SFPA says Killybegs fish can be weighed in water

The authority said this was not a requirement under the terms of an interim Fisheries Control Plan as approved by the European Commission.

The SFPA issued the clarification after Donegal T.D. Pearse Doherty complained that '950 tonnes of blue whiting' were landed at Derry rather than Killybegs due to a wrangle over weighing.

Processors at Killybegs have complained that the fish needed to be weighed with chilled water in order to prevent them being spoiled.

But the SFPA said this was an option that was available at the south Donegal port.

"To meet the requirements of the Interim Control Plan, operators may select one of two options for conducting this weighing before transport: Water in Tare Weight and Water in Nett Weight. To preserve the quality of the catch, fish are in water when weighed in both options," the SFPA said.

"For absolute clarity there is no requirement in either instance for the fish to be weighed dry. Vessel masters and operators in Killybegs can avail of an industry-owned pierside device to separate water from fish as it exits the vessel before discharging directly into a tanker pre-filled with water which is then weighed on the weighbridge (Water in Tare Weight). Alternatively, the fish can be weighed on the weighbridge without using the industry-owned pierside device (Water in Nett Weight).

"The Water in Nett Weight method brings greater challenge in managing the amount of water present in order to maintain fish quality while ensuring the accuracy of fish weight," " the spokesperson added.

The SFPA said this was one of two options was available to the MFV Ingrid Majala - the ship that sailed to Derry this week - at Killybegs.

The authority explained how in there are in the region of 20,000 landings of fish in Ireland per annum.

Around 600 are bulk landings of Pelagic fish such as Mackerel, Horse Mackerel, Herring or Blue Whiting.

"Under the terms of the interim Fisheries Control Plan as approved by the European Commission, only 5% of bulk landings of Pelagic fish – an estimated 30 landings annually – are subject to a full inspection which includes supervising the weighing before transport of the catch.

"The other 95% of bulk landings of Pelagic fish – an estimated 570 landings annually – can avail of the exemption of weighing of fishery products after transport in Ireland secured under the interim Fisheries Control Plan. Several bulk pelagic vessels which docked in Killybegs harbour over the past week availed of this exemption," the SFPA said.

The authority pointed out how the EU Commission revoked of Ireland’s weighing-after-transport Control Plan in April 2021 due to concerns about inaccurate weighing.