Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 368: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position regarding the case for cessation of drift netting for salmon. [32668/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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While an abundance of salmon continues to return to Irish rivers, the Government has accepted the scientific advice that reductions in the overall fishing effort are required to sustain and rebuild salmon stocks nationwide. Therefore, the Government's policy has been designed to bring spawning escapement up to the scientifically advised conservation limits as soon as possible. In keeping with this policy, when I set the commercial salmon quotas for the 2005 season, I gave a firm commitment to align fully the exploitation of salmon at national and district levels with the scientific advice by 2007. To that end, I have asked the National Salmon Commission to advise on how best the alignment of exploitation of salmon with the scientific advice can be implemented by 2007, bearing in mind the requirement to ensure the future biological viability of the salmon resource in all catchments and the needs of all stakeholders, including those who derive their living from the wild salmon resource. I assure the Deputy that I will examine carefully all recommendations in this regard, including those relevant to drift netting within the Irish fishery, made by the National Salmon Commission.