MOVES to tackle illegal mackerel landings by the Irish fleet into Scotland are being tackled.
Some Irish mackerel allocations are being reduced following UK police investigations and reporting of undeclared illegal landings into Scottish processing companies by Irish pelagic fishing vessels, it emerged tonight.
A press statement from the Irish fisheries authorities said that the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, John Browne had arranged for officials to meet and advise fishing industry representatives of the policy he has adopted for the management of the reduced mackerel quota for the autumn fishery.
Following consideration of the issues involved and options available in the context of Ireland's obligations under the Common Fisheries Policy, the Minister had adopted a policy to address the reductions to Ireland's mackerel quota in 2006. The Minister will apply deductions to the allocations of those vessel owners in respect of whom he is satisfied, following full consideration of representations made to him by them, have breached Community regulations and landed undeclared mackerel. The Minister will write immediately to the individual vessel owners involved in order to examine such representations as may be made on an individual basis. Having considered these, he will make the requisite adjustments in respect of the management of the autumn fishery. Any balance of the 6,578 tonnes deduced from Ireland's 2006 mackerel quota, which is not met following the applications of these reductions to the allocations of vessel owners who the Minister is satisfied breached Community Regulations and landed mackerel illegally, will be applied to the other vessels in the RSW Pelagic fleet on a pro rata basis.
Discussions are ongoing with the EU Commission in relation to the methodology, scaling and timing of deductions in respect of undeclared landings in the period 2001 - 2004 as indicated as a result of the UK investigations The matter of addressing any reductions to Ireland's future mackerel quota to address the reported undeclared illegal landings in the period 2001 - 2004 will fall for consideration at a future date.
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