Vol. 512 No. 6
95 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the position in relation to the Foyle fisheries legislation; the plans, if any, to develop links between this fishery and the regional and central boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26831/99]
Under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, the functions of the Foyle Fisheries Commission have been transferred to the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission which is one of the six North-South Implementation Bodies. The relevant fisheries legislation now applies to the Carlingford area as it applied to the Foyle area under the Foyle Fisheries Commission.
Work is proceeding on fresh legislation for the commission to provide for the aquaculture development and licensing functions and for the exercise of a development function in relation to inland fisheries in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. It is hoped that this legislation will be published early in the new year.
At present there are strong links between the commission and the fisheries boards, in particular the Northern Regional Fisheries Board. It is expected that these links will continue to develop very positively given the enhanced functions and geographical scope of the commission as well as given the enhanced roles and remits of the fisheries boards envisaged in the Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 1999.
