Vol. 478 No. 4
272 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for the Marine the action, if any, he is prepared to take in order to prevent the under-reporting of catches in Irish waters by other EU countries, in particular by the Spanish; if he will repeal regulation 101/76, especially article 2.1; the proposals, if any, he has to renegotiate the control of our own waters out to 200 miles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11399/97]
Under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) access to inshore waters is restricted by way of derogation from the equal access principle enshrined in Council Regulation 101/76. In practice fishing between six and 12 miles is restricted to the small vessels of member states on the basis of traditional or historic fishing rights. Fishing within six miles is reserved exclusively for the fishermen of the coastal State.
The legal position is that this derogation pertains until the end of 2002, the CFP Review date, when unless the Council of Ministers decide to the contrary the general principle of freedom of access to fishing grounds irrespective of nationality will apply as it does now to zones beyond the 12 mile belt. The Irish position is that the present regime for six and 12 miles should remain in place. This is the position of member states generally.
Ireland is responsible for the control and enforcement of National and EU fishing regulations out to the 200 miles limit. The Naval Service, the Air Corps and the Department are working intensively together to ensure that all our fishery surveillance resources are deployed to maximum effect.
Additional EU measures including the introduction of satellite monitoring together with real-time catch reporting which are scheduled for 1998, will further enhance our ability to monitor and tackle illegal fishing activity and in particular the problem of under recording catches.
