Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will review and improve the compensation package proposed for drift net fishermen particularly in areas like the south east where historic and modest fisheries are being terminated following the Government decision on the report of the Independent Salmon Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38836/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware I appointed the Independent Group to examine the implications of alignment with the scientific advice for the commercial salmon fishing sector in 2007 and beyond. As part of their remit the group made recommendations to address any financial hardship that may be experienced by the sector. The approach they adopted to determining the hardship payments is robust and convincing.

In their report the group commented that the level of hardship likely to be experienced would vary both in extent and scale. Taking all factors into account and based on available information, noting particularly that there is no legal obligation on the State to provide compensation in a situation where it is imposing management measures that are fundamentally in the public good, they proposed to provide a measure of relief to each individual in line with the level of hardship likely to be experienced. They recommended that this should be based on the recent catch history of the individual licence holder (2001 to 2005). The Government accepted the recommendation of the Independent group and has determined that the level of payment should be based on the average net income per salmon in the commercial fishery for the past five years (2001 to 2005). This income calculation was based, by the group, on the average price obtained per fish each year less the costs incurred by fishermen. Each individual licence holder who applies to the fund is set to receive six times their average catch multiplied by the average net income per salmon. An additional payment equal to 6 times the current licence fee will be made in all cases. I believe this is a fair and reasonable allocation and does not need to be modified.

The Deputy will appreciate that cessation of the mixed stock interceptory fishery should, in particular, benefit the returning stocks to areas like the south east.