These Regulations replace the Foyle Area (Control of Drift Net Fishing) Regulations 1993 and prescribe the maximum number of licences which the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission may issue for drift net and draft net fishing in the tidal waters of the Foyle Area. The Regulations also set out the manner in which such licences shall be allocated where the number of applications in any year exceeds the maximum number of licences prescribed.

The Regulations make the following changes of substance – a they impose a limit of 50 on the number of draft net licences which the Commission may issue in respect of the waters described at paragraph (c) of the Schedule; b they allow fishing to take place in the absence of the licensee for a temporary period of not more than two days in any datum year without the licensee’s position in the licence allocation process being jeopardised; c they provide for the allocation of licences to spouses of deceased licensees who have a child who will attain the age of 18 years more than six years from the date of the licensee’s death.