'Atlantic' documentary brought the global assault on fisheries into Ireland's sitting rooms

News from the Celtic League:

There was a massive reaction in Ireland to the documentary ‘Atlantic’ shown on RTE last night. It chronicled the struggle of fishing communities around Ireland and farther afield to survive in the face of industrial fishing by super-trawlers.

Celtic League have been publicising for sometime now the carnage that is being wreaked on the marine environment around our shores and globally by these massive factory ships that Greenpeace term ‘Monster Boats’ which can process several hundred tonnes daily and fish for weeks.

We highlighted the Irish documentary some months ago when the film maker, Risteard Ó Domhnaill, was giving preliminary showings of the film to audiences at fishing ports in Ireland

Ironically as it was being shown in May in Donegal we were also plotting the fishing pattern of a large monster boat (the 8000 tonne Jan Maria) off the N E of Donegal – the report of our post is here:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1018678381514256&id=805941286121301&substory_index=0

It’s not just Ireland local fishing communities from West Africa, the Pacific and Indian Ocean are all under threat. We have chronicled the struggle for survival of fish market sellers in Senegal and the fight of a small Pacific nation against the might of pirate fishermen from the world’s largest country China.

From the Arctic to Antarctic from Australia to Ireland small fishing communities and the people who depend on them face a threat to their livelihood in some instances their existence.

It’s not just the resources that are being exploited it’s also those who work on the vessels many of which fish illegally. Earlier this year we highlighted the New York Times ‘Outlaw Ocean’ series which chronicles those abuses at sea. Ian Urbina the journalist who compiled the articles says he hopes to do follow up stories next year.

Meanwhile the broadcast by RTE of Atlantic has brought the issue into sitting rooms across Ireland and as the documentary is sure to be picked up and broadcast by other countries it will hopefully awaken the world to the eco disaster facing our oceans by industrial fishing.

Here are some links with reaction to the programme if you want additional comment from a Celtic League perspective just go to our Main internet site or the Mannin branch Facebook site and type ‘trawler’ into the search box:

https://www.joe.ie/…/there-was-a-massive-reaction-to…/570150

http://www.highlandradio.com/…/broadcasting-of-atlantic-do…/

Image: Super trawler the net size is unimaginable capable of enclosing 13 jumbo jets these boats can haul more fish in one trip then a small fishing community can catch in a year.

BERNARD MOFFATT
Public Relations Officer Mannin Branch

Issued by: The Mannin branch of the Celtic League.

09/12/16