Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2004
139 Dr. Twomey asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on over-exploitation of salmon fishing here; if he has plans to ban drift net fishing; if his attention has been drawn to anglers’ concerns regarding the viability of salmon fishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30944/04]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that I am fully aware of the widespread concerns being expressed, not just by anglers, about the viability of salmon fishing in Ireland. 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 limit 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 2003-2005. 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 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, I have no plans to introduce proposals to purchase commercial salmon fishing 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.
