Ireland’s first marine national park

Sir, – As a native of Dingle town, I commend the announcement of Ireland’s first marine national park, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara (“Broad welcome for creation of first marine national park”, April 23rd), incorporating the seas off the Dingle Peninsula. The area deserves this recognition at both national and international levels.

I would urge Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien to take a short sea voyage beyond the national park to witness the continual pillage and erosion of our sea fisheries by foreign trawlers on a daily basis.

The Dingle fishing fleet once hosted 20 large trawlers – today it has six – and was ranked third in the white fish industry in Ireland at one time. Nowadays, one can view the European-registered lorries transporting Irish fish catches directly to Europe. – Yours, etc,

DAN GRAHAM,

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Limerick.

A chara, – Is the announcement of Ireland’s first marine national park a noisy spring moment? A park that is expected to increase the sound of tourism while protecting biodiversity. – Is mise,

DERMOT O’ROURKE,

Lucan,

Co Dublin.