Border Midlands West - PEA

Question 1

Agriculture - Physical

Answer 1

• Wet climate, varied relief + poor soils = problem for development of agriculture
• The EU classifies much of the land as disadvantaged for farming
• Pastoral farming - sheep reared in highlands - cows in lowlands
• Boulder clay land used for pastoral farming
• Poultry + Mushroom production found in BMW - Eg: Monaghan Mushrooms
• Farmers in BMW are more scattered

Question 2

Agriculture - Human

Answer 2

• Due to bad land - EU funds farmers - ensures they are able to improve land
• Poor land = incomes are lower than GDA for farmers - EU funding
• Donegal - 46% farmers = > 50 years old
• Monaghan mushrooms = 3000 jobs
• EU funding = 70% of farm incomes

Question 3

Fishing - Physical

Answer 3

• Rich fishing grounds of North Atlantic - influenced by North Atlantic Drift - Rich in plankton due to continental shelf + Indented coast
• Killybegs = Chief fishing port in Ireland

Question 4

Fishing - Human

Answer 4

• Key source of income to the region
• Very few alternative employment opportunities
• Donegal most dependant on fishing industry
• Fishing in Killybegs generates €50 million /yr
• Killybegs = centre of Irish Pelagic fleet
• 60% employment in Donegal is in Pelagic fishing
• Aquaculture is becoming more important in Mayo
• 60% of BIM funding for training, etc = spent in this region