Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said, the annual control plan is agreed with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority and sets out the strategy for achieving sea fisheries control targets each year. In accordance with the agreement, the 2018 annual control plan has a target range of between 1,090 and 1,267 patrol days. Notwithstanding the challenges encountered in the Naval Service this year, the projected number of patrol days in 2018 is 1,070, or 20 days short of the original target. These are the figures I have received from the Naval Service. The number of patrol days on fisheries and security duties in 2014 was 1,127. In 2015 it was 1,204; in 2016, 1,367 and in 2017, 1,408. At the end of October the figure was 1,345. We have an excellent relationship with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. Discussions with the Naval Service on its fisheries protection service have focused increasingly on the quality of inspections undertaken, rather than the quantity of inspections. It is important that we continue to have that relationship and maintain the number of patrol days.

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