Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
460. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections of Irish fishing vessels that have taken place in each of the past 20 years by his Department; the number of prosecutions taken by the State against Irish fishers during this period; the scale of infringements and penalties in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42614/20]
View answer461. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections of foreign fishing vessels that have taken place in each of the past 20 years by his Department; the number of prosecutions taken by the State against non-Irish fishers during this period; the scale of infringements and penalties in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42615/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 460 and 461 together.
The monitoring and control of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone are law enforcement matters for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, all operational matters are exclusively the responsibility of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. Under the Act, I am expressly precluded from getting involved in operational matters in relation to sea fisheries control.
Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's requests to the SFPA for attention and direct reply.
