Vol. 474 No. 6
40 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for the Marine if he will allow fishing for salmon on the Blackwater River in County Waterford during the months of April and May for drift-net fishermen in view of the fact that the current plan to limit fishing to June and July will devastate the livelihood of local fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3614/97]
49 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for the Marine the progress made on the implementation of the salmon management task force report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3653/97]
53 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the implementation of the salmon management task force report regarding draft net fishing will cause undue hardship to fishermen with the reduction in days available to them; and if so, if he will extend the draft net season to mid-August in this regard. [2852/97]
56 Mr. L. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Marine if he will ensure that draft-net fishermen have an acceptable period of fishing before the drift-netting season starts on the Blackwater River in County Waterford in view of the fact that the draft-net fishermen must stop fishing once drift-netting starts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3615/97]
60 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for the Marine if he will extend the salmon-fishing season to the end of August for drift-net fishermen operating in rivers, who are restricted in their fishing by tidal problems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3429/97]
300 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine if he will have arrangements made for early consultation on the report of the task force set up to examine the conservation of wild salmon in order that acceptable regulations can be put in place for the 1997 season. [3660/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 49, 53, 56, 60 and 300 together.
I established the salmon management task force in October 1995 because of concern about the serious decline in salmon stocks. The mandate of the task force was to develop practical proposals for the management of wild salmon stocks, with full regard for those with legitimate rights in salmon exploitation.
The report of the task force confirmed the need to rebalance the salmon catch between the various sectors and the need for a new approach to salmon management. I received Government approval in September 1996 to take forward the implementation of the report's main recommendations, in consultation with all the various interests involved. I also referred the report of the task force to the Select Committee on Enterprise and Economic Strategy and I look forward to having an opportunity in the coming weeks to discuss the report at that committee.
The new salmon management strategy recommended by the task force involves a package of conservation measures designed to secure and augment salmon stocks, a move to management on a local catchment basis and the introduction of a quota system to ensure a fair share of the resource among the various legitimate interests. The conservation regulations I have recently introduced with effect from this year's salmon fishing season completes the first phase of implementation of the new salmon management regime. At home and abroad there has been general acceptance of the new measures introduced for 1997. The measures contain gains as well as losses for the different sectors in the interest of optimising the resource.
With regard to the expressed concerns about the impact of the new conservation measures on the draft-net fishery, I have already decided, following consultation with draft-net and snap-net fishermen, not to restrict these tidally dependent fisheries to daylight hours only. The weekend close period has also been staggered between the drift and draft-net fisheries which will allow the draft-netsmen one clear day each week when there will be no drift-net activity.
Overall the package of measures I have introduced so far is essential if salmon stock declines are to be halted through improved spawning and escarpment and if this valuable resource is to be protected in the future. I have taken careful note of the specific concerns raised by Deputies on behalf of draft-netsmen and estuarial drift-nets-men in certain areas or particular estuaries. These specific situations can best be dealt with by taking a local catchment management approach.
Catchment management plans, drawn up with the positive participation of all legitimate salmon interests in the area will, by definition, cater for the specific needs of each catchment area. I have asked the regional fisheries boards to take the lead in facilitating discussions between local commercial fishermen and angling groups with a view to developing local catchment plans. I will give positive and favourable consideration to all such proposals.
The key elements of the second phase of the new salmon management strategy are progressing the proposals for a quota and tagging system and the introduction on a formal basis, of local catchment management strategies. At my request, the marine institute is carrying out a thorough technical and scientific assessment of the TAC quota and tagging recommendations. This study together with the preparation of the legislative changes which will be required will be completed as quickly as possible.
I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. In fairness to him he is doing everything possible to try to bring some order to this area where there have been problems for a while. He is right in saying the difficulties vary in different regions. I welcome the local management plan the Minister is trying to put into place.
In the Blackwater area June and July are not good for fishing. The fishermen there also want to fish earlier in the season as their livelihood is threatened. Draft-netsmen have a problem in that normally they cannot go on the river when the drift-netsmen are there. I appreciate the Minister is introducing one day when only draft-netsmen will fish. In the Waterford estuary, April and May are not of great benefit for fishing. There is normally a run of salmon in August. These fishermen are being affected as well. Can these provisions be implemented? I know the Minister is putting the local management plan into place to try to do that. However, the fear locally is that because there are so many angling interests on the Southern Regional Fisheries Board the interests of the fishermen and their livelihoods will not be protected by the board. What can the Minister do to ensure fair play for everyone?
Deputy Kenneally's question and his description of the problem in this area underlines the complexity of the issue and the advisability of introducing catchment management plans at local level which take account of the peculiarities which apply in particular areas and estuaries.
I have asked the fisheries boards to facilitate the drawing up of catchment management plans. I appreciate that in drawing those up it is not always possible to get immediate agreement between the different interests. I hope the professional skills available in the fisheries boards will be sufficient to enable those plans to be drawn up and to assist the parties to the plans to agree on them. I understand from reports I have received that considerable progress is being made in the various boards in relation to that.
There is not general acceptance of the report which the Minister has recommended to the House. However, it is appreciated he has taken measures which go some way towards meeting fishermen's grievances.
Can the Minister include the month of August in his provisions for drift net fishermen, particularly on the South coast? They depend on that month to make a living. It is useless to them if the weather is bad in June. The catching season has been reduced to alarmingly small proportions. It is not reasonable to expect people to make a living in the open sea in the type of weather conditions we have in June. Will the Minister include the month of August and arrange to draw up the management plan as quickly as possible so that people in different areas using different types of nets such as snapnets, drift-nets and draft-nets can all be catered for? One generalised system will not suffice.
It is probably more accurate to say that while there is general acceptance of the recommendations, there is not total acceptance. I understand that, given the variety of interests involved.
I do not propose to extend the drift-net season into August. The task force recommended that in the context of the introduction of a quota system, the season could be extended into August. The arrangements for the introduction of a quota system are already being prepared by the marine institute and the Department. However, in advance of the introduction of a quota system, it would not be possible to extend the season into August. This is for good conservation reasons. The primary purpose of these regulations is to ensure that salmon stocks are conserved, they are allowed to escape to the rivers and that there is sufficiency of salmon available for the fishery, whether at sea, in estuaries or rivers.
The drift-net fishermen in the Youghal area have complained that confining them to the June and July period will ensure they will be out of business lock, stock and barrel. They feel it is necessary that the season is moved back a month or so to allow them to make a decent living from fishing in the Youghal Bay area. The Minister should re-examine this matter seriously because the June and July period is, in their opinion, not sufficient for them to make a decent living.
It has to be said that for anybody to make a living, or have any kind of income, from salmon fishing there must be salmon to fish for. The problem which has been developing over a number of years, and it is particularly acute in the southern area, is that salmon stocks have been in decline.
Yes, but they are being caught coming down the west coast.
These measures are required in order to conserve stocks and allow the fish to escape to the rivers.
Why does the Minister of State not go after the people who are catching them?
The Minister of State without interruption, please.
The introduction of a quota system will ensure there is a fair distribution between the different sectors fishing for salmon and the different regions. Preparations are already under way for the introduction of a quota system.
I compliment the Minister on tackling this issue. The survival of salmon as a species is a critically important matter. The measures which the Minister has taken will, hopefully, go some way towards redressing the continued decline which is affecting the income of drift and draftnet fishermen, as well as others.
Are there any measures in the salmon conservation programme which will affect the netting of salmon by State-owned salmon fisheries? We know where they are. What measures are being taken there?
We have only two minutes left. As three other Deputies are offering, I wish to facilitate them. Brevity all around would help me to do so.
The same regulations will apply to the State-owned fisheries as apply to the netsmen. The commencement date for trapping salmon on the Moy, for example, has been put back to 15 May which conforms with the commencement date for draftnet fisheries.
Does the Minister not appreciate that there is a serious contradiction in that the State is, rightly, applying more severe restrictions on netting salmon at sea while it is trapping salmon in river estuaries? Why should the State want to make money out of catching and selling salmon? Why not let those salmon upriver to breed?
As I said earlier, the same regulations will apply to the State fisheries and agencies as apply to anybody else.
The Minister should explain why the State is catching salmon and selling them.
The opportunity for other colleagues' questions is being interrupted.
I was asked what regulations apply to the State, and I have given the answer — the same regulations will apply to State agencies.
Why is the State selling salmon? It is a total contradiction. The Minister should cancel the trapping and sale of salmon by the State. It is hypocritical.
(Wexford): Will the Minister endorse the commitment given to me during the Estimates debate that the Slaney management plan will remain in place for a three year term as agreed by all the partners in salmon fishing? There now seems to be a question mark in that the Minister's officials are trying to change the ground rules. Much time and effort was put into that plan. The Minister should endorse the commitment he gave some weeks ago during the Estimates debate.
I am anxious that catchment management plans will be in place. In that context, it is my hope that the Slaney plan can be proceeded with but I might add that any catchment management plan requires the agreement of the parties to that plan. I have asked the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board to consult with the parties to that plan and to clarify certain aspects in relation to it prior to making the regulations for 1997.
In view of the time factor, I will call two Deputies who have been offering for some time. Perhaps the Minister of State will be good enough to reply to both questions together.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): There has been a great defence of driftnet fishermen. The Minister should, however, continue to give a chance to the rod men to make sure salmon get upriver so that eventually there will be salmon for everybody.
Hear, hear.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): The way things are going, there will be no salmon after a while.
It is hypocritical for the State to be selling salmon for the few pounds it gets out of it.
I take the points made earlier by the Minister of State. He is quite correct in saying that if salmon stocks are not conserved there will not be any salmon left to fish. However, does the Minister agree that the small nets fishermen are using in the Blackwater estuary are not a danger to conserving stocks? The problem lies elsewhere but they are being penalised for it.
An agreement was worked out, independently of the Southern Regional Fisheries Board, in December 1995 between the various interests in the Waterford estuary. It was sent to the Department of the Marine which has not accepted the report. That is probably the basis for an agreement so perhaps the Minister could look at it again.
In relation to the quota system the Minister is talking about introducing, does he have any plans to introduce a buy-out where people are prepared to sell their licences and their rights to fish for salmon?
As regards Deputy Browne's question, the whole purpose of the strategy currently being pursued is to allow more salmon back up river which will be of benefit to anglers. It will assist in the propagation of stocks.
In relation to the quota system and the buy-out, the task force report supported the concept of buyouts, and I accepted that recommendation. It is something that can be progressed at a later stage.
Finally, given Deputy Molloy's long history in Government, I find it strange that it is only now when the question of salmon management is actually being addressed that he has discovered the State's involvement in salmon fishery.
I have raised this several times before. It is not true.
The Minister knows it is not true.
Written answers follow Adjournment Debate.
