Funding has been provided in my Department's Vote since 2000 to encourage the development of pilot schemes at catchment level to incentivise the reduction of commercial salmon fishing. It is stated policy that the context for such schemes will be strictly catchment based, voluntary and locally driven and based on matching funding from all players at realistic levels. The regional fisheries boards have been asked to lead and encourage pilot schemes. Take-up has been disappointing, but this reflects the complexities and difficulties involved in brokering consensus at local level.
In 2000 one pilot scheme for voluntary set-aside of salmon fishing engines was agreed. The scheme involves the set-aside of draft nets and a fixed fishing engine on the Munster Blackwater. The pilot scheme is intended to operate for a period of five years, that is, 2000 to 2004. The proposal has been developed in consultations involving my Department, the Blackwater Salmon Development Group, the Southern Regional Fisheries Board and the Marine Institute. The Southern Regional Fisheries Board has taken account of the scheme on behalf of the Department.
The scheme has three elements: no fish to be captured by five draft nets for the period 2000-04 – it is estimated that the value of the fish catch to be forgone by the owner of each of these nets is £3,166 per annum; no fish to be captured by the fixed engine net at Ballintrae for the period 2000-04 – it is estimated that the value of the fish catch to be forgone by the owner of this fixed engine net is £5,000 per annum; a maximum of 625 salmon to be taken by the Lismore Estate draft net over the period 2000-04 subject to a maximum of 200 fish in any one of these years – it is estimated that the value of the fish catch to be forgone by the owner of this net is £1,250 per annum.
The total estimated value of fish not taken by the seven fishing engines is £22,080, 28,036, per annum.
Additional informationUnder the pilot scheme compensation in this amount is to be paid to the owners of the nets with 50% being from private funds raised by the Blackwater Salmon Development Group and 50% from my Department. The matching Exchequer funding, therefore, is £11,040, 14,018, per annum for each of the years 2000-04.
This pilot scheme does not encompass the drift net licence holders in the district. A separate proposal has been developed by the Southern Regional Fisheries Board working with the Blackwater Salmon Development Group. The Minister met the group recently to discuss its proposals and emphasised the need to ensure value for money in finalising the scheme. Discussions are continuing on these proposals. In addition, all the regional boards are being urged to proactively encourage the development of sustainable cost effective proposals at catchment level.