Lord Mayor of Cork Welcomes EU Fisheries Ministers to City Hall for Key Meeting

29/07/2026

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Damian Boylan, has welcomed fisheries ministers from across the EU to City Hall today for their informal AGRIFISH Fisheries meeting. 

Chaired by Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, the meeting has brought together fisheries ministers, European Commission officials and invited institutional representatives to discuss the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.

The discussion will include consideration of how the Union can sustainably develop its fisheries and aquaculture sectors and ensure that the important role of these sectors is appropriately reflected in the regulatory framework.

Ministers visited Kinsale on Tuesday before the Lord Mayor welcomed them to Cork City at an event in University College Cork that evening.

The Lord Mayor, and the Deputy Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Brian Geaney, formally welcomed Minister Heydon, and Minister of State for Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, to City Hall on Wednesday morning before the Lord Mayor welcomed the EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, and the individual ministers and officials from across the EU.

The Lord Mayor explained how the AGRIFISH meeting was taking place in a city which a deep connection to the river Lee, which flows into one of the world’s greatest natural harbours, and in a county studded with fishing communities whose love of and connection to the sea also runs deep.

“The sea has shaped our county and our city - indeed it has shaped our way of life,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Cork is therefore a fitting place to gather to discuss the future of fisheries and our shared marine resources. 

“The waters that surround us provide livelihoods and sustain communities that have looked to the sea for generations.

“Yet we are acutely aware that these marine resources are precious and fragile. 

“Climate change - and Cork knows more than most Irish cities about flooding - biodiversity loss and pressures on our marine ecosystems present profound challenges that demand careful stewardship and collective action. 

“The work of Fisheries Ministers has perhaps never been more important. 

“The discussions taking place at meetings like this will help the future of our seas, our own futures, balancing sustainability with the needs of fishing communities, and ensuring that future generations can continue to benefit from the rich resources of our shared waters.”