asked the Minister for External Affairs if he is aware that the Danish Government have now extended their fishing limits from three to twelve miles; and if he will preserve a 12 mile limit of Irish territorial waters for the exclusive use of Irish fishermen.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Territorial Waters.
10.
The Government in 1965 reserved for the exclusive use of our fishermen the largest area permissible under the terms of the European Fisheries Convention. No foreign vessel has the right to fish within the six mile belt. Within the six to 12 mile belt, however, as in the case of Denmark and other signatory countries there are reserved to certain States restricted rights to fish as provided in the Convention. These restricted rights are granted only to those States who have established that they have habitually been fishing in certain defined areas within this belt between 1953 and 1962.
The Danes have not extended their exclusive fishery limits on their Baltic coast. It still remains three miles.