Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I will help myself and others recap. In welcoming the report, I was rebutting an outrageous attack by Senator Ross on the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Gallagher. There is no need to go over this ground other than to say that was not representative of most of the contributions in the House and certainly not in keeping with the recommendations of the report, which I wholeheartedly welcome. The move to a single stock management and the acknowledgement that the Department is the best body to determine how it should be done, such as through legislative improvements, management, reorganisation and the functions relating to the compensatory and set-aside schemes, are good ways forward. It is extremely important that this is not funded just by the Government or EU but that the wide variety of beneficiaries, including interest groups, conservation groups and the tourism industry, contribute to it.

The joint committee recommended: "The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government should prepare a report on the predation of seals on the salmon stocks." Senator Kenneally referred to this matter previously when he mentioned that we do not have all of the facts in this situation. Following on from the Minister of State, I said we cannot take knee-jerk reactions. I would be interested to see a study carried out on the effects of seals and cormorants, as their effects on smolts heading out to sea seem to be very serious according to my own research and the report's findings. The Minister of State's referral of the report to the National Salmon Commission is a positive move. It is the most representative relevant organisation and incorporates all aspects from the Loughs Agency, all elements within the industry, the conservation groups and Fáilte Éireann.

I wish to touch on a number of issues. First and perhaps most important, more needs to be done regarding the marine survival of salmon. All the relevant agencies, including the Marine Institute, other scientific groups, the fisheries boards and the relevant Government agencies must focus on the threats to the marine survival of salmon. From my inquiries into this issue, it appears this area does not receive enough attention and more needs to be done. We all agree stocks are becoming seriously depleted. We can see that is a serious issue from the report and from all the available statistics. However, no more pressure has been put on the fishery industry during the past five years than during the previous ten years. Various actions have been taken in that period, such as shortening the netting season, anglers' quotas and tagging systems. In my view the Marine Institute must focus heavily on the survival of salmon.

We must establish what happens to the smolts en route to the feeding grounds, what happens to them at the feeding grounds and what happens to salmon on return to Irish coastal waters other than problems encountered through drift netting. If we can get answers to these questions we would be in a position to find solutions to enhance the survival of salmon. We would achieve a great deal in pursuit of protecting the fishery industry as a whole.

Protection of our inland waterways, lakes and rivers is essential. Water quality has deteriorated and the imminent water framework directive will assist in this matter. However, looking to the future and leading from the front in taking steps to improve water quality would further enhance the situation.

Habitat degradation is caused by river erosion and other factors, such as irresponsible farming which was accused of causing habitat degradation in the past. The REP scheme has improved the situation in terms of appropriate fencing and the protection of river banks. More must be done and more resources must be channelled to habitat development and restoration. This, in turn, will increase the production of juvenile salmon.

I welcome this report. It goes a considerable way towards achieving the protection of the fishery industry, to which we all aspire. The only matter for debate is how to go about it. I pay tribute to Senator Kenneally, who was a member of the sub-committee that published this report, for the all-inclusive way in which it was done. The recommendations are extremely good. I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has referred it to the Nation Salmon Commission for its recommendations. I look forward to hearing those in due course as we take this matter further.

On single stock management, I visited the Loughs Agency in Derry and toured both the Foyle and Carlingford operations. As we seek to improve the situation, perhaps we could look towards some of steps it took and seek to replicate some of its actions. I wish the Minister of State well in his endeavours on behalf of all of us.