Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 288: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources further to a parliamentary question of 22 February 2005, the measures he intends taking to review the need for restrictions on the practice of pair trawling in the Shannon estuary following a submission he since received from the Irish whale and dolphin group; if the vessels involved in such fishing are large enough to capture dolphins and that dolphin calves in particular remain vulnerable to such fishing for the first two years of their lives; if his Department will support a dedicated survey to ascertain both the size of the fishery and the demands of the dolphin population in the estuary. [9269/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The submission to which the Deputy refers appears to be from the Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation, SDWG, and I have noted the comments of that group. The fishery in question generally involves one or two pairs of boats of approximately 65 feet in length. While there does not appear to be any significant threat to the dolphin population in this area from fishing activity at this time, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which has primary responsibility for the conservation of marine mammals in this State, is scheduled to carry out an assessment of the dolphin population in the area later this year. When the results of this assessment have been received, the matter can be reviewed again in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.