European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has recommended that the EU fisheries council should “proactively” release documents on annual fishing quota negotiations into the public domain writes Lorna Siggins

Ms O’Reilly has ruled that the documents should be made public at the same time as they are circulated to member states, or “as soon as possible thereafter”.

She said that releasing the relevant documents while the decision-making process was continuing aimed to “promote greater transparency of environmental information”.

Her recommendation follows a complaint by non-profit environmental law organisation ClientEarth, which has offices in London, Brussels, Warsaw, Berlin and Beijing.

Welcoming the EU Ombudsman’s decision, ClientEarth said that the move could “open up the current opaque decision-making process, which blocks public scrutiny and keeps member state positions secret”.

Ms O’Reilly began her investigation last May after the lawyers’ organisation raised the issue of “many years of unexplained fishing quotas, set above the scientific advice for the recovery and long-term sustainability of fish populations”.

In her ruling, Ms O’Reilly said that she had “already taken the view that having a complete and accessible public register is key to transparency”.

“To enable the public to exercise fully the right to access documents, all documents produced and/or circulated in preparatory bodies should be listed in a public register, irrespective of their format and whether they are fully or partially accessible or not accessible at all,” her ruling stated

“ In addition, in order to enable the public to access these documents, they must be easy to find on the (EU) Council’s website. Only through a complete and accessible register of documents can the public get a proper overview of deliberations taking place in preparatory bodies,” she stated.

ClientEarth environmental democracy lawyer Anne Friel said that the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation “couldn’t have come at a more crucial moment for the EU’s fish stocks, as 2020 is the legal deadline to end overfishing”.

“If EU ministers are to meet this deadline, public scrutiny of the decision-making process is vital,” she said.

“Publishing meeting documents that show member states’ positions in a timely manner would help the public participate in the decision-making process and hold governments to account,” Ms Friel said.

“Being more transparent would also incentivise ministers to follow advice from scientists rather than caving to industry demands,” she said.

Last week, the European Commission published its proposal for fishing opportunities in 2020 for 72 stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea.

It said that for 32 stocks the fishing quota is “either increased or remains the same”, while for 40 stocks “the quota is reduced”.

The European Commission said that sustainable fishing “has made substantial progress, with 59 stocks being fished at maximum sustainable yield levels this year - up from 53 in 2018 and compared to only five stocks in 2009.

“This means that the fishing pressure on the stocks is limited to a level that will allow a healthy future for the fish stocks' biomass while taking into account socio-economic factors,” it said.

It said it was “working with member states to support the fishermen in reaching the objective of fishing all stocks at sustainable levels by 2020, as set by the Common Fisheries Policy.

“ As the size of some key fish stocks is increasing – for instance, haddock in the Celtic Sea and sole in the Bristol Channel– so has the profitability of the fishing sector, with an estimated €1.3 billion gross profit for 2019,” the Commission said.

Fisheries ministers meet on December 16th and 17th in Brussels to determine quotas for next year, with Britain participating due to the Brexit negotiation extension.

ClientEarth called on the EU fisheries council to “implement the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation immediately and publish all relevant documents on fishing limits as soon as they are circulated in the council”.

Ireland’s first accredited fishmonger qualification has been launched today in the fishing port of Howth, Co Dublin. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency, has developed the Certificate in Fishmonger Skills accredited by nationally and internationally recognised Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

Ian Mannix, BIM described how the aim of the training is to retain and attract talent into the industry. He said:

“ Today’s consumer has come to expect their fishmonger to have a broad knowledge of seafood. They want them to be able to advise them when they are at the counter. This new programme will provide solid, fully certified training to anyone working in seafood retailing; practical skills they can then apply in the industry Moreover, improved skills in the workplace will ultimately lead to better sales and better retention of staff.”

The new training combines practical and classroom learning and includes modules on seafood labelling, nutrition and food safety. The programme also includes hands-on demonstrations in fish fileting and culinary skills and is aimed at existing staff in seafood retailing or those interested in pursuing a career in the industry.

Master fishmonger, Hal Dawson is one of the trainers on the new programme. He has worked in the seafood industry since 1972. He said:

“ The new course will provide professionalism within the industry. Having this qualification on your cv, will give fishmongers a real advantage.”

The value of seafood retail sales in 2018 was €297 million according to the BIM Business of Seafood report. Sales of loose fish experienced the sharpest increase (+8%) in comparison to pre-packed (+1%). Salmon remains the number one fish species bought by consumers in Ireland. However, there has been a marked increase in demand for lesser-known species owing to higher awareness of sustainability and provenance.

Laura Desmond, National Sales Manager, Oceanpath, completed the pilot fishmonger skills programme in 2018. She spoke of how the training has given her more experience in grading fish quality and food safety and said:

“ I started out in sales and engineering and made a switch to the fish business when my mother passed away in 2010. I now manage Reid’s Fish Market and Oceanpath. I love the freedom of my job. I’m in my car, and get to share my passion and knowledge of seafood to fishmongers working in the different stores.”

I can go into any of our stores now and ensure we’re selling the best quality fish.

The Certificate in Fishmonger Skills is taking place in Dublin and Cork early 2020. To find out more or to request an application form, please email seafoodskills.ie or go towww.bim.ie

Each year up to 35,000 adult female lobsters caught by Irish inshore fishermen have a v-shaped notch removed from their tail by trained Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) staff.

This ‘V-notch’ marking is supported by legislation that makes it illegal to land, hold or sell these lobsters and as a result, if they are caught again they must be returned to the sea. This allows them to continue to reproduce on up to three more occasions before the notch is repaired, helping maintain Ireland’s lobster fishery. Ireland was the first country to introduce this measure in Europe in 1994. It arose from concerns by members of the Irish fishing sector in the early 1990s about the sustainability of the Irish lobster stock. The programme has grown in each year since that time.

Participating fishermen receive financial support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund administered through BIM for a proportion of the value of the v-notched lobsters returned to the sea. They also make a contribution themselves in the form of the remaining proportion of the value of the lobsters.

Additional protection is provided for the lobster stock in the form of a Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) of 87mm carapace length. This is measured from the back of the eye socket to the back of the carapace and aims to protect lobsters that are not yet sufficiently mature to reproduce and contribute to the lobster stock. A Maximum Landing Size (MLS) of 127mm also forms part of the conservation.

By V-notching larger lobsters which produce much higher numbers of eggs, the lobsters are afforded the chance to grow large enough to exceed the maximum landing size and gain permanent protection. Lobsters under the MCRS and over C

Contact your local BIM Regional Development Officer Caroline Curraoin, BIM at [email protected] or + 353 1 214 418 to learn more about the scheme.

A new EU study says that inspection authorities in 15 EU member states are failing to manage engine power as a way of controlling fishing effort writes Lorna Siggins

Physical engine power verifications conducted on board 68 fishing vessels across 14 of the 15 member states surveyed found “misreporting” of engine power to be a “widespread phenomenon within the sample”, the report says.

The report for the EU Maritime Affairs and Fisheries directorate found that “measured” engine power exceeded “certified” engine power during 51 per cent of inspections.

This meant that vessels certified to catch a certain amount of fish were, in theory, able to catch more.

“misreporting” of engine power to be a “widespread phenomenon"

The report also found there were “secondary indications of non-compliance” in some 16 per cent of inspected vessels.

There were “no indications of non-compliance” in some 35 per cent of vessels inspected, the report says.

Engine power is regarded as a good indicator of fishing effort, and also indicates the size of gear that can be towed and speed of same.

The inspectors divided inspections into categories – as in Atlantic pelagic trawlers; bottom otter trawlers in the Mediterranean, Straits of Sicily and the Adriatic Sea; North Sea beam trawlers; deep-sea long-liners off the Azores and Madeira; and Baltic Sea and Cantabrian coast mid-water otter trawlers.

Verifications were conducted in co-operation with, and under the authority of, member state authorities, and were meant to take place on an “unannounced basis”, the report states.

Power was measured with a torque meter using strain gauges installed on a temporary basis at the propellor shaft, in combination with a shaft speed meter.

Several situations were evaluated, including steaming at maximum engine speed, and propellor pitch if applicable; fishing at maximum engine speed or pulling (as in bollard pull) at a maximum engine speed.

In spite of several attempts, the consultants were unable to conduct verifications in Greece.

The report says that authorities in Germany, Ireland and Scotland questioned the authority of their own fishery inspectors to conduct physical engine power verifications.

It also says that member states didn’t have the authority to require co-operation from vessel owners, and this resulted in evasion of control by one vessel in France and contributed to a failure to inspect in Greece.

In Ireland, the inspections took place in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in conjunction with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Marine Survey Office (MSO).

The report says that “secondary” indicators of non-compliance were detected, and the applied fuel rack sealing of the main enginers onboard one unnamed vessel did not correspond to the de-rated output.

On a second Irish vessel, evidence of tampering with engine settings prior to the physical verification was found, and the master of this vessel refused to operate above 72 per cent pitch.

“An explanation for the fact that only indirect evidence has been found could be that the owners of the vessels were informed about the verification by the local authorities earlier than as agreed with the contractor”, the report says.

In the case of the Spanish fleet, several cases of a “substantial magnitude” of non-compliance were found.

The consultants had been asked to follow up complaints against a segment of the Spanish fleet and one Irish vessel.

The report notes that only 11 of the 15 member states studied for the review have implemented a sampling plan, and five-member states conducted verification only once from 2012 to 2014.

Some six member states selected a sample of vessels for verification of engine power on a recurring basis, as in every six or 12 months.

It says that the certification system needs to be improved across all member states to ensure that the certified engine power at time of installation corresponds with the actual capacity of the engine. Inspections for ongoing compliance also need to be improved, and it suggests several options for this.

Asked to comment, the SFPA that “as part of an EU-wide review, physical engine power assessment verification inspections were conducted onboard fishing vessels in 14 member states including Ireland”.

“The vessels were selected for inspection by EU appointed specialist engine power inspectors,” the SFPA said, and as the national single authority, it assisted the Commission inspection team in co-ordinating inspections in Ireland at their request.

“The verification inspections were undertaken on an unannounced basis and conducted by EU appointed inspectors, accompanied by an inspector from the MSO,”the SFPA statement said.

Marine specialist Dr Kevin Flannery has called on Minister for Marine Michael Creed to show “leadership” on managing the brown crab fishery before the stock collapses writes Lorna Siggins

“Inaction” by Mr Creed will result in many small vessels going to the wall unless a management plan is introduced, Flannery warns.

Brown or edible crab (cancer pagurus) and lobster are not covered by EU total allowable catch provisions, and landings are primarily managed through minimum landing size restrictions.

The rising price fetched for crab has resulted in a substantial increase in effort, particularly off the south-west, according to Flannery, who is a member of Ireland’s south-west regional inshore fisheries forum.

“You have up to 75 per cent of the Irish fleet now potting, and yet we have no patrol vessel that can haul a pot,” he says.

Figures from Bord Bia, show that the total crab exports to China in 2018 reached a value of €16.4 million. The average unit price per tonne was €7.9k, an increase of 32% on 2017.

"75 per cent of the Irish fleet are now potting yet we have no patrol vessel that can haul a pot"

“The price of brown crab has gone from 1.20 euro a kilo to 5 euro a kilo, but this has led to a bonanza which is not good for the stock – or for those who have invested in pots when there is no adequate management,”Dr Flannery says.

Earlier this month, a south-west Irish seafood company confirmed it had secured a 500,000 euro deal with supermarket chain Lidl to supply 800 of its Spanish and Portugal outlets with brown crab.

Shellfish Ireland in Castletownbere, Co Cork, which says it processes 1.5 million kilos of crab annually, employs about 150 people in the west Cork fishing port.

National lnshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) vice-chairman Eamon Dixon said that the issue was complex, and one which might require co-operation with Britain and France as brown crab is a shared stock.

Mr Dixon said good work had been done in managing a biologically sensitive area extending from Clifden, Co Galway, to Co Waterford, but a full stock assessment was required to come up with a management plan.

Earlier this year, Mr Creed introduced a minimum conservation reference size for brown crab landings, increasing the minimum size to 140mm to allow more time for stock to reproduce.

Mr Creed closed the crab fishery for three months from January to March this year, on foot of an Irish quota management advisory committee recommendation, his department points out.

His department said that the NIFF was holding a series of meetings to come up with a management recommendation.

However, Dr Flannery said it was unfair to expect stakeholders to come up with a management regime without department leadership and a “rapid solution”.

The Marine Institute says that the minimum size increase to 140mm enabled better spawning levels, as maturity is on average 120mm.

However, it said that “no analytical assessments are undertaken” and “methods for assessment of poor stocks continue to be explored”.

Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has recently initiated a consultation on managing the brown crab.

The Northern Irish authority said this was in response to industry concerns about the health of the fishery, which recorded landings in ports worth over £1.239 million in 2017.

Over 270 coastal projects have been awarded grants totalling four million euro in EU and State funds just five days before the European Parliament elections.

The grants to 274 projects across seven coastal regions were announced yesterday by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Michael Creed, who said the initiative supported total investment of €6.4 million.

Almost 400 applications were made for this year’s scheme, co-financed by the EU’s Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and the Government.

The EMFF has a budget of 12 million euro over six years for projects which would encourage fishing communities hit by quota restrictions and other challenges to diversify.

Applications are assessed by seven regional fisheries local action group boards (FLAGs) and forwarded to Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).

Many of the projects had been signed off by FLAG boards from mid-March, but a spokesman for Mr Creed denied earlier this month that the final announcement was being delayed to time in with the European election campaign.

Members of several FLAGS had said that there was considerable frustration over a “long wait”, and a belief that this was influenced by the European election date of May 24th.

A total of 3,977, 723 euro has been awarded to 47 FLAG-approved projects in the north region, 42 in the north-west, 36 in the north-east, 62 in the west region, 41 in the south-east, 29 in the south, and 17 in the south-west.

“Ireland’s seven FLAGs are providing a wonderful source of investment for local seafood and marine projects in our coastal communities,” Mr Creed said yesterday in a statement.

“Over 800 projects in seven coastal regions have benefitted from EMFF funding since the present FLAG scheme was launched in 2017,” he said, adding that the “high number of successful projects funded this year reflects both the quality ... and the hard work of the local communities through the seven FLAG Boards.”

European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has initiated an investigation into the lack of transparency around EU ministerial decisions on annual fish quotas.

“The famous all-night meetings of ministers in Brussels are completely behind closed doors, and yet make important decisions for the sustainability of fishing stocks and of jobs in fishing communities around Europe,” Ms O’Reilly said.

The investigation, which focuses on the negotiations confirmed by EU ministers each December on sharing out stocks in EU waters, has been welcomed by the Irish South and West Fish Producers’ Organisation.

The European Ombudsman office inquiry is one of three separate investigations into a lack of transparency on the decision-making of national governments at EU level which Ms O’Reilly announced on Tuesday. (May 14).

The other two inquiries focus on how the EU handles Eurogroup documents and makes them public or not, and on public access to the positions taken by national authorities on the risk of pesticides to bees.

The investigation into lack of transparency around setting total allowable catches and quotas of fish by ministers follows a complaint by non-profit environmental law organisation ClientEarth, which has offices in London, Brussels, Warsaw, Berlin and Beijing.

In a letter to Mr Jeppe Jeppe Tranholm‐Mikkelsen, Secretary-General of the Council of the EU, dated May 10th, Ms O’Reilly explains that the complaint concerns how the EU council adopts the annual regulations setting the ‘total allowable catches’ of fish stocks in the north-east Atlantic for 2017, 2018 and 2019.

She says the complaint concerns the EU council’s failure to record the positions of member states expressed in working groups, at Committee of Permanent representatives of governments of member states (Coreper) meetings, and at ministerial meetings of the council.

She cites failure to provide timely access to “legislative documents (proactively and upon request)”, and a register of documents, which the complainant argues is “incomplete and not user-friendly”.

“As I am sure you agree, transparency is essential to enable European citizens to participate effectively in the EU’s decision-making process and to hold those involved to account,” she says.

“ Unless documents are made available in a timely way, interested third parties with relevant expertise cannot provide critical input that can be taken on board by decision-makers,” she says.

“ Given the public interest in sustainable fishing and sustainable fishing communities, from environmental, social and economic perspectives, I have decided to open an inquiry into this complaint,”she says..

Irish South and West Fish Producers’ Organisation chief executive Patrick Murphy said that any such inquiry was timely.

Mr Murphy said that the Irish industry was briefed by the Irish fisheries minister and officials both before and after EU fish councils in December, and such consultation was very welcome.

“However, who wouldn’t welcome an investigation into the transparency of EU ministerial decisions,” he said.

The late Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation chief executive Joey Murrin had been a scathing critic of how EU ministers conducted their business in relation to quota setting and coined the phrase “paper fish” – for fish allocated from stocks which may or not be able to sustain such catches.

Ms O’Reilly’s separate inquiry into how the EU handles Eurogroup documents relates to three technical committees of national civil servants who prepare Eurogroup ministerial meetings.

Documents showing when the Economic and Financial Committee, Eurogroup Working Group, and Economic Policy Committee meet and what they discuss are “not public, making it extremely difficult for citizens to monitor Eurozone governance”, she said.

In a separate ongoing Commission inquiry, Ms O’Reilly issued a finding of maladministration for the refusal to provide public access to documents on the positions taken by national authorities on the risk of pesticides to bees.

She noted that the European Food Safety Authority produces guidelines in 2013 on the impact of pesticides on bees, but some national authorities were blocking their implementation by the European Commission, she said.

This is entirely their decision, but when they make it, European citizens have a right to know the position their own government took, just as they should at member state level,” Ms O’Reilly said.

“ Biodiversity is a particularly important issue,” she said.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Michael Creed has denied that a roll-out of several million euro for coastal projects has been delayed to tie in with his party’s European election campaign.

Dozens of projects qualifying for grants totalling up to 4 million euro this year are awaiting letters of approval from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), almost two months since first recommendations were sent to the State’s sea fisheries development board.

Members of seven Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAG) told Afloat that there was considerable frustration over a “long wait”, and a belief that this was influenced by the European election date of May 24th.

The EU Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) has a budget of 12 million euro over six years for coastal-based projects which would encourage fishing communities hit by quota restrictions and other challenges to diversify.

The FLAG scheme is one of 18 drawn from the 240 million euro EMFF Operational Programme 2014-2020, co-funded by the EU and the Government.

The money is disbursed by BIM after initial assessment and approval by the seven regional FLAGs, representing a broad range of stakeholders.

Each FLAG region must have at least one boundary comprising the coastline; it must have a significant level of employment in fisheries or aquaculture; must have a population of over 70,000 in its electorate district; and must have a minimum of 150 and a maximum of 400 vessels in all fleet segments on the fishing vessel register.

Both State bodies and community groups can apply for funding. Projects approved in two rounds of FLAG funding totalling 3. 1 million euro to 247 projects last year ranged from coastal trails to small harbour facilities, "micro-seafood" enterprises, kayaking, and sailing for people with disabilities

Last year’s successful applicants were announced by Mr Creed in May and July, 2018.

Mr Jerry Gallagher, chair of the North FLAG, said that the boards had complained then about the delay in rolling out final approval letters, and has been assured there would be a speedier delivery this year.

The FLAG boards have “done their work” and submitted projects from mid-March of this year to BIM, he said.

“We’d really like to see these projects being rolled out earlier, as promised, because some of them are very dependent on the summer tourism season,”he said.

The grants are paid after receipts for the projects are furnished to BIM, he pointed out.

“Many community groups can’t approach banks without a letter of approval from BIM,” he said.

Mr Finnian O’Sullivan, chair of the South FLAG, said that he had not received complaints from applicants in his area about the delay, but “it would be no harm to have the complete list out” at this stage.

A spokesman for Mr Creed said that the projects had not yet come before the minister, and BIM was still awaiting a final list from all seven FLAG boards.

A BIM spokeswoman said that “some but not all of the projects were approved mid-March”.

“Once projects are approved, the average turnaround is two months or thereabouts. There isn’t any delay in issuing the letters of approval,” the BIM spokeswoman said.

Mr Gallagher described the statements as a “smokescreen”.

In response to a Dáil question by Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly, Mr Creed said he was “aware that a number of FLAG board meetings have taken place recently, and that the FLAGs are actively notifying selected projects to BIM, who issue formal project approval”.

“I expect to announce a tranche of EMFF FLAG grant awards later this month,” Mr Creed said in the written reply dated May 8th, 2019.

Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. today announced the award of €2,369,801 in grants to 17 seafood enterprises in 9 different counties under his Department’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for the seafood sector. The grant awards will support total investment in these companies of €6,472,909 in the aquaculture and seafood processing sectors.

Minister Creed said, “I am delighted to say that, despite uncertainties created by Brexit over the past 2 years, there is still strong confidence in our seafood sector about its future growth prospects. The 17 seafood enterprises that are investing €6.5 million this year with assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund supported Programme are evidence of that strong confidence in the sector and the Government is supporting that confidence. These companies are seizing the market opportunities that are there in abundance for quality Irish seafood products. This is particularly true for companies like Keohane Seafoods from Cork, which is undertaking a major €3 million investment to double its salmon production capacity at its plant in Bantry.”

Creed added, “My Department is assisting ambitious seafood enterprises with many exciting growth projects through generous EMFF financial supports, available through BIM for seafood enterprises to grow their output, add value to their products and develop and diversify their markets worldwide. In this announcement, Seafood companies in Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Louth and Monaghan are being supported to drive forward the development of their companies with innovation and technological development, thereby creating further value-added from our high-quality primary seafood products”.

The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union and are subject to terms and conditions.

Grant approvals - Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme

   Grant approvals – Knowledge Gateway Scheme

Grant approvals - Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme

Grant approvals - Seafood Innovation & Business Planning Scheme

Grant approvals – Seafood Scaling & New Market Development Scheme

Following recent mediation between a number of Government Departments and the International Transport Workers’ Federation on the scheme for employment of non-EEA fishers (outside the European Economic area) in parts of the Irish sea fishing fleet, a settlement agreement has now been reached and signed by all parties. This mediation was in the context of proceedings taken by the International Transport Workers’ Federation against the relevant Government Departments in relation to the Scheme and a recent High Court judgment on injunctive relief, dated 7 December 2018. The High Court today (30 April 2019) struck out the case.

The relevant Government Departments involved in the Scheme are the Department of Justice and Equality; Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation; Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and the Workplace Relations Commission.

The main terms of the agreement are as follows:

• Every intended participant under the Scheme is to receive their contract of employment in their native language, as well as English. The contract will include clear wording regarding the fisher’s entitlements to pay, working-hours and rest periods. The letter of approval is also to be in the fisher’s native language, as well as English, as appropriate.
• A link to a webpage explaining the fisher’s rights as an employee and where the fisher can make complaints regarding any violation of these rights will be provided to participants in the Scheme in their letter of approval.
• As has previously been the case, the costs associated with applications under the Atypical Workers Scheme are not recoupable from the fisher’s wages.
• No employment permission is granted to any non-EEA nationals to work in the State without a contract with a specific employer. Non-EEA fishers retain the right to transfer employment within the Scheme; any such transfer of employment can occur without the existing or previous employer’s consent.
• Where the Department of Justice & Equality becomes aware that a fisher has left their employment, for any reason, before the end of their twelve month contract, a letter will issue to the non-EEA fisher requesting that they provide details of their new contract of employment under the Scheme to the Department of Justice & Equality within 28 days.
• EU Directive 2017/159 will be transposed into Irish law by the 15th of November, regulating maximum hours of work, minimum hours of rest, and manning requirements aboard commercial fishing vessels.
• The relevant bodies, i.e. the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), the Marine Survey Office (MSO), and the Department of Justice and Equality, will liaise with each other on the enforcement of S.I. 709 of 2003 (relating to the hours of work and rest on board fishing vessels).
• The Oversight Committee, chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will meet on a two-monthly basis for the first six months, starting in May, and quarterly thereafter, to monitor the Scheme and ensure that it is operating as intended.