Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 May 2004
92 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will report on the serious decline in salmon stocks in the Barrow, Nore and Suir catchment areas; his proposals to address the continuing impact of drift netting on this vitally important fishery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13704/04]
View answerMy Department has over the past number of years introduced a range of conservation measures which have seen considerable advancements in salmon policy and in particular the management of the drift net salmon fishery. As part of these measures, the drift net season is now confined to a two-month period in June and July on a four-day week basis. Fishing is only allowed during daylight hours and is confined to the area within the six-mile limit. My Department has also introduced the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme regulations, which limits the total allowable commercial catch, TAC, of salmon.
On the advice of the National Salmon Commission, NSC, and the national fisheries management executive, I set a TAC of 161,951 fish for the 2004 season. This represented a reduction of 11% on the total allowable commercial catch for 2003. This total allowable commercial catch is consistent with the scientific advice on precautionary catch limits over the three-year period from 2003-05.
I am advised that there is no conclusive stock assessment report on the Barrow, Nore and Suir rivers and that estimates of stock can only be derived using the information available from 2001-03 wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme fisheries statistics report. Commercial catch in the Waterford district for 2002-04 has been set by quota as follows:
|
Quota |
Total Catch |
Drift |
Drift % |
|
|
2001 |
17,392 |
12,351 |
71 |
|
|
2002 |
14,201 |
16,181 |
11,753 |
73 |
|
2003 |
15,141 |
14,046 |
9,758 |
69 |
|
2004 |
12,113 |
The commercial fishing quota for the Waterford district has been reduced by 20% on the previous 2003 quota.
All districts in the country are endeavouring to meet the conservation limits as set by the standing scientific committee of the NSC. In an effort to address concerns relating to the exploitation of Waterford district's salmon, in so far as it is believed that some of the region's salmon may be caught before they get to the district, I am advised that a double-pronged approach is being adopted. First, a smolt tagging programme undertaken by the Marine Institute and the regional fisheries board is currently under way on the River Suir to enable monitoring of the district's salmon when caught. Second, the South Western Regional Fisheries Board, although achieving its own conservation limits, has taken an 11% reduction in TAC for both the Cork and Kerry districts and the Lismore district in the southern region has taken a reduction to allow more salmon to get to the Waterford district. Similarly, reductions in TAC in other districts around the country have been made to enable all districts to continue fishing and to eventually achieve the conservation limit. The current strategy of developing a sustainable commercial and recreational salmon fishery through aligning catches on scientific advice by next year holds out the strong prospect of a recovery of stocks and of a long-term sustainable fishery for both sectors.
