Ceist:
96 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for the Marine the steps, if any, which are being taken to curb illegal salmon fishing off the west coast.
Written Answers. - Illegal Salmon Fishing.
Ceist:
97 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for the Marine if he will give details for each of the years 1990, 1991 and 1992, of the trends in prosecutions for illegal salmon fishing off the west coast.
Ceist:
99 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that illegal salmon fishing off the west coast is severely damaging stocks in the south-east and east of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 96, 97 and 99 together.
The central and seven regional fisheries boards have statutory responsibility for the enforcement of the fisheries laws. This is an operational matter for the boards and I have no function in the matter. Consequently the information regarding prosecutions is not available from my Department, and should be sought from the relevant fishery boards.