Vol. 554 No. 5
113 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the reported plans by the EU Commission for European navies to patrol Irish waters as part of joint fishery inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17057/02]
The Commission's proposals for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, include measures to strengthen control and enforcement. The measures include the establishment of a joint inspection structure at Community level, which will pool national means of inspection and surveillance and manage them within a Community framework. The Commission has indicated that establishment of a joint inspection structure will not change the distribution of existing responsibilities between the Commission and the member states in which the member states are primarily responsible for the control and enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy.
Ireland has for many years been at the forefront in pressing for a more efficient and effective control and enforcement regime under the Common Fisheries Policy and an even handed approach to the implementation of control and enforcement measures across the Community. As the waters around Ireland are rich fishing grounds where many fleets operate, the protection of fish stocks against illegal fishing activity is critical for the maintenance of Ireland's peripheral coastal communities, which are dependent on these fishing grounds. It is also critical that a level playing field applies across the Community so that fishermen have confidence in the system.
I am, therefore, generally supportive of proposals to strengthen control and enforcement. However, there are a number of significant issues in relation to the Commission's proposals, including jurisdictional and sovereignty aspects, which must be examined in depth. I would not support measures that remove member states' responsibility within the respective exclusive economic zones. It is important to bear in mind that the feasibility and practicality of the Commission's proposals are still being examined at a technical and legal level and, accordingly, have not yet been debated in detail by Council. This examination is proceeding against the backdrop of differing legal systems prevailing in member states and also a number of other important and broader issues concerning respective competencies of member states and Community institutions. Accordingly, I am not in a position to give a definitive assessment of or response to the Commission's proposals at this juncture.
