Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether the UK Government believes that Irish salmon drift net fishery is having an unacceptable impact on UK salmon stocks in view of the UK Environment Agency's belief that 10% of salmon returning to English and Welsh rivers are caught in Irish driftnets; and the response he intends to make to the commitment given by the British Labour Party in its charter for angling to encourage the Irish Government to bring about a voluntary cessation of driftnetting for salmon off the Irish coast. [14547/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In answer to Parliamentary Question No. 254 on 26 April 2005, I advised the House that since my appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for the Marine, I have not received any communication from the UK Government regarding the management of the Irish wild salmon fishery. I also clarified the context of the statement made by the UK Environment Agency which referred to an as yet unpublished report by a joint Irish-UK scientific working group, which has been assessing the recent patterns and levels of exploitation on English and Welsh salmon stocks in the Irish coastal fishery. I understand the scientific working group's report is finally nearing completion and is expected to be released in 2005.

In the absence of this report, it should be noted that the Government does not accept that there is any sound or agreed scientific basis for the allegations made that the Irish salmon drift net fishery has an unacceptable impact on salmon stocks either in Ireland or in other European countries.

The commitments given by the British Labour Party in its charter for angling have also been brought to my attention. This Government has consistently ruled out buyout as an effective means of achieving the restoration of salmon stocks and considers that its management of the Irish home water commercial salmon fishery, which limits the commercial salmon fishing season, confines it to within the six mile limit and restricts the number of fish being caught, are the best instruments available to achieve this objective.