John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I apologise for the absence of the Minister due to a family bereavement.

The National Salmon Commission, informed by the National Fishery Managers Executive, has recommended that total wild salmon exploitation in 2006 should not exceed 106,367, with 91,367 allocated to the commercial sector and 15,000 to angling, thereby fully complying with the national conservation limits established by its standing scientific committee.

I am advised by the fisheries boards that the total angling catch will be controlled primarily in two ways, by a reduction in the annual bag limit from 20 to ten fish and the imposition of mandatory catch and release in eight of the 17 fishery districts from the month of September.

I intend, by means of amendments to the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout By-law, No. 797, 2004, to limit the number of fish which can be caught per day to one per day until June and three per day until the end of September, subject to the maximum annual bag limit of ten fish. Once anglers have used all their tags they will be required to cease fishing.

I intend, by making a further by-law, to introduce compulsory catch and release from 1 September in eight identified fishery districts that are not meeting conservation limits. These are Dundalk, Drogheda, Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Shannon, Galway and Sligo. The fisheries managers have argued that there is an absolute need to conserve stocks in those districts. Given that commercial fishing ceases in the majority of districts on 31 July, they maintain that there is no reason that anglers should continue to kill fish up to the end of September.

I am advised that enforcement will be undertaken in the normal way through fisheries officers checking individual anglers for compliance. The fisheries boards are exploring opportunities to develop and enhance their protection regime, making use of modern technology and management methods, including the assessment of district-based quotas for the angling sector.

While I am relying on the assurances given by both the commercial fishing interests and angling representatives that they are fully committed to all measures associated with the conservation and protection of our valuable wild salmon stocks, I have, nevertheless, asked the fisheries boards to ensure that the new quotas are fully enforced. The fisheries boards will continue to monitor the fishery and I have asked them to keep me advised of necessary measures in the course of the season to ensure compliance.

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