The Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, has granted a one year concession on new safety regulations for sea-angling vessels.
Summer festivals which generate tourism revenue and attract thousands of angling visitors to Ireland each year will be able to go ahead as a result of the concession, according to the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers (IFSA). The concession also applies to vessels on fresh water, the federation says.
The Minister's move follows his promise to introduce mandatory safety training for commercial fishing crews. Angling federation representatives had claimed that half-deckers not currently complying with the new guidelines on safety equipment would not be licensed in time for this summer.
Standardisation and improvement of safety regulations on passenger ferries and sea-angling vessels was initiated in 1999 by the Minister's predecessor, Dr Michael Woods, following a boating tragedy off the Co Louth coast which claimed four lives.
Inconsistencies in the regulatory framework for small pleasure craft were highlighted at several workshops hosted by the Marine Institute. Whereas sea-angling boats travelling more than three miles from land or 15 miles from point of departure were subject to merchant shipping loadline regulations, vessels working within the three-mile limit were exempt.
Of an estimated 500 vessels in the category, up to 300 are licensed to carry 12 people or fewer for transport or sea angling, and some 160 ferries are licensed to carry 12 people or more.
To provide an incentive, a safety equipment grant-aid scheme was introduced. To date, some 100 vessels have applied for the scheme.
A separate grant-aid scheme was also run by BIM for commercial fishing vessels. But industry organisations have high lighted that VAT is imposed on such equipment.
Mr Pat Walsh, secretary of the Connacht Council of the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers, welcomed the derogation. "If this reprieve didn't happen, it is doubtful whether any major festivals could have been held in the west this year," he said.
Mr Walsh emphasised that it was only a reprieve, and angling festivals must comply by next season.
A spokesman for Mr Fahey stressed that the derogation would apply to festivals only and for one year. A consultation document on draft passenger boat regulations is due to be published he said.
