Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keeffe assured that the courts will continue to handle violators of quota and environmental regulations. (Photo: Fine Gael/FIS)

Fisheries bill would sanction minor offences

Fine Gael TD Jim O’Keeffe has pushed for the reform of laws affecting Ireland’s commercial fishers. Ireland is now the European Union’s (EU) only maritime jurisdiction lacking a system of administrative sanctions for certain fishery offences, he said.

“I want to make it clear that neither I, nor Fine Gael, has any interest in introducing a pirates’ charter relating to serious quota and environmental breachers. These are, and will continue to be, dealt with by the courts,’’ O’Keeffe stated.

O’Keeffe moved the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction (Fixed Penalty Notice) (Amendment) Bill 2009, which was debated on last Tuesday and Wednesday in Private Members’ time, reports The Irish Times.

He said the bill would still permit the Naval Service to issue warning notices for suspicious behaviour while maintaining the courts’ jurisdiction. Sanctions were introduced in the form of fixed penalty notices of as much as EUR 1,000 for any single offence.

This system would complement existing legislation instead of replacing it.

The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) backed the bill on Monday. 

“[…] It cannot be that fishermen, making every effort to comply with complex and onerous legislation, would run the risk of having criminal convictions for minor or technical breaches, as is the case now,” said FIF Chairman Lorcán Ó Cinnéide.

“While the Fine Gael Bill may not conclusively deal with the issue due to the EU elements involved, it is a timely and welcome initiative which we consider should  be a positive starting point for real dialogue between Government, opposition and industry to reform Irish law governing fishing penalties,” Ó Cinnéide added. 

O’Keeffe’s party colleague Tom Sheahan, representing Kerry South, expressed support for the bill. He believes implementing it would strongly benefit the fishing community.

“The boats would not be tied up, gear and catch would not be confiscated, and we would not be clogging up the court system,’’ he stated.

Conversely, Minister of State for Fisheries Sean Connick rejected the bill, saying he was not convinced that it would have a positive impact on the recovery of fish stocks. Instead, he believes it could lead to more illegal fishing and further reduce the biomass of stocks.

“The bill does not provide the necessary measures to appropriately regulate fishing activity, and would not give a reasonable level of confidence that illegal fishing would not be rewarded,” he affirmed.

By Natalia Real
editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

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