Peadar Clohessy
Question:11 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself with the current surveillance by the Navy of the south coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5154/96]
Written Answers. - Fishing Surveillance.
Kathleen Lynch
Question:19 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Defence the number of Naval and Air Corps operations in 1995 aimed at preventing illegal fishing in Irish waters by Spanish vessels; the total cost of such operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5142/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 19 together.
In 1995, Naval Service vessels carried out a total of 83 patrols which involved a total of 1,129 patrol days. The two CASA maritime patrol aircraft carried out 267 patrols involving a total of 1,552 flying hours.
The combination of Naval Service and Air Corps patrols resulted in 7,277 sightings of fishing vessels of which 936 were boarded for inspection by the Naval Service and 51 of these were subsequently detained for alleged breaches of fishery regulations while a further 79 were issued with warning notices in relation to minor offences.
The Naval Service and Air Corps are tasked with ensuring that all fishing vessels operating within Ireland's area of jurisdiction, including the south coast, comply with both EU and national fishery regulations.
The new control measures, including the requirement for fishing vessels to report entry into and exit from Irish waters and the Irish box, introduced from the beginning of this year, will result in more effective enforcement of fisheries regulations by both the Naval Service and the Air Corps.
The overall cost of all Naval Service and Air Corps operations, including fisheries surveillance operations, is met from within various subheads of the Defence Vote. The total cost of the Naval Service in 1995 was approximately £35 million. As the vast bulk of Naval Service activity in 1995 was related to fishery protection it can be taken that the majority of the expenditure was consequently related to fishery protection. The total cost of the Air Corps in 1995 was approximately £37 million. The cost attributable to fisheries patrols is estimated at £5 million based on the fact that such patrols account for some 13.5 per cent of all Air Corps flying operations.