Ireland Area 7 prawn - trawl

Update Jan 2025. Although the FIP has been making good progress, the projected timelines included at the outset of the project were too short and more time is needed to achieve the FIP objectives. The FIP in particular is making progress and further developing its work on trials of selective gear, collecting data on utilisation of selective gears in the fleet and overcoming barriers to uptake of these gears and exploring how the use of such gears can both reduce unwanted catches and have a positive impact on primary, secondary and out of scope species. The second main action relates to developments in habitat and VMEs. There are several scientific projects due to commence in 2025 related to habitat mapping, the effects of fisheries on habitats and how to protect and designate sensitive habitats. The Irish government are to introduce The Marine Protected Areas Bill, this bill will set out different degrees of protection, which will be linked to the sensitivity and fragility of the habitats or species being protected within the MPA. All of the above relate to the outcome, management and information on in-scope species, out of scope species, habitats and VMEs. It will take time for these projects and legal processes to manifest into changes within the fishery and the FIP require adequate time to align these works with the FIP workplan. The final action which necessitates a timeline extension is the ongoing works under the Irish FIP social program. The FIP will only submit the Social Risk Assessment and Social Workplan in Jan 2025 which under the current projected end date does not provide sufficient time to conduct an annual social review or to effectively develop actions under the social workplan. An employment permit system to replace the Atypical workers scheme was only introduced in the latter part of 2024 and the FIP wish to incorporate the adoption of this system into the annual social review.