Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 16th June, 2015.

I, SIMON COVENEY, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 3 and 15 of the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 (No. 8 of 2006) and the Sea Fisheries, Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2007 ( S.I. No. 707 of 2007 ) (as adapted by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 ( S.I. No. 455 of 2011 )), hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Razor Clam (Conservation of Stocks) (North Irish Sea Spawning Season) Regulations 2015.

(2) These Regulations come into operation on 12 June 2015 and cease to have effect on 6 July 2015.

2. In these Regulations-

"razor clams" means Ensis spp.;

"specified zone" means the internal waters or territorial seas west of an imaginary line drawn from:

Latitude 54°01.3617’N, Longitude 006°03.7762’W through

Latitude 54°00.0000’N, Longitude 005°59.2000’W through

Latitude 53°11.2881’N, Longitude 005°59.2000’W to

Latitude 53°11.2881’N, Longitude 006°04.5611’W.

3. (1) The master or person in charge of a sea-fishing boat fishing in the specified zone shall not fish for or attempt to fish for razor clams.

(2) The master or person in charge of a sea-fishing boat fishing in the specified zone shall not cause or permit any person on board the boat to fish for or attempt to fish for razor clams.

4. (1) The master or person in charge of a sea-fishing boat fishing in the specified zone shall not have or retain on board or land razor clams taken in the specified zone.

(2) The master or person in charge of a sea-fishing boat fishing in the specified zone shall not cause or permit any person on board the boat to have or retain on board or land razor clams taken in the specified zone.

5. A person shall not have in his or her possession or under his or her control and shall not buy, handle, weigh, tranship, transport, process, store, or sell any razor clams taken in the specified zone between 12 June and 5 July 2015.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

11 June 2015.

SIMON COVENEY,

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

The effect of these Regulations is to prohibit fishing for razor clams in the north Irish Sea during the spawning season from 12 June to 5 July 2015, with the fishery re-opening on 6 July 2015.