Vol. 559 No. 5
250 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the policy of his Department concerning the use of controlled hatcheries to augment brown trout stocks in the western lakes, Corrib, Mask and Carra; his views on whether the ongoing programme has been successful in augmenting stocks; and if he intends to continue to support that programme. [26394/02]
Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for stock management in the western lakes Corrib, Mask and Carra is a matter for the Western Regional Fisheries Board. There has been no evaluation carried out, to date, to determine either the appropriateness or success of the stocking out of hatchery fish into Irish waters. The Central Fisheries Board has recently drafted a discussion document on the use of hatcheries to augment wild brown trout stocks. The fisheries boards are at present formulating a policy based on the document. My Department's support for such controlled hatcheries programmes in the future will be informed by the advice of the fisheries boards.
