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Greencastle fishing
industry at crisis point
23.11.07
GREENCASTLE'S fishing
community is at crisis point as fuel prices soar,
making profits negligible.
Foyle Fishermen's Co-Op yesterday said the industry
was "touch and go" with local skippers questioning
the viability of going out on fishing trips in the
current economic climate. |
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"It's touch and go now
and skippers are wondering whether the boats are
viable at the minute with the price of fuel so
high," said Foyle Fishermen's Co-Op manager, John
O'Kane.
"The problem is that more than 50% of a boat's
earnings goes on fuel alone, so half of it is gone
before you even pay the wages. |
"It's a huge problem and it's making skippers wonder
whether it's worth it or not."
Mr. O'Kane said while the lower dollar was helping
somewhat, any benefit was cancelled out by the
smaller fishing quotas and the fact that oil had hit
€95 a barrel.
"The price of fish can be good over the next two to
three weeks but with the high cost of fuel, the
prices aren't enough to turn a profit."
The Co-Op manager said there had been no lay-offs as
yet but it remained a concern. "The skippers are
absorbing the losses at the minute to keep men on,
but that's unsustainable in the long term," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. O'Kane supported a call yesterday by
North West MEP Jim Higgins for the Government to
follow the example of France and give emergency tax
breaks to the fishing communities in Greencastle and
Killybegs. Mr. Higgins said with declining fish
stocks and soaring fuel prices, Donegal fishermen
were "hanging on by their fingertips". |
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