The Irish Box in EU fisheries will not be up for renegotiation in the review of the Common Fisheries policy in 2002, the Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods, told the Dail. It would be "ring-fenced," he said.
Assuring Mr Michael Bell (Lab, Louth) that the territorial fishing zone around Ireland would be maintained, the Minister said that from July this year any vessel entering and leaving the box will have to declare the level of their catch.
Since January 1996 all vessels over 15 m entering the zone had to report to Ireland. He pointed out that "political and legal recognition of the sensitive nature of the Irish box" was negotiated in 1994, when Spain and Portugal were integrated into the Common Fisheries Policy.
Dr Woods also pointed to the arrangements whereby Spanish vessels were totally excluded from certain parts of the box, namely the Irish Sea.
Arrangements for access to waters within the 12-mile limit is one of the issues to be decided in the 2002 review.
The Minister said preparations were already under way to begin formulating the "national position" on the review and he would be establishing a strategy group including all key players in the industry.
