Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 1

Written Answers. - Inland Fisheries.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

109 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his Department will issue a reply to correspondence received from a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in relation to poaching on the Nore Estuary and illegal netting of salmon; and if he will outline Government policy in relation to the issues raised. [22023/98]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

The correspondence referred to was received in my office on 23 October and I will be responding to it shortly. The responsibility for the protection of salmon stocks in the River Nore is primarily a matter for the Southern Regional Fisheries Board and I will also be asking the manager of that board to contact the person concerned directly.

In relation to the protection and management of salmon stocks generally, my priority is to continue to progress my conservation and management strategies for the salmon resource. The impact of the conservation measures which I renewed for 1998 has been to effectively reduce the commercial salmon season to the months of June and July. I will be assessing the conservation measures needed for 1999 in light of trends this year, with particular reference to concerns about the state of spring salmon stocks. I am also looking at the introduction of a tagging and quota scheme in order to achieve real time management of salmon stocks on a shared resource basis. Finally, I have announced the establishment of a National Salmon Management Commission which will have a key role in delivering the new regime and all the related decisions underpinning that approach.