John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

The primary motivation in aligning the future management of the wild salmon fishery with the scientific advice and the introduction of the appropriate regulations to cease mixed stock fishing is the conservation of wild salmon stocks. It is vital to afford every protection to the remaining salmon stocks and to clearly prioritise conservation over catch.

The independent group was set up to examine the implications for the commercial sector of aligning the wild salmon fishery with scientific advice for 2007 and beyond. The scientific advice called for the complete cessation of all indiscriminate mixed stock fishing for salmon and the cessation of harvesting of stocks which are below their conservation limit.

The salmon hardship scheme, which I published recently, is being administered jointly by BIM and the regional fisheries boards. The closing date for receipt of applications is 30 March 2007. However, I am advised that applicants will have until 31 December 2007 to accept any offer under the scheme. The scheme is voluntary and individuals do not have to make an application or accept an offer following an application.

The independent group recommended that those who avail of the scheme should not be able to apply for a licence in the future. It is my intention that the control of fishing for salmon order will shortly be modified in such a way that applications for commercial fishing licences will only be invited for fishery districts where rivers are identified as having surplus stock in 2007 and only for those methods that do not impact indiscriminately on stocks of fish that are below their conservation limit.

In the future when stocks recover and it is established from the results of the genetic stock identification project that significant numbers of fish destined for other rivers are not intercepted, it should be possible to exploit the identified surplus in rivers, bays and estuaries by all appropriate methods, but within the constraints permitted by the habitats directive.

The wording in the scheme to which the Deputy refers is part of the general terms and conditions which BIM applies to all schemes it operates, as has been the norm for the past four years. This clause legally permits BIM to cater for any changes in State or EU legislation which might occur, or any other changes that may occur after a scheme has been launched, negating the need to re-advertise a scheme and requesting applicants to reapply.

See this speech in context