Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2018
341. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if salmon fishing licences will be introduced for persons living on islands (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18551/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Atlantic salmon is a protected species under the EU Habitats Directive with which Ireland’s current salmon management regime complies. In order to align fully with the Directive and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) principles and in view of a sharp decline in salmon stocks, the Irish Government closed mixed stock fisheries in 2007 including coastal and offshore fishing for salmon. Ireland manages salmon stocks on an individual river basis. This management is carried out by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the State Agency with statutory responsibility for inland fisheries. This is based on the fact that each of Ireland’s 147 salmon rivers, river sections, estuaries etc. has its own genetically unique stock of salmon which migrates to sea as juveniles and returns to the same river in adulthood to spawn and create the next generation of fish exclusive to that river.
Management of salmon stocks is informed by scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and Ireland’s Standing Scientific Committee. Research in coastal areas and in the marine environment concentrates on increasing knowledge of migratory patterns, marine based mortality and return rates to home rivers as stock assessments can only be carried out on the individual stock in each river.
Harvest fisheries are now only allowed on individual river stocks which are shown to have a surplus of fish over the conservation limit. Fisheries in estuaries may also be permitted where the stocks from individual rivers entering the estuaries are each meeting their individual conservation limits.
During migration from rivers to marine feeding grounds, salmon from both rivers in Ireland and rivers in other countries travel through Ireland’s coastal waters including waters around offshore islands. These "mixed stocks" pose particular difficulties for management as they contain individual fish often from a wide range of rivers internationally, some of which are below sustainable reproductive capacity. Any deviation from current policy would be contrary to the international independent scientific advice as the “home river” of off-shore salmon cannot be identified and it is not possible to disaggregate the individuals or stock groups at sea.
Such a move could potentially lead to conflict with EU and international obligations on grounds of not protecting vulnerable Irish and international salmon stocks and the possibility of action against Ireland by the EU. The conservation imperative demands that current salmon stocks are not further eroded by mismanagement or inappropriate exploitation, whether via angling, commercial fisheries in rivers inland or through the operation of mixed stock fisheries at sea or in estuaries.
Ireland is committed to international agreements entered into at EU level and at NASCO and the prohibition of mixed stock fisheries is a key element of international best practice in salmon conservation and management. It is considered that river stocks in Ireland would be in a far more perilous state if the closure of mixed stock fisheries had not been implemented.
The Deputy will be aware that there was a Private Members Bill before the House on 1 February last on the issue of fishing licences for island fishermen. It was confirmed in the debate that salmon are not included in the scope of the proposed Bill.
