Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 72: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if measures will be brought forward to establish a buy-out scheme for drift-netting to protect Irish salmon stocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6707/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The question of how best to manage the future fishing for wild Atlantic salmon is being reviewed in the context of setting the total allowable catch, TAC, for 2006. I am awaiting the advice of the National Salmon Commission in this regard and while it is disappointing that it did not arrive at a consensus at its meeting last week, I hope it can reconvene in time to submit appropriate advice on a timely basis.

The Government has to date consistently ruled out buyout as an effective means of achieving the restoration of salmon stocks and has instead, since 2002, promoted the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling to achieve catch reductions as the best instrument available to achieve this objective.

The Deputy will be aware of the Oireachtas joint committee's acknowledgement that any compensatory schemes should largely be funded by those stakeholders who would be the main economic beneficiaries of more salmon being free to return to the rivers. I also draw the Deputy's attention to the committee's comment that "public moneys spent must have, as a primary aim, ensuring the survival of the salmon species and that this precept must be regarded as more important than any economic gain to any sector that may accrue".

It is clear to me that future policy must be designed to ensure the survival of the species, while balancing the interests of various stakeholders in relation to the quantum of catch that appears to be possible within the independent scientific advice and taking account of the detail of that advice in relation to location and types of fishing.

I sound a note of caution about any possible compensatory scheme designed to address the financial impact of compliance with the scientific advice. There may be no legal requirement to introduce any compensation scheme in the event of a curtailment of fishing effort and in that context expectations of high levels of monetary compensation are unrealistic. Similarly and in consideration of equity in the matter, some meaningful contribution would be expected from the economic beneficiaries of a reduction in commercial fishing whether that is delivered in cash or in kind.