The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), Ireland’s competent regulatory authority for the implementation of sea-fisheries and sea-food safety legislation, states that a new Sea-Fisheries Control Plan has been approved by the EU Commission.
The new control plan will allow Ireland’s fisheries sector benefit from a derogation under regulation, which will provide an exemption from weighing on landing for 95% of pelagic landings and a proportion of demersal fish landings. Should operators wish to avail of the derogation, the new Control Plan will instead facilitate the weighing of the vast majority of fish after road transport in permitted establishments, unless directed otherwise at landing by a Sea-Fisheries Protection Officer of the SFPA.
Having now been formally approved by the EU Commission, this new Control Plan will come into effect on 1st January 2023. The existing interim Sea-Fisheries control plan remains in place up to 31st December 2022.
The SFPA further states that it has held several engagements with industry representatives and operators to ensure that they are provided with details of the requirements of the new control plan.
Paschal Hayes, Executive Chairperson, SFPA said,
“We welcome confirmation from the EU Commission that the draft Sea-Fisheries Control Plan submitted in September 2022 has now been approved and will come into effect on January 1st, 2023. It has been the SFPA’s ongoing objective to secure approval for a permanent Control Plan which will be critical in ensuring that we adhere to our obligations under the EU Common Fisheries Policy and that we all take on the shared responsibility of ensuring the long-term sustainability of our marine resources.
The SFPA has worked intensively over the past months on a Control Plan which will provide much needed certainty to all involved in the industry over the longer term. To this end we have engaged extensively with industry representatives and directly with operators to provide detailed briefing material through face-to-face meetings, online briefings and in writing to ensure that those who may wish to avail of the derogation the Control Plan provides, are fully appraised of the terms and conditions that apply.”
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To access the Control Documents (effective from 01st January 2023), click here