Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise the issue of the predicament facing a group of fishermen that has emerged in recent days in the Lough Foyle area, which is administered by the Loughs Agency. A number of drift net fishermen, commercial salmon fishermen, fish in this river but there are also ten draft net salmon fishermen who fish in the river who have been in touch with me about letters they have received, dated 4 June, from the chief executive officer of the Loughs Agency in Derry, which is a North-South body. The letter refers to the fact that the Loughs Agency was preparing the Foyle Area (Control of Fishing) Regulations 2010. These regulations were subsequently made on 2 June 2010 and will come into force ahead of the commercial salmon fishing season, which would have commenced already, now that we are past the 15 June deadline. The rationale behind the decision, according to the letter that has been sent to the draft net fishermen, is that the River Finn, which feeds into the Foyle system, has not achieved the conservation limit for salmon in two of the past five years. The agency therefore outlined that it is required to suspend the killing of salmon returning to the river until such time as the management target is achieved.

This has come as major surprise and shock to the fishermen. The ten fishermen, I represent and who I met over the weekend, are deeply concerned that their livelihood has now effectively been taken from them. These fishermen would have had the opportunity in 2007 to avail of the salmon hardship compensation package but they declined the offer at the time. I have one of the letters of offer made to one of the fishermen. The fishermen declined the offer because they had no other form of employment. They were highly dependent on commercial salmon fishing, the draft net fishing, at the time.

Their grievance is that no consultation took place with them prior to they receiving a letter from the Loughs Agency to the effect that cessation of fishing was commencing this year. If the salmon stocks are dwindling, it is a cause of concern to us all. I walked along the River Finn and the River Foyle over the weekend and noticed the water levels were very low and that there was a great deal of dirt and muck on the river beds. While I am not an expert on fishing a number of anglers and fishermen have pointed out to me that the migration of salmon up the river would be very difficult due to the fact the water level is very low and there is murky residue on the river bed.

Perhaps that issue should be addressed, as conservation is a matter for the agency, with the funding provided in 2007.

Has the declaration been signed by the Northern and Southern Ministers, given that it is a North-South body? If the ten draft net salmon fishermen are prevented from engaging in commercial activity this year, can they obtain some of the hardship money that was available until now? Can somebody meet them to discuss the implications for their livelihoods?

I wanted to bring these matters to the attention of the Minister of State and I am delighted he is present to respond.