Michael Bell
Ceist:80 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources when he will sanction the designation of the River Fane in County Louth as a salmonid river as requested by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board in 1997; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the area committee of the Fane has 250 senior members and, in the interest of salmon conservation, this should be treated as an urgent issue; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the salmon catch has doubled since 1997; the level of catch for each of the past five years; his views on whether the Fane is now one of the premier rivers for salmon caught on the east coast and its designation as a salmonid river should be prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9519/00]