Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2078. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a proposed ban applies to the registered length or the actual length of a vessel with regard to a six-mile limit for fishing vessels over 18 metres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33093/19]
View answerThe information the Deputy has requested is contained in Sea Fishing Boat Licensing Policy - Policy Directive 1/2019, which provides that vessels over 18m LOA (Length Overall) will be excluded from trawling activity inside six nautical miles, including inside the baselines, from 1 January 2020.
It also provides that, without prejudice to an existing licence condition restricting access to this zone, Polyvalent and RSW Pelagic Vessels over 18m LOA targeting sprat shall be permitted to operate trawl or seine nets inside the six nautical mile zone, including inside the baselines, up to and including 31 December 2021 subject to the following catch limits - up to 2,000 tonnes of sprat will be permitted for over 18m LOA vessels inside 6 nautical miles and the baselines during 2020, reducing to 1,000 tonnes in 2021, with all trawling activity by over 18m LOA vessels inside six nautical miles, including inside the baselines, being entirely curtailed from 2022 onwards.
