Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2005
174 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will revoke the fishing permit for course angling introduced in 2003 on the River Suck; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5652/05]
View answer181 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount of money collected by way of fishing permits or rod licences on the River Suck (details supplied) since the legislation was introduced over two years ago; the cost of providing such permits by way of printing, travelling expenses and general administration costs; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this scheme has been a disaster for this area; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that this river is an outstanding coarse fishing venue and the introduction of the fishing permit has discouraged anglers from fishing on the river; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5937/05]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 181 together.
Under the Fisheries Acts 1959 to 2001, the regional fisheries boards are empowered to have a permit charge for angling on fisheries under their control and management. However, the application of such a permit charge is an operational matter solely for the relevant board to decide, in this instance the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board, and is not something over which I, as Minister of State, have control.
I am advised by the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board that it has had a permit charge for trout angling for many years on fisheries that it controls and manages in the region. I am also informed by the board that the permit income is reinvested in the conservation and day-to-day management of these fisheries.
I understand that the fisheries board, in reviewing its management and the fees charged for its fisheries in 2002, decided to extend the permit charges to cover coarse angling on the board controlled fisheries on the basis that it was unfair to charge one angler to fish for one species while another angler fishing for a different species on the same water was not charged. As this is an operational matter, I have asked the chief executive officer of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board to address the particular queries raised and to reply directly to the Deputies.
