Introduction of the Irish Fishing Masters Register

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has written to all Irish sea fishing boat license holders to inform them of the incoming legal requirement for masters of such boats to formally register. This follows the passage of the Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 which comes into effect on 3 May 2022. To date, more than 500 applications have been received and are being processed by the department.

The register of Masters, namely the Irish Fishing Master Register (IFMR), will apply to any Irish citizen who is the master, skipper or other person for the time being in charge of an Irish sea fishing boat. Registered masters will be issued with a Master’s Certificate, which must be carried on board at all times while acting as a master of a sea fishing boat. It will be an offence for anyone to lawfully take charge of a sea fishing boat unless registered on the IFMR and in possession of a Master’s Certificate. It will also be an offence to knowingly employ someone as a master who is not registered as such on the IFMR.

Anyone who has not yet applied to be registered is advised to do so before 3 May 2022. Application forms are available in Harbour Master offices at the six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Ros An Mhil and Killybegs. Application forms can also be downloaded from: Irish Fishing Master Register

EU Council Regulation 1224/2009, established a community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and establishing a level playing field across the EU on fisheries control.

The main objective of the CFP is to provide for the sustainable management and rebuilding of fish stocks in European waters. This will support the viability of the European fishing industry through long term sustainable management of stocks, reducing and eliminating discards and rebuilding stocks to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY).

The purpose of the Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 is to:

• amend the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006 to give effect to Article 92 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1224/2009 and Title VII of Commission implementing Regulation (EU) No. 404/2011 *provide for a system of registration and assignment of points to Masters of Sea-Fishing Boats who are Irish Citizens
• amend the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 2003
• amend the European Union (Common Fisheries Policy) (Point System) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 318 of 2020)
• provide for other related matters

Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022