Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications

Depletion of Inland Fish Stocks and Impact of Estuary Poaching: Inland Fisheries Ireland

10:35 am

Photo of John O'MahonyJohn O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I represent the Mayo constituency and I will be parochial, as some members have been on other occasions. We have many important inland fisheries in my county, including the River Moy and Lough Mask. Ballina is the salmon capital of Ireland, if not Europe. Fisheries protection was referred to. I understand that in 2010, because of the moratorium on public service recruitment, all the fisheries officers on short-term contracts were let go. Tourist numbers for the Ballina region have increased by 13% over the past year and fishing is a significant reason for that. Public representatives are told anecdotally that because there are fewer protection officers, they would pay for themselves if they were reinstated. The Budget Statement referred to lifting the moratorium. What is the IFI's view on that? It was obvious walking around that region during the summer meeting fishermen from France and elsewhere on the Continent that fishing is a significant attraction. Does the organisation need more people on the ground? Dr. Byrne suggested in his presentation that technology is substituting for people. What is his view on the need for additional fisheries officers?

Members referred to pollution. There is industrial pollution, farming pollution and pollution by local authorities. What are the percentages for each category? Dr. Byrne said there have been 27 fish kills this year. He also referred to prosecutions. Does he have a nationwide breakdown for them in recent years?

Dr. Byrne suggested the termination of drift netting drove illegal fishing into the estuaries. What happened to the people who earned a livelihood from drift netting? I acknowledge compensation was paid. People in Erris, however, dispute the figures in the log book relating to tributaries of the River Moy. I am not a fisheries buff but is there an issue for people in coastal areas who in effect had their livelihoods wiped out?

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