On 13th January 2025, Paul Jarleth Ferry, Master of UK-Northern Ireland registered fishing vessel “Alannah Riley” pleaded guilty at An Clochán Liath District Court, Dungloe, Co. Donegal to an offence of taking charge of a sea-fishing boat while not registered in the Irish Fishing Masters Register. The offence was detected during an inspection by SFPA Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers at Castletownbere Port in April 2025.
The Court proceeded to impose a fine of €500.
A SFPA spokesperson commented:
“The SFPA notes the decision of the Court. The requirement for all Irish citizen fishing Masters to be registered in the Irish Fishing Masters Register (IFMR) came into effect in 2022. This case highlights the importance of registration on the IFMR to ensure compliance with Masters’ legal obligations. Information on the registration process can be found on the website of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The SFPA commends the officer involved in this inspection.
ENDS
Further Information
About the SFPA
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is the independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of the sea-fisheries and the sea-food production sectors. It promotes compliance with the EU Common Fisheries Policy, sea-fisheries law and food safety law relating to fish and fish products, verifies compliance and, where necessary, enforces it. Its mandate covers all fishing vessels operating within Ireland’s 200-mile limit, over 2,000 Irish registered fishing vessels wherever they operate, and all seafood produced in Ireland’s seafood processing companies. The SFPA operates through a network of regional port offices situated at Ireland’s main fishery harbours.
For further information visit: www.sfpa.ie