§ Mr. ASHLEYasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), what portion of the prohibited trawling areas off the coasts of Dublin, Meath, Louth, Down, Cork, Waterford, and Wexford are extra-territorial; and whether, in these extra-territorial waters, trawling by British steam trawlers is prohibited, whereas foreign-owned steam trawlers may and do fish there with impunity?
The VICE-PRESIDENT of the DEPARTMENT Of AGRICULTURE (IRELAND) (Mr. T. W. Russell)Off the coast of the county of Dublin no part of the prohibited area is extraterritorial. Off the counties of Wexford and Cork the prohibited area extends in some places about a mile beyond the territorial waters. Off the other counties mentioned some parts of the area affected by the bye-laws may be about four miles outside territorial waters. British 2022 trawlers cannot work in any part of the areas affected by the bye-laws, but foreigners may operate in those parts which are outside the three-mile limit. It is only, however, off the counties of Waterford and Wexford that they do so.
§ Mr. ASHLEYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that recently outside the three-mile limit a British trawler was warned by a foreign trawler that if it persisted in trawling he would fetch a British gunboat and have it moved off?
§ Mr. RUSSELLI am not aware of that.