Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he intends to carry out an assessment of the impact of pair trawling on bottlenose dolphins in the Shannon Estuary candidate special area; and if there are plans to introduce measures, such as monitoring the by catch of these vessels, in order to control pair trawling in the area. [33493/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised that pair trawling does occur in the Shannon Estuary. However, I also understand that such trawling takes place sporadically for herring and sprat and is seasonal in nature. The vessels involved mainly fish during late autumn and winter and I am advised that the main calving season for Bottlenose Dolphins in this area is in early summer and consequently pair trawling is not considered to present a significant threat in that regard.

While the Marine Institute has advised me that they are aware that there are bottlenose dolphin in this area they do not have specific information on the by-catch from the pair trawl fishery in the Shannon Estuary. Under EC Regulation 812/2004, Member States must introduce on-board observer schemes to monitor cetacean by-catches in certain fisheries. I have asked the Marine Institute to include vessels pair trawling in the Shannon Estuary as part of its observer schemes.