S.I. No. 44/1954:

FISHING NETS (REGULATION OF MESH) ORDER, 1954.

FISHING NETS (REGULATION OF MESH) ORDER, 1954.

I, GEARÓID MAC PHARTHALÁIN, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Sea Fisheries (Protection of Immature Fish) Act, 1937 (No. 33 of 1937), and the Fisheries (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Orders, 1951 to 1953, hereby order as follows :--

1.--(1) This Order may be cited as the Fishing Nets (Regulation of Mesh) Order, 1954.

(2) This Order shall come into operation on the 5th day of April, 1954.

2. The Interpretation Act, 1937 (No. 38 of 1937), applies to this Order.

3.--(1) No sea-fishing boat shall carry on board for the purpose of catching sea-fish in the area defined in Part I of Schedule I hereto any trawl which has in any part of the net a smaller mesh than that specified in Part I of Schedule II hereto.

(2) No sea-fishing boat shall carry on board for the purpose of catching sea-fish in the area defined in Part I of Schedule I hereto any seine net or any other net to be towed or hauled having a bag, pocket or cod end which has in any part of the net a smaller mesh than that specified in Part II of Schedule II hereto.

(3) No sea-fishing boat shall carry on board for the purpose of catching sea-fish in the area defined in Part II of Schedule I hereto any trawl which has in any part of the net a smaller mesh than that specified in Part III of Schedule II hereto.

(4) No sea-fishing boat shall carry on board for the purpose of catching sea-fish in the area defined in Part II of Schedule I hereto any seine net or any other net to be towed or hauled having a bag, pocket or cod end which has in any part of the net a smaller mesh than that specified in Part IV of Schedule II hereto.

4.--(1) No person shall use any net to which this Order applies in such manner as to obstruct or in effect to diminish the mesh in any part of the net or cover the net with canvas, sacking or any other material or use any artifice for the purpose of evading the restrictions imposed by this Order.

(2) Nothing in this Article shall prohibit any person from attaching to the underside of the cod end of a net any canvas, netting or other material, for the purpose of preventing or reducing wear and tear.

5. This Order does not apply to nets carried only for the purpose of catching herrings, pilchards, mackerel, sprats, prawns or shrimps.

SCHEDULE I.

Part I.--The Atlantic and Arctic oceans and their dependent seas which lie north of 48 degrees north latitude and between 42 degrees west longitude and 32 degrees east longitude, but excluding the Baltic Sea and Belts lying to the south and east of lines drawn from Hasenore Head (Denmark) to Gniben Point (Denmark), from Korshage (Denmark) to Spodsbierg (Denmark) and from Gilbierg Head (Denmark) to the Kullen (Sweden) and the areas specified in Part II of this Schedule.

Part II.--Waters situated north of 66 degrees north latitude and east of the meridian of Greenwich and in waters between the parallels of 68 degrees and 62 degrees north latitude and between the meridians of 28 degrees and 10 degrees west longitude.

SCHEDULE II.

Part I.--A mesh of such dimensions that when the mesh is stretched diagonally lengthwise of the net a flat gauge 75 millimetres broad and 2 millimetres thick shall pass through it easily when the net is wet.

Part II.--A mesh of such dimensions that when the mesh is stretched diagonally lengthwise of the net a flat gauge 70 millimetres broad and 2 millimetres thick shall pass through it easily when the net is wet.

Part III.--A mesh of such dimensions that when the mesh is stretched diagonally lengthwise of the net a flat gauge 110 millimetres broad and 2 millimetres thick shall pass through it easily when the net is wet.

Part IV.--A mesh of such dimensions that when the mesh is stretched diagonally lengthwise of the net a flat gauge 100 millimetres broad and 2 millimetres thick shall pass through it easily when the net is wet.

GIVEN under my hand this 5th day of March, 1954.

(Signed) GEARÓID MAC PHARTHALÁIN,

Parliamentary Secretary to the

Minister for Agriculture.