In terms of Natura sites under the Birds and Habitat Directives, sites are designated by Ireland inside our 6 miles coastal zone and the freezer fleets do not have access to this zone. In addition, within the 6 to 12 miles zone access is restricted to the south coast. Ireland has designated Natura sites in off shore waters to protect vulnerable deep-sea habitats. This Department is not responsible for the designation of Natura sites.
Under the Common Fisheries Policy, Council Regulation (EC) No 812/2004 of 26/4/2004 sets down measures concerning incidental catches of cetaceans in fisheries. The Regulation requires that, inter alia, Member States design and implement monitoring schemes for incidental catches of cetaceans using observers on board the vessels flying their flag and with an overall length of 15m or more, for defined fisheries. The fisheries subject to this requirement includes pelagic fisheries.
The Regulation does not require that every vessel carries an observer and the Regulation puts the obligation on the Flag Member State to design and implement the scheme rather than the vessel or the coastal state in whose waters the fishing takes place. It is a matter of competence for the Flag Member State of the vessel concerned to ensure that observers are onboard where required under their national scheme. Ireland has submitted its Annual report for 2014 to the EU Commission in respect of the Irish fishing fleet.
