Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 3

Written Answers. - Lough Foyle Fisheries.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

292 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine the local representatives of local interests on the Foyle systems who were consulted in respect of the KPMG review of Foyle Fisheries Commission which was carried out in the months of February, March and April 1993. [23118/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

293 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine the area of Lough Foyle which is the responsibility of his Department. [23141/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

294 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine whether there is an area of Lough Foyle which is neither the responsibility of his Department nor the Foyle Fisheries Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23142/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

295 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine the area covered under the term Lough Foyle. [23149/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

296 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine the area covered under the term Foyle Basin. [23150/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

297 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine the area covered under the term Foyle area. [23151/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

298 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine the area covered under the term sea area outside Lough Foyle. [23152/96]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Barrett)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297 and 298 together.

The Foyle Fisheries Commission, established in 1952 under parallel legislation introduced in both jurisdictions, is responsible for the conservation, protection and improvement of salmon and inland fisheries of the Foyle area. The Foyle area is defined in section 3 of the 1952 Act as meaning the Londonderry district originally created by order in 1855. The northern boundary of Lough Foyle is represented by an imaginary line drawn between the Martello Tower at Magilligan Point and Greencastle Fort. The Foyle Basin, or water catchment area, comprises eastern County Donegal from Inishowen Head to Lough Derg, Western County Derry from Binevenagh through the county border to Fintona in West County Tyrone and oceanwards through Lough Foyle to the tidewater channel which cuts between Greencastle and Magilligan Point. The sea area outside Lough Foyle is generally taken to emcompass the area from the northernmost limit of Lough Foyle out to 12 miles from baselines.

Legislation is currently in preparation in both jurisdictions which is designedinter alia to extend the statutory functions of the Foyle Fisheries Commission to include the development of salmon and inland fisheries, the promotion of angling and the regulation of aquaculture and sea fisheries. The proposed legislation is designed in the main to give effect to the recommendations of the review of the operations, funding structure and staffing of the Foyle Fisheries Commission undertaken by KPMG management consultants on behalf of the Department of the Marine and Department of Agriculture Northern Ireland. KPMG did consult local interests in the course of their review and a complete list of those consulted is being drawn up which will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.