Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The objective of this section is to make two amendments to section 15 of the Act of 2006, which provides for national regulatory measures to supplement the Common Fisheries Policy. Section 15 of that Act provides that the Minister may supplement the Common Fisheries Policy and, by regulations, prescribe national measures for the protecting and conserving of fish stock. Section 5(a) amends section 15(1)(c) of the 2006 Act to provide that the Minister may make regulations to supplement the Common Fisheries Policy and this will also apply to fishing by means other than using a vessel, such as hand gathering of fish, for example. The power to regulate such activities is absent in the 2006 Act as it stands and this section would correct that. These activities can have significant impacts on the stocks concerned. Accordingly, scope is required to regulate these activities effectively under the Act. Section 5(b) is a drafting amendment to section 15(2)(a)(i) of the Act of 2006. It is necessary to specifically include the term "fishing gear", which is not specifically covered by the term "equipment", as defined by section 6 of the Act of 2006. No amendments have been proposed here today to alter this section in any way. We are simply proposing the section for approval.