John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

While there remains a surplus of salmon returning to Irish rivers, the Government has accepted the scientific advice that reductions in the overall fishing effort are required to sustain and rebuild salmon stocks nationwide. The question of how best to manage the future fishing of wild Atlantic salmon is being reviewed in the context of setting the total allowable catch, TAC, for 2006.

The National Salmon Commission, in accordance with its terms of reference, was asked to advise on how best to implement by 2007 an alignment of the exploitation of salmon with the scientific advice, bearing in mind the requirement to ensure the future biological viability of the salmon resource in all catchments and also the needs of all stakeholders, including those who derive their living from the wild salmonresource.

I am awaiting the advice of the National Salmon Commission in this regard and while it is disappointing that it did not arrive at a consensus at its meeting last week, I am hopeful it can reconvene in time to submit appropriate advice on a timely basis. I received the advice of the standing scientific committee of the commission and the advice tendered by the fisheries managers. It is my intention to publish these and any recommendations that emanate from the National Salmon Commission in the coming weeks and to make a decision. I will publish my proposed amendments to the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme in March so as to afford all interested parties an opportunity to consider them prior to their introduction in April 2006.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

It is clear that future policy must be designed to ensure the survival of the species, while balancing the interests of various stakeholders in relation to the quantum of catch that appears to be possible within the independent scientific advice and taking account of the detail of that advice in relation to location and types of fishing.

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