Vol. 502 No. 5
47 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the resources available for fishery surveillance; the additional resources, if any, required which would greatly enhance surveillance and reduce fishing offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8635/99]
Land-based surveillance and control of sea fisheries is undertaken primarily by my Department's sea fisheries inspectorate, and control at sea is carried out by the Naval Service and the Air Corps. All the agencies concerned work in close co-operation on an ongoing basis to ensure the most effective deployment and utilisation of the resources and equipment available for sea fisheries protection.
The resources available for land-based sea fisheries protection have improved considerably in recent years, through, for example, the recruitment by my Department of additional sea fisheries officers. The capability for surveillance and control at sea has also been enhanced, and will be further improved by the scheduled delivery later this year of an additional patrol vessel for the Naval Service.
The resource requirements for effective policing of sea fisheries in future will be kept under review, in light, inter alia, of the overall budgetary position and the financial assistance available from the EU towards the significant costs of this work.
