Roger T. Garland
Question:16 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for the Marine if, in view of the catastrophic fall in catches by the Moy Fishery, he is prepared to consider a total abolition of drift netting in the Ballina district.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Drift Netting.
Joseph Doyle
Question:18 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for the Marine the number of salmon taken from the River Moy by way of (a) netting and (b) traps on 22 June and 23 June, 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Jim Higgins
Question:22 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for the Marine the number of salmon taken from the River Moy by way of (a) netting and (b) traps on 22 June and 23 June 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Seán Calleary
Question:53 Mr. Calleary asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the anger and frustration being experienced by anglers, representatives of business, the tourist community and by people of Ballina, County Mayo generally at the netting of the river Moy by his Department; and if he will have this netting stopped.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 18, 22 and 53 together.
The Minister, as indicated in the House on 25 June, ordered an urgent review of the planned levels of netting for the rest of the season to ensure that whatever level is adopted achieves a proper balance between commercial, conservation, tourist angling needs and the risks to spawning which could arise if the level of escapement up river should be excessive.
The information sought by Deputies J. Higgins and Doyle is as follows:
|
Traps |
Nets |
|
|
22 June |
Nil |
774 |
|
23 June |
11 |
352 |
Commercial fishing has been part of the management of the Moy for many years and the scientific advice available to me is that it has not adversely affected the level of stock.
Deputies will be aware from previous replies on this issue that a review of the commercial operation has been carried out by the Department of the Marine and that a number of measures have already been taken in the interest of conserving salmon stocks. These measures include: the operation of the traps was put back from 1 February to 1 March to allow more spring fish up river; netting was suspended for three weeks from 27 May to 17 June at the height of the season when it became apparent that salmon runs were not capable of supporting a commercial net fishery at that time and the number of hours netting has been reduced from 24 to 8.
I would like to add that the Fisheries Research Centre have now initiated a major tagging study which will quantify the proportion of fish being taken by each engine, i.e. drift, draft, trap and rod fishing in the Moy system. They will, in due course, be making an assessment of the total stock available to the system. This study will give a much better basis on which to advise on commercial activities in the future and provide the baseline data needed to establish what level of exploitation should be allowed by each engine.
Until the findings of this study are known the scientific advice available to the Minister is that there should be no change in the exploitation regime in the commercial fishery at Ballina but, as mentioned earlier, the Minister is reviewing urgently the planned netting level for the rest of the season.
Before concluding I should mention also that the Minister recently received two major reports on the development of the Moy river system. Both these reports emphasise the importance of managing and developing the system on an integrated basis. Adoption of this approach will have implications for the balance between various forms of exploitation.
While the Minister dealt very fully with Questions Nos. 18 and 22 he did not answer my question referring to drift netting, which is not under the control of the Moy Fishery. I am sure the Minister realises that my question refers to drift netting at sea, an entirely different matter, which impinges on the salmon running into the Moy. I am sure the Minister is familiar with the report from the Moy Fishery to the effect that 70 licences were issued last year for drift netting. Will he agree that it would make economic sense — and conservation — to buy out these drift nets for a reasonable price and destroy them? Will he also agree that drift nets do not serve a commercial or conservation purpose and the netting, if it needs to be done, should be within estuarine waters under the control of the Moy Fishery or whatever other fishery operate in a particular area?
I confirm that I am not prepared to consider a total abolition of drift netting in the Ballina district.