The Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation (IIMRO) is spearheading efforts to address the challenges faced by Ireland’s island fishing communities amid the rapid expansion of the blue economy, particularly the government’s prioritisation and fast-tracking of offshore renewable energy projects.
There is growing concern among IIMRO members that these initiatives could potentially displace vulnerable fishing communities and cause irreversible damage to sensitive marine habitats.
At the official level, there is recognition that current data on small fishing boats is inadequate, but there has been a lack of urgency to address this critical issue. Historically, small boats in Europe have not been required to use AIS (Automatic Identification System) or VMS (Vessel Monitoring System) trackers, and boats under 10 meters do not currently log their catches. This has led to a significant underestimation of the social, economic, and environmental importance of the inshore and small-scale fleet segment.
Due to the way fleet activity data is currently measured, with the exclusion of small boat activity, there is no comprehensive national picture of where and when this fleet segment operates. This knowledge gap persists despite the fact that vessels under 12 metres make up 88% of the Irish fleet.
To tackle these data gaps, IIMRO has been working on several partnerships. Since March 2022, they have collaborated with CLS in France to field-test the Nemo inshore VMS units in an Irish environment. These small, self-contained units collect fishing activity data that is owned by the fishermen and can be used for a variety of purposes.
Recently, IIMRO has joined the EU Horizon research project consortium called Fish-X, where they will work with other project partners to expand the testing of Nemo iVMS to more IIMRO members across the country. This initiative also involves fishermen and women from Portugal and Croatia.
The experience gained from this research will inform EU policy, helping ensure that any new regulations are practical and workable for those fishing from small boats. For IIMRO members, the data generated will be available as an anonymised footprint, illustrating the scale and scope of small-scale fishing around Ireland’s offshore islands.
This information will be crucial for fisheries co-management in marine protected areas, aiding in the avoidance of areas important for fisheries by the government and the offshore renewable industry. Furthermore, it will enhance fisheries science and document the traditional ecological knowledge of Ireland’s island fishing communities.
As Ireland continues to navigate the complexities of balancing economic development with environmental and community preservation, IIMRO’s efforts represent a significant step towards ensuring that the voices of small fishing communities are heard and considered in marine spatial planning. By leveraging innovative technology and collaborative research, IIMRO aims to safeguard the future of Ireland’s small-scale fisheries while contributing valuable insights to the broader European context.
With the support of EU research initiatives and continued collaboration with international partners, IIMRO is committed to advancing sustainable fishing practices and protecting the livelihoods of small fishing communities. As the blue economy expands, the integration of accurate data and traditional ecological knowledge will be essential in shaping policies that foster both economic growth and environmental stewardship.