Around 30 members gathered in Galway as the IFPO marked fifty years and pressed Marine Minister Timmy Dooley for urgent action on the fishing crisis.
The Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) held its Annual General Meeting today (Friday, 19 June 2026) at the John B. Keane Suite, Harbour Hotel, Galway City. Members took a united approach on the need to urgently address the crisis facing the fishing industry.
IFPO chief executive Aodh O’Donnell said around 30 members attended the AGM, which marked fifty years since the organisation was incorporated.
“We told the Minister that we want to see the new Task Force on fishing report published and implemented urgently. The last thing we need is for another report to sit on a shelf while our industry is literally fighting for its life,” he said.
Representing fishermen and fishing communities around Ireland’s coastline, the IFPO plays a leading role in advocating for the Irish fishing industry at national and European level. It works closely with other fishing sector groups through the Seafood Ireland Alliance (SIA) and is a member of the European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO). In the public sector, it also liaises closely with the Department of the Marine, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Marine Institute.
The AGM brought together members from across the country to discuss key issues affecting the sector, including EU fisheries policy, Seafood Vision 2030, Nephrops stock management, offshore renewable energy developments, and priorities for the year ahead. Members also had an opportunity to share views with India Kennedy, a recent appointment to the team who is based at the organisation’s new lobbying base in Brussels. Raising awareness of the sector’s importance to Ireland’s coastal communities at national and EU level remains a key focus for the Board.
A keynote address was delivered by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Timmy Dooley TD, who gave a progress update on fishing issues in the Programme for Government. The Minister was accompanied by Marine Advisor Tom Tynan, and a questions-and-answers session followed. IFPO Chief Executive Aodh O’Donnell said the meeting came at a pivotal time for the fishing industry as it continues to navigate policy, sustainability, resilience and economic challenges while seeking opportunities for growth and development.
The IFPO was established with EU support as part of the structures needed to implement the Common Fisheries Policy. Formed in 1975, it is the longest-established fish producers’ organisation in the State, with national headquarters in Killybegs, and a new base in Brussels.
