Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 5 together.

My Department relies upon the advice of the National Salmon Commission and the national fisheries managers executive — the regional fisheries boards' managers — in determining the terms of the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme which, inter alia, sets out district quotas for the commercial wild salmon catch annually. The salmon commission is advised in its work by its standing scientific committee, which includes scientists from Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the Central Fisheries Board, the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Loughs Agency and the Marine Institute.

The chairman of the salmon commission has advised that the standing scientific committee, in presenting its recommendations to the commission on the precautionary salmon catch advice for the 2005 fishing season, has recommended that the total number of salmon to be exploited by all fishing methods in 2005 should not exceed 124,571 fish. This advice was given for the first time in 2005 based on the adoption of a 75% probability of reaching the conservation limits. The scientific committee does not make any recommendation, however, as to how many of these fish should be allocated to the commercial fishing sector as opposed to the angling sector. Having considered this scientific advice from a fisheries management perspective, the fisheries managers have recommended that the total catch of wild salmon in 2005 should not exceed 173,854 fish, of which the national commercial total allowable catch for 2005 should not exceed 146,174 fish.

The National Salmon Commission met on 22 February 2005 to consider the scientific and management advice available with a view to finalising its recommendations on the management of the wild salmon fishery in 2005. In his letter of 1 March 2005 to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, the chairman of the salmon commission advised that the commission was unable to reach a consensus on adoption of either the scientific or management quota proposals. He advised, however, that the salmon commission did endorse, by a majority decision, a compromise proposal that the national commercial catch of salmon for 2005 should not exceed 139,900 fish and that this recommendation was made on the basis that the commission would adopt the scientific committee's advice by the 2007 season at the latest.

We are carefully considering all the advice offered bearing in mind the necessity to balance the needs of all beneficiaries and users of the salmon resource and, in particular, the overriding requirement to ensure the resource is preserved and protected according to the best scientific data. My colleague the Minister of State will make a decision in this matter shortly. In approaching this decision, the implications for the health of the salmon resource of setting the national and district total allowable catches at levels higher than those recommended by the scientists will be carefully considered. In that context, the Minister of State will continue to be guided by the fundamental principle adopted and adhered to by previous Ministers over the last three years, that is, that the national total allowable catch should be progressively aligned over that period with the scientific advice. The Government remains fully committed to this principle as the only sustainable and defensible way forward for salmon management in Ireland.

I recognise the divergence of advice from the National Fisheries Managers Executive and the National Salmon Commission in respect of when full alignment on the scientific advice is to be achieved. While it is appreciated that the scientific advice for 2005 is based on a revision of the methodology used in previous years and therefore results in a much lower proposed total allowable catch than would otherwise have been the case, we are still strongly persuaded of the case to move to the national conservation limits sooner rather than later.

The Minister of State expects to publish draft wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme regulations setting a national total allowable commercial catch of salmon for 2005 shortly. Under the requirements of the Fisheries Acts, the draft regulations are available for a 30-day consultation period to allow interested parties an opportunity to submit any objections they may have. Following the receipt and consideration of these, the Minister of State will then make a final decision on the scheme.

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