In 1997, the Labour Court recommended a voluntary panel of 30 for Central And Regional Fisheries Board patrol vessels, with no officer compelled to serve, and a minimum of three Fisheries Board staff in each crew. It also recommended special allowances per seven-day patrol of £150 for inspectors, £130 for assistant inspectors and £110 for fishery officers. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union argued that four Fisheries Board officers were needed for night watches and safety. The Court did not uphold the union's premium-rate claim and recommended consultation procedures for proposed standing orders affecting employment conditions. The recommendation was signed on 13 March 1997.