Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the challenges faced by long-standing skippers of Irish vessels by the proposed implementation of SI No. 673 of 2019 - Fishing Vessels (Certification of Deck Officers and Engineer Officers) (Amendment) Regulations 2019; and the acknowledgement and support that can be given to those fishers who purchased vessels and have licences on the basis of regulations that existed prior to the regulations being implemented. [39346/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The change referred to by the Deputy relates to the Fishing Vessels (Certification of Deck Officers and Engineer Officers) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 673/2019) which came into force in December last year implementing EU Directive 2017/159 which aims to improve working and living conditions for fishermen. The Regulations apply to fishing vessels 15m in length or over in order to comply with the EU Directive. It is important that all fishing vessels are manned by a suitably qualified skipper to ensure the safety of the vessel and all of those on board.

With regard to your query in relation to licensing, which is not linked to the qualifications of the skipper, nor these Regulations, any queries should be addressed to the Licensing Authority for Sea-fishing Boats which comes under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Any person having difficulty meeting the requirements of the Regulations, with regard to the qualifications of the skipper, should engage directly with the Marine Survey Office who are the enforcement body with regard to these Regulations.