Fishing fleet to be cut under new scheme
The Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan has launched a scheme to permanently remove certain types of fishing vessels from the Irish fleet.
The voluntary scheme will remove older and larger fishing vessels with mixed catches of fish such as cod, haddock, monkfish, mackerel and herring.
The removal of 75 vessels will increase the quotas available to more modern competitive boats and will help sustain the profitability of the fleet according to the minister
The scheme is available to boat owners in respect of vessels that are ten years or more old and 18 metres or more in overall length.
The vessels must be operational at the time of decommissioning and have a recent track record of fishing.
The level of payment will not exceed €7,500 per gross tonne
