During their recent trip to Crosshaven on Saturday 11th July to meet local fisherman Kieran Healy; Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D. and EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Mr. Karmenu Vella joined BIM’s Regional Development Officer John Hickey to launch the new BIM lobster handling and quality guide for the Irish Inshore Sector.
During their recent trip to Crosshaven on Saturday 11th July to meet local fisherman Kieran Healy; Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D. and EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Mr. Karmenu Vella joined BIM’s Regional Development Officer John Hickey to launch the new BIM lobster handling and quality guide for the Irish Inshore Sector.
Designed to assist fishermen to assess the quality of their catch from capture to first point of sale, this handy reference guide is one of a series produced by BIM to ensure best practice in terms of handling and quality. Detailed information on the biology of the European Lobster (Homarusgammarus), fishing methods and the popular BIM Lobster V-notching conservation Scheme are included. This successful conservation programme delivered €253,000 in grant aid to participating fishermen in 2014 resulting in over 33,000 female lobsters v-notched and returned to sea to spawn.
A copy of the guide is now available to download on www.bim.ie. Hard copies of the guide can be requested from the producer of the guide, Frances O’Dwyer, BIM Killybegs on (074) 9732603 or odwyer@bim.ie
The new 127mm and 87mm lobster gauges are also available from BIM at a cost of €5. All proceeds from the sale of gauges will be given to LAST (Lost at Sea Tragedy) and other marine charities.
Photo Credits: Niall Duffy/Skipper
Pictured in advance of the SeaFest event in Crosshaven launching the BIM Lobster Handling & Quality Guide are EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Mr. Karmenu Vella, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D., fisherman Kieran Healy and John Hickey, BIM Regional Development Officer
BIM’s Regional Development Officer John Hickey explaining to EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Mr. Karmenu Vella how lobster stocks are protected using the BIM Lobster V-notching programme with local fisherman Kieran Healy looking on.
