asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will authorise the early opening of net fishing on the river Slaney.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Slaney Fishing Season.
Before any alteration could be made in the regulations governing the close season for net fishing on the Slaney, or, indeed, on any river system, a public inquiry would be necessary at which any interested person would be entitled to attend and give evidence. Before I could agree to hold a public inquiry, I would require a statement by the interested parties showing prima facie that the change sought would be in the interests of the fisheries of the river as a whole.
This is a burning question which did not arise to-day or last year but has been in existence for years. The fishermen on the Slaney are looking for an earlier opening. Even two weeks earlier would be a great advantage to them because from now on the fishermen up river—the rod fishermen—have all the advantages and the fishermen lower down will not be allowed to start operations until 1st April. That is a hardship on these fishermen who are solely dependent on fishing. Most of them are small farmers or workers. The fishermen believe that it is the conservators who are reaping all the advantages many of whom are colonels, captains and generals— foreigners.
The Deputy is straying from the subject-matter of the question.
In answer to the Deputy's further question I know that he will agree with me that our main objective must be to improve the river for all the fishermen working upon it. If you take the years 1939 to 1946, the catches of salmon by the net fishermen fluctuated between 26,000 lb. weight and 34,000 lb. weight. Then if you take the years 1951 to 1955, you find that the catches have fluctuated between 39,000 lb. weight and 53,000 lb. weight. If would appear from that that, as time went on, the net fishermen were doing better. There are now 95 net licences extant in that river whereas in the earlier days the number fell as low as 52 and 53. I think the Deputy will understand that the fact remains that I am not able to do anything; I am prohibited by statute unless I hold an inquiry. I cannot do that unless the net fishermen and the rod fishermen or some other group of persons properly interested in the river make a prima facie case to me for some change in the existing system. If any such group do that, I will have it carefully examined with a view to determining whether in all the circumstances I would be justified in holding the inquiry.
Is the Minister aware that the chairman of the conservators has boats on the Slaney and that he is also an exporter of salmon? Is that the kind of a man who would hold the inquiry?
If the inquiry were held it would be held by officers of the Department, quite independent of the conservators.