Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

28. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on concerns regarding the movements of the Annelies Ilena and the Margiris motor fishing vehicle, the largest and second largest fishing vessels in the world, and their location and operations in Irish waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41366/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Control of the vessel within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone is a matter for the Irish control authorities who monitor fishing activity of all vessels operating the area. The Control authorities have on-going information in relation to the vessels operating in the Irish Exclusive Fisheries zone including their activities and characteristics. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, all operational issues of this nature concerning sea fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. As Minister, I am precluded from getting involved in operational matters including in relation to law enforcement. The SFPA has advised me that it is currently monitoring the activity of 5 large pelagic freezer trawlers within Irish Exclusive Fisheries Zone. Vessels with the scope to catch large quantities of fish with onboard grading facilities create specific compliance risks therefore justifying specific focus of available control resource. For each of these, I am advised that the SFPA has clarified through contact with the flag state the entitlement of the vessel, and has identified particular compliance risks pertaining to those vessels. Since arrival SFPA has been monitoring these movements in the Irish Exclusive Fisheries zone through VMS and declared catches through ERS. In general terms it advises that its monitoring indicates particular compliance risks around vessels with entitlements for individual species of fish. This risk assessment has informed the SFPA’s identification of some of those vessels as a high priority for at-sea inspection, and aircraft surveillance.

The SFPA is reliant on the seagoing fishery patrol activity of the Naval Service to verify compliance of vessels not landing into Ireland. Boarding vessels of this size at sea creates specific challenges and to date the operational decision of the naval service has been that weather has been too severe. On a risk basis, I am advised that the SFPA and the Naval Service do intend boarding these vessels when possible.

In relation to the overall framework for fisheries control in the EU, in October 2009 a new regulation dealing with fisheries controls was adopted. Council Regulation 1224/2009 establishes a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy. Control and inspection is now focused where it is most effective through an approach based on systematic risk analysis. Inspection procedures are standardised and harmonised for all stages in the market chain, including transport and marketing. The Control Regulations were introduced so that there is a common EU level playing field and to provide for an effective range of controls across EU waters.