Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent of personnel to be recruited in each fishery board area from 1 January 2007 in order to properly supervise and monitor the implementation of the ban on drift net fishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37458/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for the management, conservation, protection, development and improvement of inland fisheries rests with the regional fisheries boards.

Funding is allocated directly to each fisheries board from the vote of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. These funds are applied by the Fisheries boards towards their statutory functions of conservation, management, development, protection and improvement of inland fisheries in each of the regions according to their needs.

Funding will be provided in my Department's Estimate for the recruitment of additional staff in accordance with a request coordinated by the National Fishery Manager's Executive but the detailed implementation of this is still under discussion.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the name of each river currently below salmon conservation and survival requirements; the rivers in respect of which there will be no rod angling allowed initially for 2007; the way it is proposed to supervise this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37459/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's primary motivation is the 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.

I am advised that current scientific data has identified that 109 of the salmon rivers in the State are below their conservation limit and details of these are set out in the following table.

The draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2007 will set out the rivers on which rod angling may take place and the controls that will apply and I intend publishing these regulations later this week, following which, there will be a 30 day consultation period.

Under the Fisheries Acts, the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards are primarily responsible for the management and protection of fisheries including measures in relation to enforcement.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the estimated numbers based on scientific evidence of the extra numbers of salmon that may return to Irish waters as a result of the drift net ban; the estimated numbers based on similar scientific evidence that may return to waters outside this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37460/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Scientific advice currently estimates that approximately 60,000 fish that might otherwise be taken in at-sea drift-net fishery may return to Irish rivers in 2007.

Advice is not available to indicate the possible numbers that may return to waters outside the jurisdiction.

The Government's primary motivation is the 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.