Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 6

Written Answers. - Fish Conservation.

John Dennehy

Ceist:

149 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the representations, if any, he has received from fishing clubs in Cork harbour concerning their suggestions for conservation of conger eels in the harbour; the action, if any, he will recommend as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25085/99]

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

While I am not aware of any representations to me from fishing clubs in Cork Harbour concerning the specific issue of conger eel conservation, I have recently responded to representations from the Cork Angling Association concerning the status of certain fish stocks in the Cork coastal region. The association forwarded to me extracts from a survey of attitudes in relation to the causes of stock declines and measures to address these declines. The conger eel was one of a number of stocks considered in the survey.

Many of the findings in that survey were consistent with those published in the recent report by BIM on the inshore fisheries sector. I had asked BIM to undertake a study in order to address deficiencies in relation to quantitative data and economic analysis of the inshore fisheries sector, including sea angling, with a view to informing future development strategies for inshore fisheries resources. The report lists a number of stock conservation measures suggested by fishermen in the Cork area and these will be fully examined during the implementation process.

Conger eel conservation was discussed in detail at the seminar on inshore fisheries and sea angling on 5 November last in Cork. A paper on the biology of conger eels was also presented at the seminar by UCC and the Marine Institute. This paper concluded that further knowledge of the biology of the conger eel was required in order to inform stock management. The UCC and Marine Institute study is set to continue and will be considered in due course by the national inshore fisheries advisory committee which I have announced to, among other matters, advise on management strategies for inshore stocks in general.