This Bill proposes to amend the Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 1959, insofar as that Act dealt with the exclusive fishery limits of the State. As members of Seanad Éireann will know, under the Act the fishery limits were made co-terminous with the territorial seas of the State at 3 miles from the coast, or straight baselines. Under this Bill, it is proposed to extend our exclusive fishery limits to 12 miles. The territorial seas of the State will remain as set out in the 1959 Act at 3 miles. The other matters dealt with in the 1959 Act, and in particular the drawing of baselines, and the Orders made for that purpose under the Act, are not affected by this Bill.
Section 2 of the Bill before you provides for the extension of the fishery limits to 12 miles from the coast or from the straight baselines where such are drawn. As Senators are aware, by means of Orders made under the 1959 Act straight baselines have been drawn around most of our coasts.
Under the provisions of the Fisheries Convention and the associated Agreements and Protocol, which were concluded in London at the beginning of this year, and which we have signed but not yet ratified it is proposed to allow the fishing vessels of States which have habitually fished in particular areas in the six to 12-mile belt between January, 1953 and December, 1962 to continue to fish in those areas. In this context, the Government will be making, as soon as possible, an Order under section 3 (1) of the Bill in respect of Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.
It is also proposed that, in respect of the three to six-mile belt, the fishing vessels of those countries should continue to fish until the end of 1965 where no straight baselines are drawn and until the end of 1966 around the remainder of the coast. This provisional arrangement, which is covered by one of the associated Agreements concluded in London, is intended to allow the fishermen in question a certain period of time to adapt themselves to their exclusion from the areas of the three to six-mile belt in which they have been accustomed to fish. In the circumstances, this is not considered an unreasonable concession.
The Government propose to ratify the London Fisheries Convention as soon as this Bill has been passed and the necessary Orders under it have been made.