Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount of fishery rates demanded of salmon fishery owners; the amount of fishery rates awarded; and the unpaid arrears of fishery rates in respect of each of the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 and in respect of each of the seven regional fisheries boards. [12859/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Fishery rates are imposed and collected by the regional fisheries boards on the occupier of the fishery, thus forming part of the boards' resources. The rates struck by the boards are subject to confirmation by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, with or without modification as he thinks proper, section 55(1), Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 as amended by paragraph 1(d) of the Fourth Schedule to the Fisheries Act 1980 and further modified by the Fisheries (Alteration of Fishery Year) Order 1982, SI No. 328 of 1982.

The rates of increase are based on the recommendation of each regional fisheries board and are generally in line with or greater than the annual rate of inflation as set out in the consumer price index for the previous year. The rate of inflation for the year 2005 according to the Central Statistics Office was 2.5%. In November 2005 each of the regional fisheries boards was asked to propose a rate for 2006. Rates proposed by each board are set out below:

The rates 2006 were adopted in line with the boards' proposals with the exception of the SRFB and SWRFB. The rate for SRFB was set at €19.27 and for the SWRFB at €17.94, which is a 2.5% increase. I have no function in relation to the rateable valuations on which the rates are levied and once the fishery rates are set for a particular year, I have no further function in their collection. The collection of fishery rates and the pursuit of arrears is a day-to-day operational matter for the boards.