Vol. 383 No. 9
asked the Minister for Finance in the event of any particular species of bird, animal, fish or insect being threatened with extinction, the method which is availed of and the system which is used by his Department to ensure the conservation of any such species.
74.
asked the Minister for Finance the system used by officers of the Wildlife Section of his Department for the obtaining and keeping of records on the numbers of birds, animals, fish and insects in Ireland.
75.
asked the Minister for Finance the numbers of wild duck, woodcock, snipe, wild geese, pheasants, mallard, partridge, wood pigeon, wigeon and teal in Ireland; if he will give statistics for same in each five-year period commencing in 1960 up to the present date; and if he has satisfied himself that there is no threat of extinction to any of these species in Ireland.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 74 and 75 together.
The systematic collection of data on the numbers of all species of fauna found in Ireland has not been undertaken. However data on some species is available.
In relation to the population sizes of individual species, the critical factors are the general status nationally of any population and the degree to which any existing threats may adversely affect that status. Precise censusing for all species is not therefore generally undertaken. However, for species which are regarded as threatened or in danger of extinction or for which Ireland has a special responsibility, precise censusing and monitoring programmes are carried out, the nature of which will vary according to the species concerned. For example, Ireland's four species of geese, Brent, Barnacle, Greylag and Greenland WhiteFronted, are censused regularly by co-ordinated field surveys throughout their ranges. National population data are available for these species for some periods and I have arranged for this information to be forwarded to the Deputy in due course.
The conservation of any species is based on two main strategies, namely, the regulation of exploitation and the protection of habitats. Exploitation is regulated under the Wildlife Act, 1976 through the fixing of open seasons for shooting and regulation and monitoring of the trade in these species. The regulations are enforced by a corps of wildlife officers. There is a complete ban on the taking of some species. Protection of habitat is effected within the general policy objectives of the creation of a network of protected areas representative of all ecosystems found in the country.
No precise statistics are available for the remaining species listed by the Deputy but I am satisfied that there is no threat of extinction to any of these species.
The conservation of fish stocks is a matter for the Department of the Marine.
