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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 3

Written Answers - Harassment of Fishing Vessels.

Austin Deasy

Question:

70 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Defence if the Naval Service have received any reports in recent weeks about intimidation, from Irish skippers regarding the activities of Spanish and French trawlers within the Irish economic zone as reported in a national newspaper (details supplied) on 9 May 2000; and, if so, the action taken. [13657/00]

The Naval Service received notification from the Irish Coast Guard on 2 May 2000 of an incident involving the alleged harassment of the Irish fishing vessel the Martha David by the French fishing vessel the Magdeleine off the south west coast. The LE Ciara proceeded to the scene and Naval Service personnel boarded both vessels. Statements were taken from the skippers and these have been forwarded to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources for further action. The Naval Service has stated that there was no damage to property or injury to any person as a result of this incident.

The present position in so far as the Naval Service is concerned is that its powers are restricted to inspection, investigation and detention in cases where there are suspected breaches of fisheries legislation e.g. log-book infringements, etc. Where incidents such as harassment of fishing vessels at sea are reported, a Naval Service vessel is deployed to the scene to investigate. As the Naval Service has no powers to police such incidents, action by Naval Service personnel is confined to the taking of statements from the skippers of the relevant fishing vessels, or alternatively, reporting on such incidents if the Naval Service was present at the time the incident occurred.

The Deputy will be aware, however, that my colleague, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources has recently announced that he will shortly bring forward a proposal to Government on draft legislation to give effect to Article 101, relating to piracy, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to protect fishermen from harassment and intimidation. This is designed to enable the State, through the Naval Service, to arrest vessels for breaches of UNCLOS Article 101. It is envisaged that the proposed new legislation will empower the Naval Service to detain, escort into port and hand over to the Garda authorities any vessel involved in harassment or intimidation, both inside and outside the 12 mile limit.

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