Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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526. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of occasions on which non-Irish registered ships and vessels have been boarded by the Naval Service following which wild salmon has been found to be on board in each of the years 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017; the location in which such discoveries were made on each such occasion; the quantities of said species found to be aboard on each such occasion; the subsequent action taken by authorities following such finds on each such occasion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47821/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 establishes the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) as the competent Authority for securing efficient and effective enforcement of sea fisheries protection legislation and the sustainable exploitation of marine fish resources from the waters around Ireland.  To this end, the SFPA has a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Defence to secure efficient enforcement of sea-fisheries law through support provided by the Defence Forces.I am advised that the Naval Service is empowered to board and inspect all fishing vessel and their cargoes in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). For the period in question, the Military Authorities have informed me that no wild salmon were recorded by the Naval Service during inspections of non -Irish Registered fishing vessels.

The Naval Service will continue to work closely supporting the SFPA in its work to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by any vessel in Irish waters.