Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004
171 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when he proposes to set the drift net total allowable catch for salmon for the coming season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10241/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 5 March 2004, my Department published a draft of the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme regulations, which, inter alia, limit the total allowable commercial catch, TAC, of salmon for the 2004 season for all fishery districts to 161,951 fish. This is a reduction of 11% on the 2003 TAC. The TAC has been proposed on the advice of the National Salmon Commission and the regional fisheries boards’ managers and is consistent with their recommendation last year that a three-year strategy should be put in place aimed at reaching the scientific advice on precautionary catch limits over the period 2003-05.
The draft regulations have been published in accordance with the requirements of the Fisheries Acts, which provide for a 30-day period during which interested parties have an opportunity to submit any objections they may have. This period expires on 4 April 2004. Following consideration of any objections received, I expect to make a final decision on the scheme as soon as possible after that date.
172 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, in view of the provisions of the UN Conventions on the Law of the Sea, he has received a submission from the North Atlantic Salmon Fund on the netting in Irish waters of migrating salmon from other States; when the submission was received; when it is proposed to respond to that submission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10242/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has received a number of items of correspondence from the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, NASF, in recent years and my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, met with the chairman of that organisation, Mr. Orri Vigfússon, in 2003, to discuss the organisation's general concerns about the netting of wild salmon by Irish commercial fishermen.
One of the key concerns expressed by NASF relates to the interception, in Irish home water fisheries, of wild salmon not destined for Irish waters. While the Irish Government acknowledges this concern, NASF will be fully aware that the Government does not accept the validity of the argument that its salmon management regime does not comply with international legislation or best practice. Nor do we accept that there is any sound or agreed scientific basis for the allegations made that the Irish salmon drift net fishery has an unacceptable impact on salmon stocks in other European countries.
