Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 2

Written Answers - Salmon Fishing.

Enda Kenny

Question:

77 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the value of commercial salmon fishing at current annual values; the value of salmon angling tourism on an annual basis to the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24484/98]

Enda Kenny

Question:

78 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the average estimated value of a salmon caught on rod and line compared with a salmon caught by drift net; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24485/98]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together.

Recent estimates provided by the Marine Institute suggest that the total value of the commercial salmon catch based on 1997 recorded catch of 175,000 fish is around £7.4 million. The estimate is based on the informed assumption that 20 per cent are sold locally for home consumption, 20 per cent to restaurants and 60 per cent to processors for smoking, etc. The average value of each commercially caught salmon, including first sale and value added, is around £42 based on this estimate.

The reported total national rod catch of salmon for 1997 was about 33,000 fish, most of which would have been retained for personal consumption. It is estimated that tourism angling expenditure in its totality, (game and coarse anglers) contributes £57 million to GNP, while domestic anglers contribute some £22 million (1996 Bord Fáilte figures). Figures are not available for salmon tourism angling separately, but it has been calculated by the Marine Institute extrapolating from data specific to the State owned Eriff Fishery, that the value of an individual rod caught salmon can range on average between £96 to £205. The value of each salmon is a function on whether the fish was caught by a local or tourist angler. It does not follow, however, that the opportunity cost of the release of a marginal salmon from the commercial to the angling sector is equivalent to £96-£205 as a significant proportion of the salmon so released would remain uncaught.