Vol. 489 No. 3
33 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the policy, if any, in place in relation to submarines seeking permission for passage through territorial waters, in view of dangers posed by submarines; the estimated unnotified submarine activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7910/98]
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, under international law submarines travelling on the surface have the right of innocent passage, without notification, through territorial waters. They may, on the other hand, pass freely through international waters whether on the surface or submerged.
I, as Minister with responsibility for safety of life at sea as well as for the shipping and fishing sectors, have concerns regarding the dangers posed by submarines and am committed to taking every possible measure to focus the attention of the international maritime community on these hazards and to highlight the need for constant vigilance on the part of those who operate such vessels.
The Deputy will recall it was at the Irish Government's initiative that a resolution was passed unanimously by the General Assembly of the IMO in November 1991 on the avoidance by submerged submarines of fishing vessels and their fishing gear.
The terms of the resolution are first, to ensure that submarines navigating through areas where vessels are known to fish use all available means for determining the presence of such vessels and their fishing gear; second, to ensure that a submerged submarine, if information on the presence of a fishing vessel and its fishing gear is available, will avoid that fishing vessel and any fishing gear connected to it.
