asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has any plans to implement any of the recommendations made by the Inland Fisheries Commission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Inland Fisheries Recommendations.
23.
A number of the recommendations made by the Inland Fisheries Commission have already been implemented or will be in operation in the coming fishing season. The remaining recommendations are under active consideration in my Department.
What are the recommendations which are in operation?
The recommendations of the commission which have already been implemented include the limitation of the number of commercial licences for salmon fishing under the Control of Fishing for Salmon Order, the recruitment of six pollution officers to the staff of the boards of conservators and a restriction on the length of nets used in draft netting for salmon. Arrangements are at present being made for the implementation by way of by-law of the following measures recommended by the commission:
(a) limitation of the depth of nets used in drift netting for salmon;
(b) the numbering of all boats used in commercial salmon fishing to correspond with the licence numbers of the boat owners, and
(c) the tagging of all nets used in commercial salmon fishing to correspond with the numbers of the licences issued to the licencees concerned.
The main recommendations in the report which are still under consideration, include:
(1) the establishment of the new fisheries centre authority and seven regional boards to replace the present 17 boards of conservators and the Inland Fisheries Trust;
(2) the increase in all licence fees;
(3) the acquisition of certain private fisheries;
(4) the restriction on the size of boats used in drift netting for salmon.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary give us any indication as to when we are likely to have divisional boards formed or if any steps have been taken to get this part of the plan implemented?
It will be after the summer period, possibly October, before we will have the necessary legislation before the House to give effect to whatever changes will be made in the present fishery laws. This is a wide question, as Deputy Gallagher will appreciate, and possibly we will not be able to get the legislation through before the summer recess.