Vol. 476 No. 4
11 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for the Marine the reason he did not adhere to the full Slaney River salmon management plans as agreed by all parties for a defined period of years when making his salmon fishing regulations for 1997. [6869/97]
I fully support the concept of salmon catchment management plans, both in principle and as a practical approach to addressing specific and localised concerns through consensus. The concept has also been endorsed by the Salmon Management Task Force. The Slaney catchment management plan which has been operating since 1994 with the co-operation of local netsmen and anglers, is a good example of local catchment management at work. The programme was designed primarily to improve the spring salmon run to the River Slaney through agreed conservation measures and the by-laws underpinning the plan are renewed each year.
In introducing new national conservation measures for the 1997 season I indicated that the Slaney management plan would be fully recognised by allowing the proposed local variation on the opening time for the fishery. Accordingly the draftnet fishing season will begin on the River Slaney on 1 May next which is some weeks earlier than the national opening date of 15 May.
The national conservation measures also include a new four day rule for commercial netting. I am aware that this particular provision has given rise to disagreement between the parties to the Slaney plan. In light of this difficulty and having considered the views of the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board, the Slaney Advisory Council and the latest scientific advice on the state of Slaney salmon stocks, I have decided that the following specific arrangements will apply on the Slaney for the 1997 season: draft net fishing will be confined to four days per week in May, 1997; draft net fishing will be extended however to five days per week from 1 June; the use of monofilament nets will not be permitted in the fishery; last day of draft net season will be 31 August, 1997.
The specific concessions proposed in these measures have been made on the basis that there is a management plan for the Slaney which has been paying dividents for salmon stocks in the system to the benefit of all legitimate interests in the fishery. The proposed measures are designed to continue the work of conservation of the Slaney spring salmon runs and I very much hope that the parties to the plan will reach consensus that this is the reasonable way forward.
