Criminal sanctions to prevent sea pollution have been identified by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Ahern, as a key priority during Ireland's EU Presidency, writes Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent.
The working conditions of seafarers on merchant ships, and greater involvement of fishing industry representatives in the Common Fisheries Policy, are other priorities outlined by the Minister as part of his maritime brief.
The Minister, whose workload is dominated by his communications portfolio, says he is "strongly committed" to a proposed EU directive which will introduce criminal sanctions for environmental offences at sea. The proposed EU directive is due to have a second reading during Ireland's six-month EU presidential term.
A joint request to the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) was tabled last year by Ireland, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain and Britain in the wake of the Prestige sinking and the subsequent pollution off the Iberian coastline of autumn 2002.
"The aim of this initiative was to designate certain maritime areas as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area ( PSSA) to strengthen protection of particularly vulnerable areas," the Minister said.
"We hope this will progress in 2004." The Irish Presidency will ensure that the new European Maritime Safety Agency will be responsible for anti-pollution and ship security measures, he added. Ireland would also highlight the importance of safeguards for seafarers, and their working conditions.
Proposals on the format and funding of regional advisory councils, which would allow fishing industry representatives to have greater say in the Common Fisheries Policy's management system, will also be dealt with during the next six months, the Minister said.
"If we are to realise the objective of a sustainable European fishing industry contributing to regional, social and economic development, the policy goal continues to be environmentally friendly fishing, based on sustainable catching opportunities and quality for the consumer.
"The establishment of regional advisory councils will allow stakeholders, in particular fishermen, to make a real input into the development of fisheries policy," Mr Ahern said yesterday.
He said Ireland would also be keen to ensure that recovery plans were put in place for fish stocks which fell below critical levels. Ireland had pioneered this concept of fisheries management, and and a recovery plan for Irish Sea cod stocks was already in place, he said.