Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is her intention to review the law regarding the operation of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and the use of legal as opposed to administrative sanctions against fishermen; the time frame envisaged for this review; the participants in the review process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16412/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006 was enacted on the 4th of April 2006 and provides for dissuasive and effective penalties for infringements of fisheries law as required under the Common Fisheries Policy.

On foot of the recent Court of Auditors Report on Fisheries control the Commission is proposing wide-ranging proposals to reform and update the EU Fisheries Control framework and it is likely that the issue of harmonised sanctions will be considered in that light. In the interim I have asked my Department to review the operation of sanctions under the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006 in light of experience since its enactment.

Officials of my Department will be consulting with, amongst others, industry representatives, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority itself and the Office of the Attorney-General in the course of their review.