Noel Dempsey T.D., Minister for Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources today formally announced the establishment of the new independent statutory Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (S-FPA) as of the 1st of January 2007.
The new Sea Fisheries Protection Authority is wholly independent from the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources and is legally charged with the State’s sea fisheries law enforcement functions. The Authority will enforce the EU Common Fisheries Policy and sea-fisheries law generally and food safety law relating to fish and fishery products.
A fully representative (14 person) statutory Consultative Committee will be appointed by the Minister to ensure the sector can formally input to the work of the new Authority. The Minister has invited nominations for the Committee from relevant interested parties.
A system for dealing with individual complaints and concerns is also to be set up, through the appointment of individual Complaints Officers. The new Authority will be fully accountable to the Joint Oireachtas Committees on Communications, Marine & Natural Resources.
The Headquarters of the Sea Fishery Protection Authority will be permanently located in Clonakilty in conjunction with the new National Marine Headquarters, which will be completed in 2008. In the intervening period the Authority will, like the decentralising Department staff, be based in interim accommodation at the West Cork Technology Park in Clonakilty.
The Authority website is www.sfpa.ie and the Authority may be contacted by email at sfpa_info@sfpa.ie of by telephone at 01 6783333.
ENDS
For further media information, please contact:-
- Olive Stephens, Press Advisor: +353 1 678 2440 / Mobile: 087 760 1642
- Ken Cleary, Press Officer: +353 1 678 2441 / Mobile: 087 905 9618
- Email: press.office@dcmnr.gov.ie