The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) completed further inspections of two British registered trawlers on the morning of the 12th February 2015 in Cobh following their detention by the LÉ Samuel Beckett. Both vessels have been handed over to the Gardaí pending further legal action. The trawlers were detained for alleged breaches of EU fishery regulations approximately 30 miles west of the Blasket Islands on the evening of the 11th February, in a joint operation between the SFPA and the Naval Service. SFPA inspectors joined their Naval Service colleagues and carried out joint inspections of both vessels. The trawlers were targeting pelagic fish, primarily mackerel. Susan
Steele, Chair, SFPA said: “The SFPA, with the support of the Naval Service, has prioritized the implementation of the new Landing Obligation during 2015. We are working hard to detect cases of illegal fishing to ensure that fish continue to make a vital contribution to the Irish economy on a sustainable basis.”