Due to the Covid crisis there were no face-to-face meetings of the Irish Tuna FIP held in this period. However due to the fact there was essentially one main action required of the FIP, to fill the bycatch data gap, virtual meetings during this period were held between FIP coordinators, BIM and Marine Institute staff, a fisheries observer and individual fishing skippers focussed on addressing this issue. As can be seen in detail from the progress update on the workplan page, these meetings were succesful in getting the necessary data and funding has been secured to ensure that the data collection work continues in 2022.

Meeting 2

Date: 31st May 2019

Location: BIM Offices, Castletownbere, Co. Cork

Action Items:

1. A draft 2019 Tuna FIP Work plan was circulated and discussed.
2. It was agreed that the main action item in the work plan would be the provision of data on non-target species which was identified as an issue in the MSC pre-assessment report.
3. Due to changes in fishing patterns where vessels have been landing in French and Spanish ports there has been a decrease in observer coverage. The FIP meeting agreed that an observer scheme which could address this change in fishing pattern would be set up.
4. A voluntary self-sampling data collection initiative will be established in the meantime.
5. A summary document would be developed in order to inform buyers, processors and retailers of what the FIP is doing in order to promote sustainability in the fishery. 

Meeting 1

Date: 22nd May 2018

Location: Irish South and West Offices, Castletownbere, Co. Cork

Action Items:

1. Draft Workplan to be developed.
2. Communication piece to be developed for FIP members to use on their websites.
3. MSC pre-assessment report to be funded by BIM