The management of State owned fisheries is the responsibility of the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards. However, I am glad to have this opportunity, in light of expressed concerns, to clarify for the House the practice and the process involved. It has been the long-standing practice of the Central Fisheries Board to offer the fishing rights on a number of State owned fishing stretches, which include Land Commission fisheries, to the public in a tendering process. Tender applications are invited in the press for licences to hold the fishing rights for periods of between one to five years.
It is a stated objective of the Central Fisheries Board to maximise the opportunities for local management and development of all such fisheries. In line with this objective, it is the case that over the years the majority of these State owned fishing rights are licensed to local angling clubs and not, as intimated, to exclusive private interests. There is no question at any time of "selling off" State owned fishing rights or fisheries. The tendering and licensing process to which the Deputy refers is designed to assist the management, conservation and development of State owned fisheries to their full potential, having full regard for local interests and concerns.
I previously announced my intention to move to a catchment management approach which involves and empowers all players in decision making at local community level. The Central and Regional Fisheries Boards are committed to driving that policy objective forward and I have already announced six pilot catchment projects by the boards which will, in a practical way, inform overall catchment management strategies. By bringing together all users to discuss and progress local strategies, the catchment management approach will ensure that concerns such as those being voiced about the management of State owned fisheries are addressed in an open way and that consensus on future directions for local fisheries can be achieved.