Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the proposals his Department will introduce to purchase the licences of draft and drift fishermen; the estimated cost of these proposals; the consequential effect of such proposals on salmon stocks; when such proposals will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12752/04]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The overriding objective of the Government is to preserve the salmon resource in its own right and for the coastal and rural communities that it helps to support. The economic goals for a sustainable commercial salmon fishery based on quality and value rather than volume and the development of salmon angling as an important tourism product are both fully compatible with the primary objective.

The current strategy of developing a sustainable commercial and recreational salmon fishery through aligning catches on the scientific advice by next year hold out the strong prospect of a recovery of stocks and of a long term sustainable fishery for both sectors.

As a result, I have no plans to introduce proposals to purchase commercial salmon fishing licences but I intend to keep the matter under review in the context of the policy outlined above.