Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the way it is intended to compensate the drift net fishermen who have only received licences within the past five years; the way persons who have only received licenses within the past year will be compensated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40787/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has created a hardship fund for those affected by the compulsory cessation of indiscriminate mixed stock fishing at sea, realising that these proposals will entail hardship for commercial fishermen and vulnerable coastal communities. The fund 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.

The level of payments will be based on the average verifiable catch for each licence holder for the past 5 years (2001-2005). Each individual licence holder should receive 6 times his average catch multiplied by the average net income per salmon (which is estimated to be €23 per salmon). In all cases a payment equal to 6 times the current licence fee will be made to each licence holder. I believe this is a fair and reasonable allocation.

As the Deputy is aware changes in the management of the wild salmon fishery for 2007 and beyond were signalled in advance of the 2006 season. In the circumstances it would be unlikely that fishermen who obtained a licence in the past year could claim that they suffered unexpected hardship.