Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a highly regulated sector because the waters are shared across Europe and there are quotas for the various species. That brings red tape and challenges to everyone working in the sector. There is no doubt it is important to ensure the fish that are there are sustainably fished and we will continue to be able to fish them into the future. In 2006, responsibility for overseeing the enforcement of the regulations imposed on us as a member state was allocated to the SFPA. Its role in our waters is similar to the role of the gardaí in policing our roads, etc. It is a similar function and that is why it is separated from the political system. It has specific legal responsibility for that.