Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2004
17 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the action being taken in connection with the drift and draft net arrangement; when the long overdue and promised agreement for set aside or buyout of drift and draft net fishermen will occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25571/04]
View answer26 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he is considering proposals to buy out drift, draft and snap net licences in view of the serious impact that these activities have on salmon stocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25661/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 26 together.
It is the Government's strongly held view that our salmon stock is a national asset, which must be conserved and protected, as well as being exploited as a resource, by us all on a sustainable basis. As a result, a delicate balancing exercise is necessary between the needs of the coastal and inland communities who depend on fishing resources for their livelihood and the recreational users, including tourists, who each pursue the salmon for their own end.
The overriding objective of the Government therefore is to preserve the salmon resource in its own right and for the coastal and rural communities that it helps to support. The economic goals for a sustainable commercial salmon fishery, based on quality and value rather than volume, and the development of salmon angling as an important tourism product are both fully compatible with the Government's primary objective.
We are all agreed that over-exploitation of fish stocks is a significant threat to the long-term sustainability of the inland fisheries resource. Since publication of the salmon management task force report in 1996, the Department has introduced a range of conservation measures which have seen considerable advancements made in salmon policy and in particular the management of the commercial 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. The Department operates, through the regional fisheries boards, the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme regulations which, inter alia, limits the total allowable commercial catch of salmon, TAC.
Earlier this year, on the advice of the National Salmon Commission and the National Fisheries Management Executive, my predecessor further reduced the total allowable commercial catch by 11%. This was consistent with the salmon commission's three year strategy aimed at reaching the scientific advice on precautionary catch limits over the period 2003-05. I await the advice of these bodies, based on their analysis including the 2004 season, on the conservation measures, including TAC to be adopted in 2005.
It is the Government's belief that 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. For this reason, the Government has consistently ruled out buyout as an effective means of achieving the restoration of salmon stocks and instead promoted the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling to achieve catch reductions as the best instrument available to achieve this objective. Moreover, no convincing case has been advanced as to the public good that would be acquired by the State in the context of a publicly funded buyout nor why stakeholders benefiting from increased numbers of salmon entering the rivers should not contribute in whole or in part towards achieving that increase.
As a result, while I have no plans to introduce proposals to purchase commercial salmon fishing licences, I should also make it clear to the Deputy that no formal offers have been made to the Department to meet the cost of a buyout scheme for drift netting licences. I would be prepared, however, to keep the matter under review and would be open to any relevant proposals whereby stakeholders benefiting from any reduction in commercial catch might fund in whole or in part any compensation arising.
