Minister Martin Heydon welcomes European Commissioner Costas Kadis at the Informal Meeting of EU Fisheries Ministers in Cork.
Council of the European Union
Ministers from Ireland and across the European Union met at Cork City Hall to discuss how to promote generational renewal in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The meeting was chaired by Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, and Minister of State for Fisheries at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Timmy Dooley.
Among those in attendance were European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, and delegations from EU Member States.
Minister Martin Heydon was the first to acknowledge that ensuring a sustainable future for fisheries and aquaculture in the European Union requires recognising the importance of generational renewal.
Moreover, Minister of State Timmy Dooley noted that the next step should be to assess how the EU fisheries legislative framework contributes to generational renewal, identify the measures needed to improve working conditions and safety across the sector, and determine how the European Union should support the economic competitiveness of the fisheries and aquaculture sector beyond 2028.
Along the same lines, he stressed that, despite the challenges ahead, the current situation presents an opportunity to improve competitiveness, increase efficiency, develop existing and emerging markets and, at the same time, contribute to Europe's environmental goals.
"If we are serious about ensuring a sustainable future for fisheries and aquaculture, we must provide a genuine pathway for young people who are considering a career in the seafood sector," Heydon concluded.
Last week, the Irish Government confirmed its intention to create a standalone department dedicated to marine affairs, reform the aquaculture licensing system, and provide greater support for fleet renewal, seafood processing, and market development.
Another measure proposed is to update the succession scheme to help older vessel owners retire or transfer their businesses to younger fishers. In Ireland, many operators are between 50 and 70 years old, while many vessels in the inshore fleet are between 25 and 35 years old.