andMr. Mannion asked the Minister for Fisheries if it is his intention to introduce legislation requiring anglers in the West of Ireland to pay a £2 rod licence for the local lakes; if so, if he is aware of the grave discontent in the area over the proposed legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - West of Ireland Angling.
5.
It is proposed that in the legislation at present in preparation for the restructuring of inland fisheries administration, provision will be made for the imposition of a licence duty in respect of angling for brown trout and coarse fish. The amount of the licence duty has yet to be determined.
While certain opposition has been raised to the payment of the proposed new licence duty, my information is that the general body of anglers accept the reasonableness of their being asked to contribute towards the cost of the development and improvement of our inland fisheries. They also realise that payment of a licence duty gives them the right to have a say in the election of regional boards and in the general policy making of the new structure.
Did I hear the Minister say it was generally accepted by anglers that the imposition of a licence would be a good thing?
All the official angling bodies, the Trout Anglers Federation, the Sea Anglers Federation and the Coarse Anglers Federation, have officially represented to me, as the Inland Fisheries Commission recommended, that such a duty should be introduced on the basis of utilising the funds thus obtained for the development of inland fisheries. There are objections and I recognise that.
I am talking about the western area. The people involved in the tourism and catering industry have advertised in their brochures that this is a free fishing area, possibly the only one in the world. If a licence is introduced this year it will cause a great deal of embarrassment. Is the Minister aware of that?
I am aware of that but the Inland Fisheries Commission recommended it and they are representative of all the interests concerned. The bodies I have mentioned also recommended it. A fee of £2 a year in the context of today's values does not represent an unduly heavy contribution on the part of certain anglers towards the development of fisheries in which they are interested.
I understood the Minister to say that the angling association would have a right in the proposed regional boards. Would they have the same right as salmon licence holders?
Yes.
Would they have an equal vote?
The weighting of the votes will vary in different board areas but for the first time the non-salmon anglers will have the right to vote for membership of the regional boards.
On an equal basis?
Yes. That is being written into the proposed legislation.
Is the Minister aware that 11 angling associations are now preparing a petition to be presented to him and that they have already collected several thousand signatures?
I appreciate that this has happened in certain areas. I believe that the logic of the situation as put to me by their own national association will gradually be borne in on them. I believe that £2 a year to secure a voice in the administration of inland fisheries by having a vote in regard to regional boards, plus their involvement in the development of fisheries, towards which the contribution or duty will go, is a very logical stance. This is an issue which has been clouded by much emotive reasoning.
Is it desirable to do away with the last free fishing resort in Europe? Lough Corrib and Lough Mask are renowned for their free fishing. Does the Minister think it is desirable to change that, bearing in mind the tourist point of view?
We are putting substantial moneys into this area and we have spent a substantial amount of money in purchasing the commercial salmon fishery in Galway. This has been welcomed in the Lough Corrib and Lough Mask area. The sort of money the State proposes to plough into this industry is such that we should ask the anglers who will benefit to contribute to some minimal extent.
I am not sure that the Minister consulted the right people. There is a large volume of support for the non-introduction of this. A predecessor——
Is this a statement?
Is the Minister aware that a predecessor of his who is now Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Deputy Haughey, tried to introduce a similar measure for some type of licence and he backed down in the face of fierce objections from casual fishermen in that area? I think that the Minister did not consult the right people and they will not accept this.
It is not just myself. The Inland Fisheries Commission recommended it and they are widely representative of all interests. It is a bipartisan matter, in that the report was commissioned by us when in Government and was published during the term of office of the last Government. Neither Government took issue with the recommendations.
I suggest that the Minister should consult other interests in the area.