Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the details provided by the Deputy describe, this time five years ago, in December 2018, a transition to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines, was announced by my predecessor. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings following a Judicial Review taken by two fishermen challenging the validity of the Policy Directive which underpinned the initiative. The outcome of these proceedings is that Policy Directive 1 of 2019 has been quashed by an Order of Certiorari made by the Court of Appeal.

As I have previously put on record on this issue, I have asked my Department to request updated analysis of trawling in inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines from the Marine Institute and from Bord Iascaigh Mhara. I am conscious of the dependence of our inshore fleet, compared to larger vessels, on fishing resources within the six nautical mile zone. Other issues that need to be reflected on include balancing the management of our fisheries with the needs of the marine ecosystem and particularly with the forthcoming introduction of legislation for Marine Protected Areas.