asked the Minister for the Marine the intentions, if any, he has, to legalise monofilament nets for salmon fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
9.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Salmon Fishing Regulations.
4.
asked the Minister for the Marine the proposals, if any, he has formulated in relation to the use of monofilament net for salmon fishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
21.
asked the Minister for the Marine the action he intends to take to eliminate the use of monofilament nets for the illegal fishing of salmon around our coasts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 9 and Priority Question No. 21 together.
The use of monofilament netting for salmon fishing is banned under by-law 639 of 1984.
Primary responsibility for the enforcement of the fisheries laws which includes the ban on the use of monofilament netting is a matter for the regional fisheries boards. I have recently urged the boards to do their utmost to prevent illegal fishing.
A review group are examining all existing salmon conservation measures including the ban on monofilament netting in salmon fishing at present. This review body were set up by my predecessor and I hope to receive an interim report shortly.
Pending the receipt of the report of the group, I propose to make no changes in the laws governing the use of monofilament nets in salmon fishing.
Does the Minister not propose to make any changes? Has he not a view that a certain amount of monofilament net should be allowed?
A review group were set up in September 1986 and I have no intention of trying to influence them in any way. I have every confidence in them looking as objectively as possible at the regulations in relation to salmon fishing generally. I do not propose to pre-empt their report.
Has the Minister not expressed the opinion that monofilament nets should be allowed?
I expressed the opinion that it is particularly difficult, while illegal nets might be used in some areas, to curtail the activities of some of the fishermen. I have every confidence in the review group. Let me add that this review group were set up in 1986 in September and their terms of reference were very narrowly defined then. I believe that they should be much broader. Deputy Kavanagh is not in the House but he has a question down. I do not believe that the motives were right for the setting up of that review group. That was done as a result of a statement by the Deputy's colleague at that time in Government who was setting about the legalisation of outlawed fishing nets. I believe that the review group were set up for that reason, but I would like their terms of reference to be much wider. There are broader questions such as the employment and efficiency dimensions of the problems not encompassed in the terms of reference which were given to the review group.
I am anxious to bring in Deputy O'Keeffe.
This is just fudge. Are we going to see another season on the high seas of bedlam and mayhem with the law enforcement agencies confronting the fishermen and people going to prison for using monofilament nets? Surely the Minister has expressed the view that monofilament nets should be used. Let us have a decision sooner rather than later. Will the Minister agree that some length of monofilament nets should be used?
The Deputy will appreciate, as a former Minister for some four and a half years, that a review group were set up and the members of that review group are still deliberating. I have no intention of pre-empting the recommendations which they will make to me and to the Minister, but I ask the Deputy to impress upon any fishermen——
The Minister is the person who has been advocating that monofilament nets should be used.
I would like to ask the Deputy to use his good influence in that respect, but as far as the regulations are concerned no decision will be taken before we receive the recommendations.
Is this not a question of the Minister hiding behind this review group and evading the promises he made when he was in Opposition? When does he expect to have this interim report that he is talking about? Is it a question of putting it on the long finger and, as my colleague, Deputy Deasy, said, having further bedlam on the high seas during the coming season?
The Deputy's Government were in power for four and a half years and no action was taken until the Minister——
The Minister should answer my question.
——for Fisheries and Forestry decided that he would legalise it. Immediately after that terms of reference were cobbled together and they were not adequate.
Answer my question.
In conclusion, there will be no change until these recommendations are available to both myself and the Minister.
When will that be?
In the middle or late summer.
The Minister said that he was dissatisfied with the terms of reference. He has been in office for some time now. Has he taken any steps to amend these terms of reference or is he just letting the review group handle the problem for him until this season is over?
Having studied the terms of reference, I do not think that any review group could report under them. I assure the Deputy that the recommendations will be much wider and broader and if necessary their terms of reference will be widened.
The Minister has now admitted that (a) he will do nothing until after he has the recommendations of this review group and (b) that this review group could not produce recommendations according to their existing terms of reference, as he says. When will he take action on that? What action will he take, or is he just standing or sitting idly by and letting the problem continue?
The terms of reference are specific and they will answer the question the Deputy is asking, but we must have a much wider policy in relation to salmon. I feel that the terms of reference and the recommendations will be wide but they will encompass the question of monofilament net.
When will the terms of reference be widened?
If necessary it will be done now.
I have allowed a great deal of latitude on this question.
This is a most important issue.
I have given the Deputies a great deal of latitude.
(Interruptions.)
Is the Minister aware that there are moves within the EC to outlaw throughout the EC the use of monofilament nets? Have this review group any input into that? How relevant will the review group be if this becomes law within the EC?
That will be a matter for discussion within the Council of Ministers. I am not aware that steps are afoot in that regard.
Is the Minister saying that the review group he is referring to are unaware of what is happening in the EC at the moment?
The Minister has advocated the use of monofilament nets and now he is hiding behind a review body. I would like a quick decision in this matter. Will the Minister agree that a limited amount of monofilament net will be used, and not wait until the salmon season is over? It will be over in July. We are half way through the season now.
Now we are having repetition.
Will the Minister make an order allowing it as he has promised or is it the case of poacher turning gamekeeper?
My views are well known. If the Deputy is so perturbed now I will be charitable and ask him what happened in the last four and a half years.
We had the Minister's promise during the last four and a half years and now we have no action.
(Interruptions.)
What does the Minister propose to do now in the context of a review group who have been sitting for seven or eight months and in respect of whom he now says the terms of reference are inadequate?
We have had all that already.
Could I have clarification? Yes or no will be acceptable. Does the Minister intend to (1) amend those terms of reference and (2) carry out the promises he made in Opposition in relation to monofilament net?
I have already answered the Deputy's supplementary No. 1. On No. 2, my views have been made known in the past.
Why does the Minister not implement them?
I thought the people opposite had implemented them in September.
The Minister is the man who promised.
(Interruptions.)
Now he cannot tell us whether he is going to amend the terms of reference.
The previous Government promised it in August 1986 and they cobbled together terms of reference in September. That was an activity of their Minister.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 5.