Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will report on the appointment of the new National Salmon Commission and on the reason he did not announce a total allowable catch for salmon in 2005, which was fully aligned with the scientific advice in view of the strong pleas made during his recent consultation with the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14381/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The term of office for the outgoing National Salmon Commission ended on 25 March 2005. Recognising that changes may have occurred in the representative nature of organisations in the sector, I recently invited all interested organisations and bodies to notify me of their credentials and suitability for inclusion on the prescribed list from which the membership of the Nation Salmon Commission can be drawn. I am considering the notifications received with a view to determining the need to amend the National Salmon Commission (Establishment) Order 2000, which specifies the prescribed bodies and organisations that can make up the membership of the commission. I will subsequently seek formal nominations for the membership of the new commission.

I signed the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2005, SI 204 of 2005, into law on 21 April 2005. In making my decision to set the national total allowable catch, TAC, for salmon for the 2005 season at 139,900 fish as recommended by the National Salmon Commission, I considered and weighed all the serious objections received by the Department during the statutory consultation period and the views expressed at the hearings of the Oireachtas committee. My adoption of the advice of the commission is consistent with the approach adopted by my predecessors.

Since 2002, the Government has implemented a strategy to ensure, through progressive reductions in the commercial salmon catch, that the conservation limits recommended by the National Salmon Commission are reached. This policy of promoting the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling has delivered significant overall catch reductions aimed at achieving the Government's prime objective of restoration of salmon stocks.

In setting the TAC at 139,900 fish, I recognise strong concerns have been expressed over the divergence in the advice available to me this year from the National Salmon Commission and that of its standing scientific committee. However, the basis of the scientific advice changed this year and the adoption of this shift would have meant an additional cut of over 30% on the actual TAC in 2005. This would have placed an unreasonable burden on the coastal fishing communities that depend on the salmon resource for their livelihoods.

I will ask the new National Salmon Commission to progress, as an immediate priority of national policy, the specific recommendation made by the outgoing commission to align the exploitation of salmon on the scientific advice by 2007. In particular, I will ask the new commission to advise me as to how best these recommendations can be implemented, bearing in mind the primary requirement to ensure the future biological viability of the salmon resource in all catchments and also the needs of all stakeholders, including those who derive their living from the wild salmon resource.