Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2017
711. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the current vessel monitoring system reporting interval can be reduced from one-to-two hours to eight minutes for vessel tracking. [10338/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra712. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if switching off the vessel monitoring system and automatic identification system is an offence; and the penalties that result following prosecution. [10339/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 711 and 712 together.
Control of the fishing within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone is a matter for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, operational issues concerning sea fisheries control - such as the Vessel Monitoring System and the Automatic Identification System - are a matter for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. The prosecution of infringements which are an offence under national legislation, implementing EU fisheries regulations or otherwise are carried out on behalf of the State by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Article 18 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 of 8 April 2011 provides that a Union fishing vessel subject to Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) shall not be allowed to leave a port without a fully operational satellite tracking device installed on board.
Article 20 of that Regulation provides inter alia that the master of a Union fishing vessel shall ensure that satellite tracking devices are fully operational at all times.
In relation to frequency of data transmission and reporting intervals, Article 22 of that Regulation provides that each Member State shall ensure that its Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) receives at least once every two hours, through the Vessel Monitoring System the required information. It further provides that the FMC may require that information at shorter time intervals.
The Naval Service acts as the official agency with responsibility for the operation of Ireland's FMC.
