THE Naval Service's first detention of 1997 was made on Thursday, when the LE Orla detained a French registered fishing vessel for alleged log book infringements. The vessel was intercepted about 15 miles off Hook Head in Co Wexford and escorted to Dunmore East.
Statistics issued by the Defence Forces yesterday show that 1996 was the most successful year on record in fishery protection. The Naval Services made 1,189 boardings in 1996 compared with 936 in the previous year. The result was that 33 vessels were detained for alleged illegal fishing.
By far the highest number of the vessels involved - 13 - were of joint Anglo Spanish registration. There were four detentions each of vessels of Irish, French and Spanish registration. There were two detentions of Japanese vessels.
The Naval Service was involved, as part of the Joint Task Force on Drug Interdiction, in a number of major operations in 1996. These resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs valued at more than £300 million, the Department said.
In November, the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, amended the Criminal Justice Act 1994 to authorise Naval Service officers above the rank of petty officer to act at sea as enforcement officers. This means that, inside the 12-mile limit, naval enforcement officers may stop, board, search and, if necessary, detain any vessel suspected of the illegal importation of banned substances without having on board a member of the Garda Siochana or a Customs and Excise officer.