Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Nov 1993

Vol. 436 No. 1

Written Answers. - Blasket Islands (Kerry) Seal Cull.

Alan Shatter

Question:

52 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Finance the inquiries, if any, that are being made under the provisions of the Wildlife Act, 1976, into the unlawful killing of seal cubs on the Blasket Islands, County Kerry; the results of any such inquiry; and if he intends to agree to a seal cull such as that proposed by fishermens' organisations.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Dempsey)

Investigation by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Office of Public Works and the Garda are continuing into the recent slaughter of seals on the Blasket Islands. Information has been passed by that service to the Garda and until inquiries have been concluded I do not propose, at this time, to make any further statement on this matter.

Seals are a protected species under the 1976 Wildlife Act and it is an offence to hunt or kill them, save under licence or permission under the Act. I am aware of calls by some fisheries organisations for a seal cull in Irish waters because of concern expressed at an apparent increase in the seal population here and the effect this, among other things, is having on some Irish fish stocks. This increase is due mainly to the migratory-breeding habits of such species, the majority of which originate in Scottish waters and such a cull, if it were to be undertaken, would have to be carried out there. There is a remedy available to fishermen in that they may apply for permission, under section 42 of the 1976 Act, to kill seals which are causing actual damage to their nets. Any such application will receive proper attention.

Because of this concern by the fisheries' interests a committee, chaired by the Department of the Marine, with representatives from that Department, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the Central Fisheries Board, the Fisheries Research Centre and the Office of Public Works was set up to consider and quantify seal interactions with fisheries. I understand that the Minister for the Marine has asked the committee to bring forward proposals by the end of the year for a census of seals.