The European Commission has reiterated that it would prefer member states to toughen up on administrative fines for breaches of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), rather than trying to impose criminal sanctions.
The comments by the head of the commission's licensing and control unit, Giorgio Gallizioli, come as further debate resumes today on the Government's controversial new maritime legislation.
Significant amendments to the Bill, which were announced late last week by Minister of State Pat "the Cope" Gallagher, are due to be discussed at today's meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
However, the Government's amendments stop short of switching from a criminal to administrative system of penalties for fishing vessels which are found in breach of the CFP.
Mr Gallagher said the attorney general had advised that such a change is not possible under the Constitution.
With Britain moving towards administrative penalties for its fleet, Ireland is one of the last member states to retain such a system. Criminal penalties are "often harder to prove and take longer to impose on fishermen", Mr Gallizioli said last week.
Under the amendments, the Naval Service will not now be given new powers to fire into vessels and fishing vessels will not be forfeited when repeat offences occur. A new independent regulatory agency for sea fisheries protection will be established, which will be separate from the Minister's department. It will also introduce graduated fines for offences, based on a vessel's size
