Fisheries (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2001

Regulation of sea-fisheries in Northern Ireland inshore waters

1.—(1) Section 124 of the principal Act (sea-fishing regulations) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) after “sea-fisheries” insert “in Northern Ireland inshore waters or”.

(3) In subsection (2) after paragraph (d) insert—

“(dd) prohibiting in any area specified in the regulations, either without limitation of time or for any period so specified,—

(i) fishing from or by means of any vehicle or any vehicle of a specified description;

(ii) fishing by means of a specified description of equipment;”.

(4) After subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) The power to make regulations under this section may be exercised for—

(a) the conservation or enhancement of the natural beauty or amenity of marine or coastal areas (including their geological or physiographical features) or of any features of archaeological or historic interest in those areas; or

(b) the conservation of flora or fauna which are dependent on, or associated with, a marine or coastal environment.”.

(5) After subsection (3) add—

“(4) Where—

(a) a person commits an offence under subsection (3); and

(b) a vehicle or equipment is used in the commission of the offence,

then, in addition to that person, any person who caused or permitted the commission of the offence is guilty of an offence.

(5) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “Northern Ireland inshore waters” means the area adjacent to the coast of Northern Ireland and to the landward of a limit of 6 miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, up to the mean high-water mark of ordinary spring tides; and

(b) “sea-fisheries” includes any fishery within that area.”.