Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005
403 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals on drift net salmon fishing in order to conserve the stocks, in particular in regard to a buy-out of salmon fishing licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34291/04]
View answerSince 2002, the Government has implemented a strategy to ensure, through progressive reductions in catch, that the conservation limits specified by the standing scientific committee of the National Salmon Commission are being reached. This policy of promoting the application of quotas on commercial fishing, including drift netting and bag limits on angling, has delivered significant catch reductions aimed at achieving the overall shared objective of restoration of salmon stocks.
The Government has consistently ruled out buy-out 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 buy-out 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. As I have previously indicated to the House, I am 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 any compensation that might arise.
