloyds Register Foundation and UN Global Compact (United Nation), has been launched. This seaweed manifesto is a visionary document outlining how seaweed can contribute to delivering on the sustainable development goals. It defines a vision for the industry, explores the opportunities and benefits, as well as outlining the challenges and barriers for responsible development of the industry. The focus is on the untapped potential, which might not be met without new thought-leadership and convening power to improve knowledge and expertise, develop new funding initiatives and influence policy makers, regulators and consumers.

You could find more information about the Seaweed Manifesto here.

Ireland is not unique in Europe or the world in having to deal with the economic shock of a global pandemic-precipitated crisis. However, the country has been confronted with, as is widely reported, the possible economic double whammy of dealing with the fallout of COVID-19 and a potential Brexit without a trade deal. Worryingly, with nearly two months to go before the extension deadline passes, EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan has given a downbeat assessment of the situation.

 

2019/20 saw a sea change in trading infrastructure in Ireland with the introduction of a rail/sea freight service from Waterford to Rotterdam and a freight/passenger/car service to Bilbao and Santander. The Waterford-Rotterdam link is significant because for the first time Ireland has a direct rail to rail connection with mainland Europe, the most railway-connected corner of the planet.

These new trade links to continental Europe have been a long time in planning and it is fair to speculate that Brexit has perhaps expedited the process. Of course, the continent has been connected directly by roll-on roll-off for a long time via Cherbourg and Roscoff. To access core northern European markets has been to date more effective over the UK land bridge. To this end, the Rotterdam route, again, is achieving two strategic goals: Irish rail network connectivity to the European rail network and a direct route to a significant core market. The Biscay coast provides for the first time a direct roll-on roll-off service from Cork to southwestern Europe.

Even if—as many hope is the case—EU-UK trade continues without new barriers, the additional direct trading routes will make the West of Ireland more connected and reduce over-reliance and pressure on Dublin as a potential trade bottleneck.

 

The fishing industry has been among the harder hit in the most recent crisis, with mixed fortunes. The COVID-19 Emergency Payment Scheme where furloughed workers as well as those who’ve lost their jobs are entitled to an emergency payment. Some fishermen are protected by this scheme and some not. This is especially unfortunate of course for an industry that often struggles with precarious market conditions. The Irish Farmers Association attested to the immediate need for aquaculture supports as well. IFA Aquaculture Chairman Michael Mulloy said amendments to rules for the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) have been introduced which allows for support measures to be implemented for aquaculture producers.

“Irish aquaculture producers are suffering cash-flow problems with 40-60% losses in turnover compared with the same period last year, as the closure of food service sector across Europe has a direct impact on the industry,” he says, according to the IFA.

Access2Sea’s stated aims are to improve the attractiveness of the Atlantic shore for aquaculture SMEs by enabling new business opportunities and providing sustainable and easier access to it. Identifying ways and means of improving the business operating environment for sustainable aquaculture in Ireland goes hand in hand with the sustainable development of inshore fishing and tourism, since these sectors spatially and regulatorily overlap. Nowhere is the interdependency of these industries more visible than in Ireland, its Gaeltacht region even more so. The Irish partners are of course Údarás na Gaeltachta and WestBIC. It is hoped that the resulting roadmap for change will be of benefit to the entire coastline from Ireland’s northernmost Ceann Mhálainne to Cádiz in the South of Spain.

Incidentally, Ireland had a direct maritime trade boom with France, Portugal and Spain up until the end of the 18th Century. This door was firmly shut when Ireland was brought into the UK sphere of influence from the 19th Century on at the expense of continental trade. Access2Sea, an Interreg Atlantic Area project has partners situated in Ireland, the aforementioned Gaul-Iberian coutries, as well as the UK. Keeping all routes and trade open this time round has been Ireland’s priority from the start of recent crises, something that’s not expected to change. This will be put to the test as we navigate inclement economic conditions.

Effectively managing the Blue Economy will necessarily be at the fore in weathering these storms.