European Communities (Workers on Board Sea Going Fishing Vessels) (Organisation of Working Time) Regulations 2003. These Regulations were introduced by the then Minister with responsibility for Fisheries, Dermot Ahern TD. The regulations introduced several provisions of European Law and created several obligations on the Master of a Sea Fishing vessel registered in Ireland. The... Read More
At the beginning of the year, work commenced on a new draft regulation which effectively will become a super regulation. This regulation is an attempt by Brussels to harmonise the approach taken to the common fisheries policy. It is hoped by the authors of this regulation, that it will achieve ‘ high standards and... Read More
Boarding ladder causes a stumble but not a tumble….. An Irish Sea Fishing vessel was prosecuted for failing to provide an adequate boarding ladder when asked to do so by a Naval boarding party. The request was made in the course of a routine inspection. The Boarding party immediatly commented on the ladder, but... Read More
A French Fishing vessel which had been detained and proscuted for Fishing Offences relating to the use of a prohibited in ICES Zone VIIj has seen the prosecution withdrawn. The Skipper of the vessel had been prosecuted under EC Regulation 494/2002 for using a Fishery net prohibited by Article 5.2 of the Regualtion. The... Read More
Change of Prosecutor As and from the 1st August 2009, the Attorney General, has been replaced by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The changeover means several things in relation to sea fishery prosecutions. It is best to explain the changes in the context of how a sea fishery prosecution progresses. Where the Navy detains... Read More
We are not looking for just another reform, we are asking questions even on the fundamentals of the current policy and should leave no stone unturned. – Maritime commissioner Joe Borg. On the 25th of May 2009 in a Speech given by the Commissioner to the Fisheries Council, Brussels, he also addressed the question... Read More
The European Commission has proposed under the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species (CITES) that there would be a ban on the sale of Bluefin Tuna until such time as it is removed from the list of species that are under threat of extinction. The proposal is to list Atlantic Bluefin Tuna which... Read More
High Court Holds Minister wrongfully withdrew Fishing Authorisation In a recent decision handed down by the High Court, the Court was asked to deal with the manner in which the Department had dealt with an application for a Tuna Authorisation which the Department tried to set aside. The Court held in the case that... Read More
It’s no great news…..that the Irish government is not in the best odour with anyone at the moment so far as its performance is concerned. It’s also fair to say that so far as Fisherman are concerned, this simply means that everyone else has come around to their pre-existing point of view. The latest... Read More
In order to give some pointers as to what needs to be considered when you are buying or selling a trawler, the easiest way to do so is to look at it from the purposes of buying a boat and then highlight what is different about selling a boat. The primary rule in any... Read More
