By Ryan Sands
A REVIEW of a stalled programme that includes proposals for the modernisation of Ardglass Harbour is at “an advanced stage”.
This was confirmed by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir this week, after Downpatrick SDLP councillor Aurla King raised concerns about the future of the village harbour.
In a statement, she said that investment promised through the multimillion-pound Fishing and Seafood Development Programme (FSDP) had “still not been delivered” and called for “urgent action to support the fishing industry in Ardglass”.
The minister told the Assembly in November 2024 that the projected cost of the FSDP, which also includes the harbours at Kilkeel and Portavogie, had rocketed from £98m to £143m.
In June 2025, he confirmed that DAERA officials had “commenced a review of the Harbour Development Plan within the original FSDP to determine which elements within the original proposals remain appropriate and, subject to affordability, could be progressed over the next few years”.
Responding to Cllr King on Monday, Mr Muir stated that “work to review the FSDP is at an advanced stage”, adding that “this will help support a resilient and sustainable fishing fleet”.
