Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 4

Written Answers. - Special Areas of Conservation.

Michael Bell

Question:

44 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands when she expects to publish her proposals for new or extended special areas of conservation for the protection of salmon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6802/02]

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

46 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she proposes new and extended special areas of conservation for the protection of salmon; and her plans to publish the survey to define the boundaries of such new and extended special areas of conservation before 1 May 2002. [6870/02]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 46 together.

In evaluating sites for proposal as special areas of conservation, SACs, for salmon under the EU Habitats Directive, my Department engages in wide-ranging consultations, especially with the central and regional fisheries boards. It draws on the best information available under the following headings: sites of importance because of the size of the salmon population; sites important for spring salmon, which are genetically distinct and more threatened; good geographic range, that is, rivers from around Ireland; reasonable prospects regarding water quality and physical condition; and, where appropriate, significant presence in sites of other habitats or species listed under the habitats directive.

To date, my Department has listed salmon as a qualifying interest for 14 of the currently notified SACs – those in which the salmon interest is wholly or largely contained within the present site boundary. To encompass the salmon interest more fully, extensions to these sites will be made where necessary. In addition there are five other existing river SACs where extensions are envisaged to encompass the salmon interest more fully, particularly to include tributaries. Finally, it is intended to designate five additional rivers as SACs or extensions to existing sites. Each site will include the main channel and tributaries important for salmon. Substantial progress has been made in regard to surveying and digitised mapping of these sites.

Member states' proposals for SACs are generally evaluated at EU regional seminars, which in our case are for the Atlantic region. It is only at the next such seminar that it will become clear whether Ireland will be asked to consider proposing more sites for a few particular habitats or species in addition to salmon in order to contribute to the Natura 2000 network. I concluded some time ago that any further SAC proposals from Ireland should as far as possible be published as one final tranche when the boundaries of sites for salmon have been determined and in the light of the conclusions of the Atlantic region seminar. The seminar has been postponed several times by the EU Commission and is now sched uled for early June in the Netherlands. I am satisfied that the proposed salmon sites will be ready for publication and notification to landowners with any other proposals arising from the seminar, soon after its conclusions are known.