Over 40 cases of alleged illegal activity involving seafood businesses, restaurants and fishing skippers have been referred to the Attorney General for advice by the new State agency charged with enforcing new laws in this sector.
However, Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) chairman Peter Whelan has denied industry claims that his officers have been "heavy-handed", and he says the agency wants to nurture a "culture of compliance".
There is now a perception within the industry that more State resources are being put into monitoring catches of fish than narcotics. Ironically, Irish fishing vessels alerted the Joint Drugs Task Force to five of the six drug finds recorded in these waters this year, totalling over €109 million in street value, according to the Customs Service.
The SFPA, based in Clonakilty, Co Cork, has over 100 staff, up to 75 of whom are officers, and a €14 million annual budget. Officers have trained with the Garda.
Mr Whelan denies his officers are or have been "heavy-handed" in their approach, in spite of industry concerns about a recent operation in Union Hall, Co Cork.
Officers have widespread powers of entry to premises, including private homes, under section 17 of the new legislation. "There's a lot of synergy between us and the Garda, particularly the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations," Mr Whelan says.
"We also work closely with the Naval Service. The new EU Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA), due to be established in Vigo, Spain, is examining joint deployment plans."
Mr Whelan, who trained as an environmental health officer and was formerly a director with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland , says he appreciates the difficulties that the fishing industry is experiencing.
He is aware that many were encouraged by the State to take financial risks in recent years, only to find that new restrictions on particular species made their vessels less than viable.
"There's 2,000 boats fishing off our coast at any one time, and there has been an enormous increase in compliance with regulations - which we realise are many. There's a very small number of vessels still breaking the law for personal gain.
"At the same time, we have been reaching out to the industry, meeting with producer organisations. There should never be a case of a fisherman feeling he has been unfairly treated."
Mr Whelan recalls from his Food Safety Authority days that shellfish farmers were very concerned when new control regimes were introduced - only to find that they could turn stiff regulation to their commercial advantage.
"The same goes for fishermen, and they couldn't be working with a better product in terms of nutritional value."
The majority of some 43 cases now with the Attorney General involve Irish fishing vessel owners, seafood premises, processors and restaurants.
Some 29 cases, 19 of which are Irish and 10 of which involve French, British, German and Spanish vessels, are awaiting a court decision.
An additional 44 detentions by either SFPA officers or the Naval Service involve 23 Irish vessels, 13 French, five British, two Spanish and one German.
Nine of the French cases, which arose as a result of detentions, have been completed in court, with total fines of €121,500 and forfeitures valued at €167,450.
Four Irish cases completed resulted in fines of €9,500 and forfeitures valued at €10,000.
