Deirdre Clune
Question:100 Ms Clune asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the proposals, if any, he has to protect sea bass and inshore angling in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15782/99]
Written Answers. - Fisheries Protection.
The Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Order, in place since 1990 prohibits the commercial fishing of sea bass by Irish sea fishing boats. I have recently renewed, for a further year, the Bass (Restriction on Sale) Order, which prohibits the sale or offer for sale of sea bass other than sea bass which has been imported into the State. I have also renewed for a further year the bass fishing conservation by-law which imposes a bag limit on anglers of two bass in any one period of twenty four hours and provides for a ban on angling for bass during the spawning season.
These domestic conservation measures for seabass will continue to be kept under review over the next 12 months in light of scientific assessments by the Central Fisheries Board and the Marine Institute of the state of seabass stocks, as well as assessments of the impact of commercial fishing effort on seabass stocks by other member states. Conservation and management strategies for inshore fisheries will also be kept under review in light of scientific stock assessments and BIM's recently published report into the Irish inshore fisheries sector.