Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 Apr 2003

Vol. 565 No. 3

Written Answers. - Fishing Licences.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

255 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the charge for a salmon anglers licence; the percentage increase in this licence; and the reason an increase of this scale has been implemented. [11089/03]

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern):

On the recommendation of the National Fisheries Managers Executive, fisheries boards managers, endorsed by the National Salmon Commission, the price of salmon rod licences increased from 1 January 2003.

The annual salmon rod ordinary licence duties were last increased in 1988 while the cost of district, 21 day, one day and juvenile licences were last increased in 1992. It is my intention that in the future these duties will be adjusted annually in line with the consumer price index.

According to the fisheries boards, the increases are in line with inflation, rounded up or down to the nearest €5, with the exception of the one-day ordinary licence, which has been increased from €3.80 to €10. The boards sought the greater than inflation rate increase in this case because an increase in line with inflation, to €5.61, would still not cover the cost of printing and distributing the licences. It was decided that the juvenile licence would remain at the 1992 price of €10 per annum. It is most important that young people are encouraged to take up angling for the future of recreational angling and to foster an awareness of our fisheries environment.

Our fisheries boards provide valuable services to the inland fisheries sector and it is vital that they be assisted in developing their own resource income sources to support their operations. All of the additional revenues to be raised by the increase will be spent by the fisheries boards on the maintenance and protection of fish habitats and stocks and promotion of the inland fisheries resource.

The following table sets out the charges and the percentage increase or decrease.

	Class of Salmon Rod Ordinary Licence	Licence DutiesPrior to 1 January 2003(Date of Last Increase)	Current Licence Duties	% Rate of Increase
		€	€
1	Salmon rod (annual) ordinary licence, other than a salmon rod (annual) ordinary licence to which section 68 (2) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 (No. 14 of 1959) applies	31.74(1 Jan 1988)	55	73.28%
2	Salmon rod (annual) ordinary licence to which section 68(2) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 (No. 14 of 1959) applies	21.58(1 January 1988)	35	62.19%
3	Salmon rod (annual) district licence	15.23(1 January 1992)	25	64.15%
4	Salmon rod (twenty-one day) licence	12.69(1 January 1992)	20	57.6%
5	Salmon rod (annual juvenile) licence	10.15(1 January 1992)	10	1.5%
6	Salmon rod (one-day) ordinary licence	3.8(1 January 1992)	10	163.16%