Pat the Cope has welcomed an announcement by the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) that they in conjunction with Norwegian firm Biomarine Science Technology have agreed to develop the world’s largest bio-marine ingredients facility in Killybegs.
The proposed facility will have the capacity to process 50,000t of raw material, which to a large extent will include boar fish and other species such as blue whiting.
Pat the Cope was centrally involved in introducing legislation in the European Parliament in 2011, which facilitated the exploitation of the boar fishery by ensuring the use of the most appropriate fishing gear type.
This helped Ireland to secure 70% of the Total Allowable Catch for the entire fishery. It would not be possible to establish such a facility, if not for the exceptionally high quota which Ireland secured. This is in no small measure due to the years of exploratory fishing by a number of vessels in the Irish Pelagic fleet, according to Pat the Cope.
Pat the Cope has paid tribute to the KFO for attracting an international partner specialising in bio marine ingredients. This is a welcome jobs boost for Killybegs and the County of Donegal which will result in the creation of up to 50 jobs during the construction phase and a further 70 direct and indirect jobs when it goes into full production stated Pat the Cope.
