asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the quota of salmon fishing licences in the Dundalk and Drogheda regions; the number of licences that have been issued; the number of licences to date that have been paid for and taken out by people who are qualified; the number of people that are issued licences and are employed in alternative employment; the number of persons who are qualified for licences and registered as unemployed; if the full quota of licences are not taken out and paid for, if he will be prepared to instruct the board to issue licences to those qualified people who were refused and qualified; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Salmon Fishing Licences.
373.
The Control of Fishing for Salmon Order, 1980 (S.I. No. 360 of 1980) as amended regulates the issue of salmon fishing licences for fishing engines, other than rod and line, for use in public and private fisheries. The order authorises the issue of commercial salmon fishing licences by regional fisheries boards and prescribes the criteria of eligibility for these licences and the maximum number of each kind of licence which may be issued by the regional board concerned for use in a public fishery.
The order prescribes the following maximum numbers of licences in public fisheries for Dundalk and Drogheda fishery districts: Dundalk District — 40 draft net licences; Drogheda District — 50 draft net licences.
Under the order, applications for these salmon fishing licences are made each year in the prescribed form direct to the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board who assess the applications and issue licences to approved applicants. I have no function in relation to the issue of licences under the order. Accordingly, I suggest that the Deputy might seek the information required direct from the Regional Fisheries Manager, Eastern Regional Fisheries Board, Balnagowan, Mobhi Boreen, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.