Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 November 2015
262. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a survey was conducted to determine if eel stocks had been depleted to such levels that fishermen were forced to abstain from eel fishing on the rivers Barrow and Suir; if the survey deemed that eel stocks were below the conservation limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38679/15]
View answer263. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the nature of the survey conducted to determine if eel stocks had been depleted to such levels that fishermen were forced to abstain from eel fishing on the rivers Barrow and Suir; the criteria of same; the locations in which it was carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38680/15]
View answer264. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he envisages that the appropriate rivers will ever be re-opened for eel fishing; if not, if he will consider a voluntary buy-out scheme for current licence holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38681/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 262 to 264, inclusive, together.
I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland as follows in relation to surveys.
The Barrow and Suir Rivers and the Waterford Estuary were examined during a number of surveys in 2009 and 2011. Two locations on the Suir were surveyed in 2009, one upstream of the bridge in Waterford city and one downstream with a total catch of 1,888 eels. A further 1,410 eels were captured in the Barrow transitional waters during the 2009 surveys. The catching method in the study area was by way of un-baited fyke nets.
If I inform me that difficulties remain in obtaining density estimates for eels in large water bodies, due to the challenges for sampling methodology in such environments, and the migratory habits of eels moving upstream into the rivers and/or leaving the transitional water as silver eel. Gaining accurate population densities of eel in transitional waters is challenging.
It is not possible therefore to state, with the certainty required that eel stocks in these areas are currently at levels which could sustain commercial fishing. It is also difficult to develop a conservation limit for the estuarine environment due to such movements of eels within the system. Acoustic tagging telemetry studies of eels in the Barrow are being undertaken to quantify their movements and to assist in determining eel density estimates in transitional waters.
To determine the population density within this area, a spatially explicit mark recapture experiment was carried out in the Waterford Harbour in July 2009. The Barrow and Suir Rivers and the Waterford Estuary were examined during a number of surveys in 2009 and 2011. Low mark-recapture rates indicated probable high levels of movement within these waters and made population estimation difficult.
Preliminary analysis of samples taken from the Barrow Transitional Water indicates a mean eel age of 9 years and an average growth rate of 3.78 cm per year. The high growth rate confirms the importance of transitional waters as a productive habitat for eels. In the absence of historic eel biomass estimates for the Waterford estuary to assess achievement of the eel escapement target, telemetry eel tagging studies were undertaken over the 2012 – 2014 period to assist in giving a clearer indication of the movement habits of eels in estuaries and improve population density estimates.
The results of River Barrow Fyke Netting Surveys, 2012-2014 and the River Barrow Acoustic Tagging studies, 2012-2014 including sampling locations are available in the IFI Eel Monitoring Report 2012-2015 available on the IFI website http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/fisheries-management-1/514-eel-monitoring-programme-2012-2014
The latest advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) in 2014 is that “the status of eel remains critical and ICES advises that all anthropogenic mortality (e.g. recreational and commercial fishing, hydropower, pumping stations, and pollution) affecting production and escapement of silver eels should be reduced to – or kept as close to – zero as possible.
The annual recruitment to Europe has increased over the last 3 years from 5% to 12% of historic levels, however recruitment is still well below the reference levels of 1960-1979 and there is no change in the status of the eel as being critically endangered”.
Ireland Eel Management Plan under EU regulation 1100/2007 was reviewed in 2012 and again this year. Both reviews included a robust public consultation process in which stakeholders were invited to make written submissions.
If I have recently submitted recommendations in relation to the management options for the period up to 2018 based on the advice of the Statutory independent Standing Scientific Committee on Eels and this is under consideration.
While I recognise fully the difficulty facing eel fishermen, there is no property right attaching to public eel licences and currently there are no plans to introduce a hardship scheme as outlined by the Deputy.
