Vol. 509 No. 5
69 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the number of flagships fined for overfishing during the years ending September 1998 and September 1999; and if his attention has been drawn to any licences for vessels involved which have been revoked by the national authority in the country of registration. [20737/99]
Twenty-one fishing vessels registered in other countries were detained by the Irish authorities in the period from October 1997 to September 1998, and 15 such vessels were detained in the year ending in September 1999. Of these 36 vessels, ten were UK-registered Spanish boats.
The detentions in two years arose from suspected fisheries offences which included log book infringements, retention on board of undersize fish and failure to make mandatory entry-exit reports. Fines and forfeitures ranging from £100 to £137,365 were imposed by the courts in 30 cases, two vessels were released without charge and formal written warnings were issued to four others.
