S.I. No. 18/1973:

FISH DISEASES (CONTROL OF IMPORTS) ORDER, 1973.

FISH DISEASES (CONTROL OF IMPORTS) ORDER, 1973.

I, JOHN FAHEY, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, having regard to the danger of the introduction of fish diseases arising from imports of dead freshwater species of fish, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 2 of the Agricultural Products (Regulation of Import) Act, 1938 (No. 14 of 1938), and the Fisheries (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1965 ( S.I. No. 83 of 1965 ) (as adapted by the Agriculture (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order, 1965 ( S.I. No. 146 of 1965 ) ) and the Fisheries (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order, 1970 ( S.I. No. 123 of 1970 ), hereby, after consultation with the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Industry and Commerce, order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Fish Diseases (Control of Imports) Order, 1973.

2. This Order shall come into operation on the 30th day of January, 1973.

3. In this Order " fish " means dead freshwater fish, whether fresh, chilled, frozen, salted in brine, smoked or dried, and includes fillets and parts of such fish.

4. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries shall issue a licence under this Order to every person who wishes to import fish into the State.

5. Any person who imports fish into the State shall--

( a ) deliver, to the proper officer of Customs and Excise, at the time of importation, a licence issued under this Order, and

( b ) comply with the conditions relating to the health or freedom from disease of the fish (including, where necessary a requirement that a certificate of freedom from disease signed by a competent authority in the country of origin of the fish be produced by the importer) and any other conditions specified in the licence.

6. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries may at any time revoke a licence issued under this Order.

7. A person who imports or attempts to import fish in contravention of this Order, or who aids or abets the importation or attempted importation of fish in contravention of this Order, shall be guilty of an offence under this Order and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

GIVEN under my hand this 24th day of January, 1973.

JOHN FAHEY,

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The Order provides for a health control on imports of dead fish of freshwater species.