Irish vessel stopped while fishing near Rockall

Rockall is under 300 miles from Scotland and Ireland's western extremities. File Picture: SNH, Marine Scotland/Crown Copyright/PA Wire

A Donegal trawler was stopped and boarded by officers from a Marine Scotland patrol boat on Monday near Rockall, in the north Atlantic.

Fishermen aboard the Northern Celt were told they were not allowed fish near the controversial rock outcrop.

Skipper Adrian McClenaghan told RTÉ News he had been issued with a temporary licence to fish in UK waters.

But the permission came with a stipulation that he cannot fish within 12 nautical miles of Rockall. That is because it is classed as an 'EU vessel'.

Mr McClenaghan, who has been at sea for about a week, said: "We were fishing in Rockall and members of the crew from the Jura boarded us.

“They informed us that we could no longer fish inside the 12-mile limit of Rockall.

“The Scottish navy are continuing to patrol and we're waiting on further instructions from the Department of Foreign Affairs on what their next move will be.”

RTÉ has reported that he has nine crew members on board and said about 30% of his annual catch is from the disputed waters.

The Jura arrived in the area on New Year’s Day, exactly one day after the Brexit transition period ended.

Marine Protection Vessel is tasked by the enforcement and surveillance unit in Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, on marine monitoring and enforcement duties in the Scottish zone of the 200 mile British fishery limits.

According to their website, they are also “occasionally deployed” into the Norwegian Sea and into the Atlantic, west of Rockall, in support of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Convention.

This, it says, “aims to regulate fishing activity in international waters in the north east Atlantic area".

The Department of Foreign Affairs told RTÉ: "We are aware of contact between an Irish fishing vessel and a Marine Scotland patrol vessel, 4 January.

"We are in contact with the Scottish and UK authorities on this."

A Scottish government spokesperson also told RTÉ: “One Irish vessel was routinely inspected outside of territorial waters around Rockall.

“The master requested clarification on the access rights granted by his licence to fish in UK waters.”