Skip to main content
Normal View

Fisheries Offences

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 December 2013

Thursday, 12 December 2013

Questions (30)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

30. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections and detentions of Dutch pelagic fishing vessels that have taken place in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53136/13]

View answer

Written answers

Control of the fishing within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone is a matter for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, operational issues concerning sea fisheries control are a matter for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. The prosecution of fisheries infringements are carried out on behalf of the State by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In October 2009, the EU adopted a new regulation dealing with fisheries controls in the EU. Council Regulation 1224/2009 establishes a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy. Control and inspection is now focused where it is most effective through an approach based on systematic risk analysis. Inspection procedures are standardised and harmonised for all stages in the market chain, including transport and marketing. This new control regulation complements the IUU fishing regulation Council Regulation 1005/2008 which establishes a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. These regulations were introduced so that there is a common EU level playing field and to provide for effective range of controls across EU waters. It applies to fishing activities in Community waters as well those carried out by Community fishing in the maritime waters under the jurisdiction or sovereignty of third countries and of the high seas. The focus of the control regulation is to create a level playing field which is necessary to give confidence to the industry so that they understand that all community vessels and third country vessels operating in EU waters are subject to the same level of control, and that there is equality of treatment for all vessels no matter where they operate.

As part of this common approach provided for in the Control regulation, I will shortly introduce a statutory instrument to provide for a points system which will apply to license holders of fishing vessels when a serious infringements of the Common Fisheries Policy is detected within the Exclusive Fishery Limits of the State.

The accumulation of points for persistent serious infringements of the Common Fisheries Policy will lead to the suspension of a sea fishing boat license for a period from 2 months to one year. In extreme cases persistent serious fisheries infringements could lead to a permanent withdrawal of a license.

I am confident that this measure which is confined to serious infringement combined with the deterrent level of sanctions for such serious offences will help address persistent overfishing by all vessels operating in rich fishing grounds around Ireland.

Finally, as I advised the Seanad recently, I intend to introduce a fixed penalty notice system, modelled on the points system for traffic offences, for minor fishery offences in the near future.

Top
Share