Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) is pleased to announce that fishermen in three ports – Clogherhead, Castletownbere and Union Hall are taking part in the pilot BIM ‘Fishing for Litter’ initiative. Fishing for Litter is already an active and highly successful initiative in the UK and Scotland that simply encourages fishermen to take ashore the litter they catch while fishing.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) is pleased to announce that fishermen in three ports – Clogherhead, Castletownbere and Union Hall are taking part in the pilot BIM ‘Fishing for Litter’ initiative. Fishing for Litter is already an active and highly successful initiative in the UK and Scotland that simply encourages fishermen to take ashore the litter they catch while fishing.
The BIM ‘Fishing for Litter’ pilot provides vessels with large bags to collect marine litter caught in their nets. When full, these bags are deposited safely on the quayside, ready for appropriate disposal.
Michael Keatinge, BIM’s Director of Fisheries Development emphasised the importance of the scheme ‘The BIM Fishing for Litter scheme underpins the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), Europe’s current key piece of legislation supporting the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment. One of the key objectives is to reduce plastic in the ocean, which this scheme can do at a very practical level”.
Alan Smith, skipper of the Celtic Warrior, is participating on the Scheme. The Clogherhead vessel, is currently fishing in the Irish Sea. ‘We have the Fishing for Litter bag set near the conveyor and it’s easy for the crew to pick out the marine litter and throw it in the bag as they pick out the catch. We work with the Clogherhead Development Group in keeping the pier tidy and are happy to do our part, keeping not only the sea, but our fishing grounds clean and healthy” explained Smith. The local Clogherhead Razor Fishery fleet are also taking part in the BIM scheme.
