Whale Fisheries Act, 1937

Prohibition of catching or treating whales within the exclusive fishery limits of Saorstát Eireann.

3.—(1) It shall not be lawful for any ship to be used within the exclusive fishery limits of Saorstát Eireann for taking or treating whales.

(2) If any ship is used in contravention of this section, the master of such ship shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or, at the discretion of the court, either to imprisonment for any term not exceeding three months or to both such fine and imprisonment.

(3) Where a whale which has been lawfully shot at and struck shall carry with it a fixed line into the exclusive fishery limits of Saorstát Eireann nothing in this section shall make it unlawful to continue the pursuit of such whale and to kill it within the exclusive fishery limits of Saorstát Eireann.

(4) Every sea fisheries protection officer may for the purpose of enforcing this section exercise in relation to any ship the powers conferred on him by section 7 of the Sea Fisheries Protection Act, 1933 (No. 53 of 1933), as if he were exercising those powers for the purpose of enforcing that Act and as if such ship were a sea-fishing boat, within the meaning of that Act, and the said section 7 and section 8 of the said Act shall apply and have effect accordingly.

(5) Sections 9 , 12 , 13 and 14 of the said Sea Fisheries Protection Act, 1933 , shall apply in respect of an offence under this section in like manner as the said sections apply in respect of an offence under any section of the said Act.