Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if licences for fishing vessels that are due to expire or expired in September 2020 will be extended to the end of 2020 due to the lack of fishing opportunity in 2020 due to Covid-19 and collapsed markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30526/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Section 3 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003 transferred the functions of sea-fishing boat licensing from the Minister to the Licensing Authority for Sea-fishing Boats. The Licensing Authority operates on an independent basis subject to criteria set out in that Act and Ministerial Policy Directives. The Licensing Authority is the Registrar General of Fishing Boats, an official of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine or, under the superintendence of the Registrar General, the Deputy Registrar General of Fishing Boats. All applications for sea-fishing boat licences are considered by the Licensing Authority.

I am advised by the Registrar General that to receive a Sea Fishing Boat Licence, all vessels must have valid fishing vessel safety certification. Fishing vessel safety certification is solely a matter for the Marine Survey Office (MSO) which is an office of the Department of Transport. Vessels that are in the 15-24 metre category must hold a valid Fishing Vessel Safety Certificate issued by the Marine Survey Office while vessels in the greater than or equal to 24 metre category must hold a valid Certificate of Compliance issued by the Marine Survey Office (MSO). The Licensing Authority does not have any power to issue or extend Fishing Vessel Safety Certificates.

Qualifying sea fishing vessels in both the 15-24 metre category and in the greater than or equal to 24 metre category whose fishing vessel safety certification was valid as of 30/09/2020 were automatically issued a new sea-fishing boat licence in September 2020. Qualifying Vessels <15 metre in length had their licences renewed automatically in June 2020.

Updated fishing vessel safety certification details received from the Marine Survey Office that result in a vessel becoming compliant for a new licence are promptly processed upon receipt by the Licensing Authority.