Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the situation in relation to the Bass (restrictions on sale) Order and Bass Fishing Conservation By-Law; if his attention has been drawn to the advice from the Fisheries Science Service of The Marine Institute that the regulation should remain and be enforced; if there are plans to renew this order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8426/07]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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There are three measures in place at present to protect sea bass:

1. The Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006, which replaced the 1990 Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Order, and which prohibit the commercial fishing of sea bass by Irish sea fishing boats;

2. The Bass (Restriction on Sale) Order, which prohibits the sale or offer for sale of bass (other than bass which has been imported into the State) from 1st day of July of each year to 30th day of June the next year;

3. The Bass Fishing Conservation By Law, which imposes a bag limit on anglers — currently two bass in any one period of twenty four hours, and provides for a ban on angling for bass during the spawning season, usually 15th May to 15th June each year.

The domestic conservation measures for sea bass are kept under review on an annual basis, in light of scientific assessments of the state of sea bass stocks by the Central Fisheries Board and the Marine Institute, as well as assessments of the impact of commercial fishing effort on sea bass stocks by other Member States.

Before the expiry of the current provisions I will be seeking the relevant advice on the current state of the Bass stock and I will make a decision on the matter on the basis of that advice.