The European Commission has approved a new fisheries control plan for Ireland, according to the State’s regulator.
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) says that the new control plan will allow Ireland’s fisheries sector benefit from a derogation which provides an exemption from weighing on landing for 95% of pelagic landings.
The derogation also affects a proportion of demersal fish landings.
“Should operators wish to avail of the derogation, the new control plan will instead facilitate the weighing of the vast majority of fish after road transport in permitted establishments, unless directed otherwise at landing by an officer of the SFPA,” it says.
“Having now been formally approved by the EU Commission, this new control plan will come into effect on 1st January 2023,” it says.
The existing interim control plan remains in place up to December 31st, 2022, it noted.
The move comes after a draft control plan was submitted to Brussels in September of this year.
The SFPA said it has held “several engagements with industry representatives and operators to ensure that they are provided with details of the requirements of the new control plan”.