Fisheries Protection.

Tuesday, 24 May 2005

Questions (202, 203)

Enda Kenny

Question:

212 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals for the future of the drift netting industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17056/05]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Gallagher)

Since 1996, the Department has introduced and maintained 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 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 regional fisheries boards operate the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme which, inter alia, limits the total allowable commercial catch of salmon by drift nets on a district basis.

Since 2002 the Government has promoted the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling to achieve catch reductions as the best instrument available to achieve the restoration of salmon stocks. The overriding objective of the Government 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.

A quality and value strategy consists of improving how fish are handled post-catching to ensure that the maximum price per fish is obtained. This approach maintains or increases the overall income derived from the fishery even when the total catch is reduced. I am advised that Bord Iascaigh Mhara is working, with some success, to yield an improvement in the price of salmon through the Irish wild salmon quality and marketing programme. In the circumstances I have no plans to provide compensation for salmon fishermen arising from necessary reductions in total allowable catch required to sustain and rebuild salmon stocks. Nor have I plans to introduce proposals to purchase commercial drift net salmon fishing licences. The Government has consistently ruled out buy-out as an effective means of achieving the restoration of salmon stocks. 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.

As I have previously indicated to the House, I am prepared to keep the matter under review. I would be open to any relevant proposals presented to me whereby stakeholders benefiting from any reduction in commercial catch would identify themselves and indicate a willingness to fund any compensation that might arise.

Enda Kenny

Question:

213 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals to protect and develop wild Atlantic salmon stock; the estimated return to spawn for each of the past ten years of the species; the catch returned for each fishery board area for the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17057/05]

View answer

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Gallagher)

The overriding objective of the Government 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.

Since 2002, the Government has implemented a strategy to ensure, through progressive reductions in the commercial salmon catch, that the conservation limits recommended by the National Salmon Commission are being reached. This policy of promoting the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling has delivered significant overall catch reductions aimed at achieving the Government's prime objective of restoration of salmon stocks.

The Government believes 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.

The estimated return of wild salmon to spawn for each of the past ten years is set out in table I.

Table I

Year	Returns	Spawners
1995	504,900	171,322
1996	515,475	224,108
1997	456,065	209,784
1998	493,988	207,925
1999	444,055	215,093
2000	549,022	264,338
2001	561,218	301,317
2002	503,337	267,815
2003	486,784	293,473
2004	359,002	191,579

The declared catch of wild salmon and sea trout for each fishery board area for the past ten years is set out in table II. Figures for catch by rod are excluded for 2004 as they are not yet available.

Table II

Declared catch of salmon and sea trout.
Region and Fishery District	Year	No. of fish
Eastern Region
Dundalk	1995	1,881
Dundalk	1996	1,463
Dundalk	1997	1,325
Dundalk	1998	2,800
Dundalk	1999	1,601
Dundalk	2000	2,480
Dundalk	2001	1,350
Dundalk	2002	876
Dundalk	2003	701
Dundalk	2004	731
Drogheda	1995	5,171
Drogheda	1996	6,675
Drogheda	1997	2,190
Drogheda	1998	8,256
Drogheda	1999	4,959
Drogheda	2000	3,406
Drogheda	2001	2,632
Drogheda	2002	1,750
Drogheda	2003	1,875
Drogheda	2004	1,850
Dublin	1995	279
Dublin	1996	310
Dublin	1997	865
Dublin	1998	802
Dublin	1999	805
Dublin	2000	657
Dublin	2001	71
Dublin	2002	64
Dublin	2003	321
Dublin	2004	322
Wexford	1995	3,332
Wexford	1996	3,098
Wexford	1997	2,365
Wexford	1998	4,155
Wexford	1999	4,651
Wexford	2000	1,836
Wexford	2001	1,302
Wexford	2002	1,151
Wexford	2003	1,601
Wexford	2004	1,349
Southern Region
Waterford	1995	10,954
Waterford	1996	9,390
Waterford	1997	13,030
Waterford	1998	10,162
Waterford	1999	13,789
Waterford	2000	14,160
Waterford	2001	18,361
Waterford	2002	17,150
Waterford	2003	15,709
Waterford	2004	11,944
Lismore	1995	17,436
Lismore	1996	20,332
Lismore	1997	14,422
Lismore	1998	16,486
Lismore	1999	16,298
Lismore	2000	20,446
Lismore	2001	16,914
Lismore	2002	15,126
Lismore	2003	10,989
Lismore	2004	9,369
South Western Region
Cork	1995	26,230
Cork	1996	19,879
Cork	1997	18,184
Cork	1998	25,121
Cork	1999	17,474
Cork	2000	38,036
Cork	2001	41,983
Cork	2002	30,028
Cork	2003	26,232
Cork	2004	22,177
Kerry	1995	37,303
Kerry	1996	31,733
Kerry	1997	31,024
Kerry	1998	43,213
Kerry	1999	36,800
Kerry	2000	43,038
Kerry	2001	31,084
Kerry	2002	32,818
Kerry	2003	31,307
Kerry	2004	24,347
Shannon Region
Limerick	1995	21,614
Limerick	1996	19,112
Limerick	1997	9,535
Limerick	1998	12,714
Limerick	1999	14,658
Limerick	2000	15,749
Limerick	2001	28,052
Limerick	2002	19,338
Limerick	2003	14,977
Limerick	2004	11,192
Western Region
Galway	1995	5,660
Galway	1996	4,131
Galway	1997	4,628
Galway	1998	6,602
Galway	1999	9,151
Galway	2000	4,648
Galway	2001	6,987
Galway	2002	6,490
Galway	2003	5,307
Galway	2004	3,799
Connemara	1995	3,198
Connemara	1996	3,143
Connemara	1997	3,992
Connemara	1998	3,168
Connemara	1999	2,629
Connemara	2000	4,703
Connemara	2001	3,425
Connemara	2002	4,359
Connemara	2003	3,098
Connemara	2004	2,626
Ballynakill	1995	12,907
Ballynakill	1996	4,926
Ballynakill	1997	8,314
Ballynakill	1998	8,938
Ballynakill	1999	7,881
Ballynakill	2000	11,366
Ballynakill	2001	9,684
Ballynakill	2002	10,556
Ballynakill	2003	7,683
Ballynakill	2004	4,381
North Western Region
Bangor	1995	23,560
Bangor	1996	19,609
Bangor	1997	9,909
Bangor	1998	11,923
Bangor	1999	6,212
Bangor	2000	6,684
Bangor	2001	10,944
Bangor	2002	9,402
Bangor	2003	6,686
Bangor	2004	5,519
Ballina	1995	39,282
Ballina	1996	42,440
Ballina	1997	34,249
Ballina	1998	41,034
Ballina	1999	24,895
Ballina	2000	26,003
Ballina	2001	34,541
Ballina	2002	36,749
Ballina	2003	27,306
Ballina	2004	21,050
Sligo	1995	5,809
Sligo	1996	6,343
Sligo	1997	8,936
Sligo	1998	7,465
Sligo	1999	5,721
Sligo	2000	7,887
Sligo	2001	9,138
Sligo	2002	9,451
Sligo	2003	6,026
Sligo	2004	2,701
Northern Region
Ballyshannon	1995	13,309
Ballyshannon	1996	8,889
Ballyshannon	1997	14,331
Ballyshannon	1998	10,428
Ballyshannon	1999	10,801
Ballyshannon	2000	17,330
Ballyshannon	2001	17,087
Ballyshannon	2002	15,829
Ballyshannon	2003	10,486
Ballyshannon	2004	7,249
Letterkenny	1995	42,344
Letterkenny	1996	28,056
Letterkenny	1997	28,255
Letterkenny	1998	26,747
Letterkenny	1999	10,819
Letterkenny	2000	18,019
Letterkenny	2001	25,959
Letterkenny	2002	21,847
Letterkenny	2003	16,086
Letterkenny	2004	14,647