Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 345: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the discussions he has had with the Marine Institute in regard to the provision of salmon counters and smolt tagging in the Southern Regional Fisheries Board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14879/06]

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

I have not had direct discussions with the Marine Institute regarding the provision of salmon counters. The Department wrote recently to the Marine Institute and the Central and regional fisheries boards requesting that they review the current arrangements in respect of the operational, data management and quality assurance issues for the national fish counter management programme. I expect this review to be completed shortly so that an enhanced national management programme will be established, within available resources, to be carried out by the regional fisheries boards in partnership with the Marine Institute in an efficient and cost effective manner.

I refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 4 April 2006 in which I outlined the smolt tagging programme being operated by the Marine Institute and the Southern Regional Fisheries Board on the River Suir.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 346: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Southern Regional Fisheries Board has almost 30% of Ireland's salmon production capacity with only 10% of the salmon quota; his views on whether this is equitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14880/06]

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

The Southern Regional Fisheries Board comprises four of Ireland's largest river systems, namely, the Suir, Nore, Barrow and Munster Blackwater. By size of available habitat alone, the region should produce 30% of Ireland's salmon stock. Unfortunately, the salmon stocks in the rivers of this region are not meeting their conservation limit and are not reaching their full productive potential. The advice of the scientific committee, if it were to be applied in 2006, was that only 1% of the national quota should be allocated to the districts of the Southern Regional Fisheries Board to assist in the recovery of the fishery. However, I am advised that poor water quality in the region is a significant impediment to salmon production and, if not addressed, may reduce the region's ability to fully rebuild the stocks to these levels.

The National Salmon Commission recommended that national and district total allowable catches and quotas be aligned with the scientific advice in 2007, and considered that the management regime adopted for 2006 should be designed to move toward this. It determined, therefore, that the total allowable commercial catch for the Lismore and Waterford districts of the southern region would be set, on the basis of the recommendations of the NFME, at 9,600 fish or 65% of the 2006 quota. Catch reductions are to be implemented in all regions in 2006, sufficient to ensure the fishery remains within the national conservation limits specified by the standing scientific committee.

The Deputy will be aware that I announced on 24 March that I had decided to adopt the recommendations made to me by the National Salmon Commission for 2006, which involves reductions in the quota available to both commercial fishermen and anglers in 2006. In doing so I have reaffirmed the Government's commitment to fully align with the scientific advice provided on the management of the wild salmon fishery by 2007.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 347: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position regarding the abolition of the regional fisheries boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14881/06]

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

The Deputy will be aware that details of the Government's policy for the restructuring of the inland fisheries sector, which are based on the recommendations contained within the report by Farrell Grant Sparks following their review of the sector, were published last November. The Government has decided that a fundamental restructuring of the sector is required. It considered that this reform would result in a better model for the State's role in the sector, better resource management, more and better involvement of stakeholders, better corporate governance and value for money.

As the first step in the reform process, the Government has authorised the drafting of a Bill to establish a national inland fisheries authority, which will subsume the executive functions of the Central and regional fisheries boards. The current fisheries boards will be transformed into regional advisory boards. These statutory bodies will focus on regional issues and will be widely consulted on the detailed implementation of the second phase in the restructuring process. I hope to have the legislation necessary for the establishment of the national inland fisheries authority and regional advisory boards enacted by the end of this year. Naturally, this timeframe depends on the complexity of the legislation currently under development and competing priorities in the legislative calendar for 2006.

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 348: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if an application has been made from a fish farm company (details supplied) to renew its licences in Newport Bay, County Mayo; if said application has been approved; how closely he monitors companies with fish farm licences once they have been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15296/06]

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

The Department is considering an application from the company in question for renewal of aquaculture licences that it holds in respect of sites in Clew Bay, County Mayo. The process is at an advanced stage, having gone through the full consultation procedures, and it is expected that a decision will be made shortly.

Monitoring and inspection of fish farms is carried out by the Department with the advice and assistance of the Marine Institute. Each marine finfish farm is inspected 14 times a year by Marine Institute staff as part of the system for the monitoring and control of sea lice. In addition, the Marine Institute monitors fish health, which involves at least one inspection of each farm annually. Fish are also subject to a sampling and monitoring programme for residues. The Department's engineering staff also carry out inspections of fish farms to monitor the physical aspects of fish farm operations, including location and positioning, navigational lighting and marking, the condition of structures and their impact, if any, on the surrounding area.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 349: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if a review of draft net fishing methods has been undertaken; if so, his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15297/06]

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

The standing scientific committee of the National Salmon Commission has indicated that mixed stock fisheries pose particular threats to the status of individual stocks and that fisheries operated in estuaries and rivers are more likely to fulfil national requirements and international obligations. In this context the national fisheries management executive has identified a range of pilot projects to facilitate the exploitation, in a sustainable manner, of the surplus of salmon destined for Irish rivers within the parameters laid down by the precautionary principle. These projects, the feasibility of which is currently being evaluated by the Department in conjunction with the fisheries boards and the Marine Institute, should yield important information about the commercial and recreational fishery to guide policy toward restoring salmon stocks in threatened catchments while permitting the harvest of salmon where stocks are abundant.