Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will say the world so. A salmon caught on rod and line is considered to be valued at around €3,000 to the local community. With regard to the Inland Fisheries Ireland being a Twenty-six Counties body and not being part of the Good Friday Agreement, the Loughs Agency is a North-South body. Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Department co-operate with the Loughs Agency and the Department of agriculture and rural development in Northern Ireland. They jointly promote angling on the whole island and share science and research on the island and its fisheries.

Since 2001, selling rod-caught salmon is prohibited. I appreciate the point Deputy Calleary made, but the purpose of the legislation is to ensure there is no incentive to commercialise what is a recreational activity and put additional pressure on our fisheries.

In terms of the reduction of fish numbers referred to by Deputy Calleary, the Deputy is local to that area and would have seen the fish levels in the 1980s. The reduction is of grave concern to the whole country in terms of what is happening to the salmon stocks. The drift-net ban that was introduced was introduced in good faith on the basis that it was having a huge impact on our fish stocks. That is not to say that because fish stocks have not recovered, it was not the correct decision to enact the drift-net ban. Without the drift-net ban in 2006, perhaps the fish numbers would be even lower than they are now. The decision was made and a hardship scheme was implemented.

In terms of what is causing the reductions, there are multiple possible reasons for it. Global warming could have an impact. The supertrawlers off the west coast have been raised by some in the House as having an impact. There are numerous issues. In the Deputy's own river, the Moy, people have talked about the possible impact of seals on the salmon stocks. I do not think it would be popular to suggest that there should be a seal-culling scheme. I think that would be very difficult and my officials would not be happy with that, though it has been suggested. Equally, it has been suggested that cormorants are having a huge impact in Limerick by taking salmon from the water. There are a number of issues.

With regard to the larger salmon farms Deputy Calleary spoke about, BIM had plans in Galway Bay off Inis Oírr which were subsequently withdrawn. I attended Comhdháil na nOileán on Inishbofin last week where there were representatives from Inishturk, an island in the Deputy's constituency. They had a different view in terms of-----

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