John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the compensation scheme that he proposes for drift net salmon fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36740/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is aware that the Government adopted the key recommendations of the report by the Independent Group established to examine the implications of fully aligning the management of the wild salmon fishery with the scientific advice in 2007 and beyond. The central recommendation of this report is the creation of a hardship fund for those affected by the compulsory cessation of indiscriminate mixed stock fishing at sea. The Government's primary motivation in adopting the report is that of conservation of the wild salmon species, which has long been regarded as one of Ireland's most prized fish. It is vital to afford every protection to the remaining salmon stocks and to clearly prioritise conservation over catch. The current imperative must be to maintain stocks above conservation limits or at the very least halt the observed decline.

The Government realise that these proposals will entail hardship for commercial fishermen and vulnerable coastal communities. To offset this they have established a hardship fund for those affected. This fund, worth over €25 million, will be available to:

All those subject to a compulsory closure of their current commercial fishery, namely the holders of drift-net licences and some draft net licence holders.

On a voluntary basis, to all those engaged in draft-net, loop-net, bag-net, snap-net, and head-weir fishing

The level of payments will be determined as follows:

Payments should be based on the average verifiable (tag return) catch for each licence holder for the past 5 years (2001-2005).

Payments should be based on the average net income per sal mon in the commercial drift and draft-net fishery for the past 5 years (2001-2005). This is estimated to be €23 per salmon.

Each individual licence holder should receive 6 times their average catch multiplied by the average net income per salmon.

In all cases a payment equal to 6 times the current licence fee in respect of each licence surrendered will be made. For example, in the case of drift-net fishermen, this equals a payment of €2,022. In the case of draft-net fishermen participating in the voluntary scheme the payment will be €1,140.

In every case, those who avail of the hardship fund:

Will no longer be eligible to apply for a commercial salmon licence.

Must verifiably decommission their net(s) or fixed fishing engines to the satisfaction of the competent authority.

Must comply with any other reasonable conditions required to manage the fishery.

The hardship fund will be managed on an administrative basis by BIM and the Regional Fisheries Boards over a three-year period.

The Government has also put in place an additional €5 million fund that will be available for a community support scheme. This support scheme will be designed to aid the development of those communities where the impact of the cessation of drift netting will be hardest felt and provide alternative employment and economic opportunities for those affected.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of people who have been issued with drift net licences in each county in each year since 2002. [36741/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the average number of salmon caught by each holder of a drift net licence in each county in each year since 2002. [36742/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the estimated average income derived from fishing for salmon by each holder of a drift net licence in each county in each year since 2002. [36743/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of salmon caught by those with drift net licences in each year since 2002. [36744/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the estimated number of salmon caught by those with rod licences in each year since 2002. [36745/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 to 222, inclusive, together.

Under the Fisheries Acts primary responsibility for the allocation of salmon fishing licences is an operational matter for the relevant Regional Fisheries Boards. In 2002 a total of 883 drift-net licences were issued. In each of the years 2003 to 2005 (the latest year for which figures are available), 877, 848 and 877 licences issued respectively.

The table sets out the number of fish caught with drift nets and by rod and line during the period 2002 to 2005 (the latest year for which figures are available).

The detailed breakdown of information requested by the deputy about the catch by geographical location (fisheries district) is available in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Fisheries Statistics Report published annually by the Central Fisheries Board and available on their website.

As the Deputy is aware, I appointed an Independent Group to examine the implications of alignment of management of the wild salmon fishery with the scientific advice for r the commercial salmon fishing sector in 2007 and beyond. The Independent group, in their report published recently, calculated the average net income per salmon in the commercial drift and draft net fishery for the past five years (2001 to 2005) and estimated this to be €23 per salmon. The income derived from fishing by each licence holder is dependent on the catch over the period.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the estimates his Department has of the number of wild salmon being killed annually in Irish coastal waters, estuaries and rivers as a result of infestation by sea lice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36746/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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In the past 15 years the overall marine survival of wild salmon has declined. I am advised that survival of salmon at sea is influenced by many factors including changes in the marine environment itself, predation by marine mammals, seabirds and fish, parasites and diseases, competition for food, by-catch in non-directed other fisheries. It is not possible to completely disaggregate the proportion of the mortality associated with each specific mortality factor.

I understand, however, that in the early 1990's when increased sea trout mortality was associated with greatly increased sea lice levels on the fish no equivalent problem was recorded from salmon. Recent Norwegian studies have indicated that treatment of migrating salmon smolts prior to release may improve survival, however, similar Irish studies are not complete. Research work undertaken by the Central Fisheries Board over the 2003-2006 period, as part of an EU programme, has shown that there has been differential return of treated and untreated hatchery salmon smolts returning to the coast as grilse using the in-feed treatment 'Slice' against sea lice infestation. This data suggests that sea lice inferred a mortality factor on out-migrating hatchery salmon smolts but it is difficult to extrapolate from the results of this experiment the numbers of wild salmon smolts being killed by sea lice infestation.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the proportion of people with drift net salmon licences his Department estimates would take up a voluntary compensation scheme to buy out their licences; the proportion of the annual wild salmon catch that would be affected by such a take-up of a voluntary scheme; the basis of such estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36747/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is aware that the Government adopted the key recommendations of the report by the Independent Group established to examine the implications of fully aligning the management of the wild salmon fishery with the scientific advice in 2007 and beyond. The central recommendation of this report is the creation of a hardship fund for those affected by the compulsory cessation of indiscriminate mixed stock fishing at sea.

The Government recognise that these proposals will entail hardship for commercial fishermen and vulnerable coastal communities. To offset this they have established a hardship fund for those affected. It is not compulsory to apply for this scheme. The Independent Group estimated that if all drift net fishermen currently engaged in the mixed stock fishery and approximately 50% of draft net and other salmon fishermen were to cease fishing and apply for payment from the fund this would cost in the region of €25m. I expect the National Salmon Commission to bring forward shortly their recommendations for management of the wild salmon fishery in 2007 based on the advice of its Standing Scientific Committee and the National Fishery Managers Executive. This will identify, in compliance with the Habitats Directive, the extent of the exploitable surplus of fish for 2007.