Barely had the new year dawned than a Marine Scotland patrol boat blocked a Donegal fishing vessel from entering the waters around Rockall. The Northern Celt was in the eye of a similar political storm in June 2019 when the Scottish government imposed a ban on Irish vessels fishing within 12 miles of Rockall. Fergus Ewing, Scotland’s fisheries minister, warned that it would take action against Irish vessels that he claimed were fishing illegally around the rock. This is not about territory or sovereignty; it is about access to fishing waters within the vicinity of the rock. In the meantime, the Government should deploy boats from the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority to protect Irish fishing vessels around Rockall.

Source: Irish Examiner January 07, 2021 08:45 UTC