asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of pounds weight of salmon killed for the year 1972-73; and if he will give full particulars of the type of fishermen involved together with details of catches in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Salmon Killings.
23.
The latest figures available for salmon catches, which are based on methods of capture, are for the calendar year 1972. I am giving these figures in the form of a tabular statement which I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have circulated in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Salmon Catch, 1972
|
Drift Net |
Draft Net |
Bag Net, Stake Net and Weir |
Loop Net |
Snap Net |
Rod and Line |
Total |
|
lb. |
lb. |
lb. |
lb. |
lb. |
lb. |
lb. |
|
2,347,055 |
899,911 |
162,020 |
3,786 |
89,600 |
187,739 |
255,406 |
Licences issued, 1972.
|
1,156 |
678 |
422 |
24 |
127 |
9,727 |
12,134 |
Is it a fact that the stocks of salmon in our rivers are on the decrease?
I have not got information to that effect. I think our stocks are holding their own.
Surely the Parliamentary Secretary is not telling the House that he does not know whether the number of salmon entering our rivers is increasing or decreasing? Surely the Parliamentary Secretary must concern himself with this important matter and he must have information on it?
I have answered Deputy Lemass's supplementary question. Our stocks are holding up and his supplementary centred around a decrease in stocks.
The Parliamentary Secretary does not know. It is extraordinary.
I do know.
24.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state (a) the number of salmon caught in the Moy, County Mayo, by a company (name supplied) for each of the years 1961 to 1972 inclusive; and (b) the numbers caught by anglers on the River Moy for each of these years.
In regard to (a) the information sought is confidential in accordance with statute. In regard to (b) the method prescribed for compilation of salmon statistics does not provide for separate information in relation to salmon caught on a single river. The river Moy forms part of the Ballina fishery district of which the principal rivers are the Moy, Cloonaghmore (Palmerston) and Easkey and for which the returns for salmon caught by anglers are available on a district basis only. As information for the years mentioned in the Deputy's question is best furnished in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have it circulated in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Number of Salmon taken by single Rod and Line in Ballina Fishery District in each of the years 1961 to 1972 inclusive.
|
1961 |
1962 |
1963 |
1964 |
1965 |
1966 |
1967 |
1968 |
1969 |
1970 |
1971 |
1972 |
|
3,296 |
3,990 |
2,501 |
4,077 |
3,858 |
2,125 |
3,859 |
3,308 |
1,858 |
1,541 |
1,850 |
4,362 |
I did not hear the earlier part of the reply but am I to take it that the information the Parliamentary Secretary has given is that there are no figures available for the Moy itself under the headings I asked for in my question?
The method prescribed for compilation of salmon statistics was there long before I became Parliamentary Secretary and it does not provide for separate information in relation to salmon caught on a single river. That is the position of the Department and that has been the position down through the years.
I was a Parliamentary Secretary for a while too. Is it not true that in the Ballina area of the Moy there is an exact count of salmon taken by the Moy Fisheries?
Mr. Murphy:
The Moy Fisheries are a separate company.
An exact count is taken. The Parliamentary Secretary does not know.
May I respectfully suggest that the Deputy should await the statement to be issued in the Official Report?