Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 29th May, 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) Regulations 2015.

(2) These Regulations come into operation on 1 June 2015.

2. In these Regulations-

“fishing week” means seven consecutive days commencing on a Monday;

“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. The master or person in charge of a sea-fishing boat fishing in the specified zone shall:

(1) not cause more than 700 kilograms of razor clams to be landed from the boat in any fishing week;

(2) not fish for, attempt to fish for or land razor clams on a Sunday.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

26 May 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 regulate the razor clam fishery in the north Irish Sea by implementing a weekly catch limit for vessels and limiting fishing to certain days of the week.