Vol. 519 No. 5
269 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason she has neither recognised nor nominated sites for the protection of salmon given that the wildlife habitats directive lists salmon as an important fish species worthy of protection under the directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14241/00]
Salmo salar, salmon, is one of 200 animal species listed in the EU Habitats Directive. Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, did not initially propose special areas of conservation, SACs, for salmon. It was felt that the protection afforded the species through the regimes operated by the fisheries boards was sufficient to secure its conservation. However, at the Atlantic Region Biogeographical Conference held in 1999 Dúchas agreed to re-examine this matter. Dúchas is consulting with relevant bodies to finalise a list of SACs for salmon, some of which have already been proposed for other species and habitats.
