433. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport when the marine Natura 2000 sites will be included on admiralty charts; the interim measures the MSO will provide in the absence of a definitive timeline for chart updates given the immediate need for fishermen and mariners to identify these protected areas for safe navigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56049/26]

My department has an agreement in place with the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) for the latter to produce nautical charts and publications for Irish waters. Irish authorities, including ports, and the national seabed mapping programme (INFOMAR), collect and compile hydrographic data which is provided to the UKHO. The UKHO arranges for the publication, dissemination and keeping up to date of all nautical information necessary for safe navigation in Irish waters. This is to meet the requirements of the International Maritime Organization's Safety of Life at Sea Convention (Chapter V, Regulation 9).

Charts are produced in accordance with the requirements of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) publication “Regulations of the IHO for International (INT) Charts and Chart Specifications of the IHO”.

The purpose of nautical charts is to support safe navigation and to present this information in the clearest way possible. Additional information such as conservation areas may detract from the charts' primary purpose of navigation safety.

Areas such as 'Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas' (PSSA) or 'Areas to be Avoided' which have been adopted by the International Maritime Organization are charted. Any areas where legislated restrictions impact on or restrict navigation are also charted.

The IHO has developed the S-100 Universal Hydrographic Data Model to cater for future demands for digital products and services. It is anticipated that the S-122 product specification, which is under development and which is part of the S-100 framework of standards, will further potentially provide that details of a much wider variety of conservation areas as required by the user may be included without detriment to the primary navigation layers/products.

Timescales for the implementation of the S-122 product specification are still to be confirmed by IHO member states. The primary focus at present remains on developing navigation-targeted products and bringing them into production, which products include next generation Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs), Bathymetric Surface Layers, Water Level Information, Surface Currents and Navigational Warnings.