A Socio-economic Study of Fisheries in Counties Cork, Donegal, Kerry and Galway

Abstract

Ireland has an extensive continental shelf within its 200-mile Economic Zone and has contributed enormously to EU Common Fishery Resources. Irish access to these fisheries was decided under previous fishery agreements and it is felt that Irish coastal communities have been seriously disadvantaged under EU fishery policy. This report hopes to advance arguments that will persuade the EU that Irish fishing communities should have a more equitable share of contiguous fish stocks under the 2002 review of the CFP. Project No. 97.IR.MR.008 was undertaken by The Institute of Technology, Tralee and Aqua-Fact International Services Limited (Galway) to provide a Socio- Economic Evaluation of the impact of fisheries and aquaculture in Counties Donegal, Galway, Kerry and Cork. This report deals with sea fisheries. It covers Counties Donegal and Kerry in their entirety, County Galway excluding Galway City and the Coastal Rural and Urban Districts of County Cork. These districts of County Cork comprise the Rural Districts of Bandon, Bantry, Castletownbere, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Kinsale, Midleton, Skibereen, Schull and Youghal No.1 and the Urban Districts of Clonakilty, Cobh, Kinsale, Midleton, Skibereen and Youghal. Galway City is included in the maps, not in the tables, figures or appendices. The study of aquaculture is published separately. The two studies share the secondary socio-economic data and complement each other.