The overall management of the national fish counter programme has, to date, been primarily the responsibility of the Marine Institute which has operated directly or by sub-contracting where necessary in order to maintain the objectives of the programme.
I am advised that the Marine Institute in conjunction with the regional fisheries boards, fishery owners, engineers from this Department and consultants-contractors has installed some 22 fish counting systems on the following Irish salmon and sea trout rivers: Dee, Boyne, Liffey, Slaney, Suir, Bandon, Kerry Blackwater, Laune, Waterville, Feale, Casla, Gowla, Invermore, Erriff, Moy, Ballysadare, Garravogue, Eany, Eske and Dungloe. Furthermore, I understand that the ESB has also installed fish counting systems on a number of rivers under its jurisdiction. There are also a number of fish counters on privately owned fisheries.
It has not been possible within the time available to extract from all of these agencies the precise information being sought by the Deputy. I have asked the agencies concerned to provide me with this information as soon as possible and I will forward the details to the Deputy as soon as I have received and collated it.
Since taking up office as Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, I have emphasised that I expect the regional fisheries boards and the Marine Institute to collaborate in managing the fish counter programme in the most effective and efficient way possible. In order to achieve this, the Department is currently reviewing the current arrangements in respect of the operational, data management and quality assurance issues for the national fish counter management programme.
I expect this review to be completed shortly so that an enhanced national management programme will be established within the available resources and will be carried out by the regional fisheries boards in partnership with the Marine Institute in 2006 and future years.