CASTLETOWNBERE, which was once the country’s top fishing port, is coming in at second place behind Killybegs in Donegal.
Central Statistics Office figures show just over 11,200 tonnes of fish was landed by Irish vessels in 2021 in the port.
This is a slight increase on 2020 but overall the numbers continue to decrease year-on-year since 2012 when over 28,000 tonnes of fish was landed by Irish vessels.
The figures are concerning, says Patrick Murphy of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation. ‘My fear is that these numbers will continue to fall and that our coastal communities will be wiped out. Year-on-year the amount of Irish fish being landed by foreign vessels is increasing and the Irish fishing industry is being destroyed.’
