FIVE more ports - including three in Donegal - have been added to a list of harbours in the Republic where Northern Ireland-registered fishing vessels can land their catch.
The move, which comes into effect on February 1, follows claims by crews from Donegal off-shore islands that their safety was being put at risk by new Brexit rules.
Since January 1, non-EU registered boats could only land their catches at Killybegs in Co Donegal or Castletownbere in Co Cork.
This involved an extra six-hour journey through dangerous seas for fishing crews from Aranmore, Tory and Inishboffin islands whose boats had been registered in Northern Ireland.
Many of the vessels were already registered in the north when they were purchased and, as the cost of re-registering was high, owners maintained the original registration.
John O’Brien from Inishboffin said it meant he had to undertake a much longer journey through seas which were “a graveyard” for small boats to land his catch at Killybegs.
The new Brexit rules also applied to fishing crews from Coleraine and elsewhere on the north coast who often land their catches at Greencastle in Inishowen.
However, under new rules approved by the Dublin government, Greencastle, Burtonport and Rathmullan in Co Donegal, along with Rossaveal in Galway and Howth in Co Dublin, have been added to the list of designated ports.
Minister for the Marine Charlie McConalogue, who is from Inishowen in Co Donegal, said he added the five extra ports for 'international' landings after detailed consultation with the fishing industry.
The Fianna Fáil TD added that as a result of Brexit, additional paperwork would be required.
Skippers will also only be able to land their catches Monday to Friday between 2pm and 8pm due to oversight issues.
“I think this is an accommodation and a move which will now mean that they will be able to operate,” the minister said.
