Vol. 484 No. 4
23 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if an application has been received in his Department for the registration of a sea fishing vessel (details supplied); the date the application was received in his Department; if the application is currently being considered and assessed; and if he will approve the registration in this regard. [22238/97]
A new register of fishing vessels was established in December, 1989, pursuant to the Merchant Shipping (Registry, Lettering and Numbering of Fishing Boats) Regulations, 1989 (S.I. No. 344 of 1989). All owners of fishing vessels were obliged to apply to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources within six months to have their vessels registered.
I can confirm for the Deputy an application for registration under the 1989 regulations was duly received from the owner of the vessel in question in March 1990. In making the application the owner indicated that a new engine had been installed in the vessel. The Department subsequently advised the owner that in order to finalise registration the capacity of the vessel's new engine would have to be verified. The Department has written to the owner of the vessel on three occasions between 1990 and 1993 requesting that the engine capacity be verified by the Marine Survey Office. No reply has been received to date. It will not be possible to progress the registration application until the necessary information relating to the engine is supplied by the owner and verified. As soon as that information is supplied the process of registration will be reactivated.
