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Fisheries Protection.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 May 2004

Thursday, 27 May 2004

Questions (135, 136, 137)

Martin Ferris

Question:

132 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will consider the extension of the salmon drift and draft net season to include the first two weeks of August 2004 due to the later run of salmon over the past 15 years. [16006/04]

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Martin Ferris

Question:

133 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will increase the salmon quota for traditional fishermen engaged in drift and draft net fishing in order that they may make a viable income. [16007/04]

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Martin Ferris

Question:

134 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will increase the number of non-specified days to a maximum of nine days for traditional salmon draft and drift net fishermen. [16008/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 133 and 134 together.

We are all agreed that over exploitation of fish stocks is a significant threat to the long-term sustainability of the inland fisheries resource. The Government has accepted the scientific advice to the effect that reductions in the overall fishing effort are required in order to sustain and rebuild wild salmon stocks on a district basis. For this reason, the current policy has been designed to bring spawning escapement in all districts and catchments up to the level of the scientifically advised conservation limit in 2005.

My Department has, over the past number of years, introduced a range of conservation measures which have seen considerable advances made in salmon policy and, in particular, the management of the drift and draft net salmon fisheries. As part of these measures, the commercial salmon fishing season is curtailed to a specific period.

My Department has also introduced the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme regulations, which, inter alia, limits the total allowable commercial catch of salmon. I rely upon the advice of the national salmon commission and the regional fisheries boards’ managers in determining the terms of the scheme. Having completed its review of the effectiveness of the scheme for 2003, the commission proposed as part of its considered advice that the total allowable commercial catch of salmon for the 2004 season should not exceed 161,951 fish.

I am advised that the salmon commission tendered its recommendation based on the advice of its own standard scientific committee and that the proposed total allowable commercial catch is consistent with its recommendation that a three year strategy should be put in place aimed at reaching the scientific advice on precautionary catch limits over the period 2003-05. The 2004 regulations also provide for a revision in the allocation of safety days for the snap net sector.

The current strategy of developing a sustainable commercial and recreational salmon fishery through aligning catches on the 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.

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