The Department of Defence has awarded the contract for its new fishery control project, I.IRGUARD, to a consortium headed by Ernst & Young.

The project involves designing computer systems needed to support the enforcement of fishery protection legislation under new EU regulations. Also part of the consortium are Oracle Ireland, Smith Systems Engineering and Paradigm Technology.

Under the regulations, access to the Irish box has been extended and vessels will have to notify the authorities of their entry to and exit from the box.