Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if licences will be issued to snap net salmon fishermen on the Suir, Nore and Barrow in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8147/07]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, in the event of snap net fishermen not being given licences to fish in 2007, persons who held licences in 2006 will retain their entitlement to licences when they are next issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8148/07]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if estuary drift net salmon fishermen on the Suir fishery will be granted licences to fish when the salmon stock exceed the conservation limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8149/07]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 to 149, inclusive, together.

The Standing Scientific Committee of the National Salmon Commission has advised that stocks of salmon in the Rivers Suir, Nore and Barrow are below conservation limits. For this reason, the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (No. 2) Regulations 2006 do not identify a surplus of fish available for harvest in 2007. Commercial fishing (including snap net licences) will therefore not be issued in 2007.

During 2007 fish stock assessment studies will be undertaken in order to forecast the position for 2008 and beyond. The Southern Regional Fisheries Board and the Marine Institute will monitor the stocks in developing a management plan for the rivers Suir, Nore and Barrow with a view to identifying the extent of the recovery, if any, arising from the cessation of the mixed stock commercial fishery and any stock rehabilitation works undertaken.

In the future event that stocks recover in each of the rivers of the Waterford Estuary, and it is established from the results of the Genetic Stock Identification Project that significant numbers of fish destined for other rivers are not intercepted within the rivers and estuary, it should be possible to exploit the identified surplus by all methods (drift-nets, draft-nets, snap-nets and rod) but within the constraints permitted by the Habitats Directive as transposed by the European Communities (National Habitats) Regulations 1997 (S.I. No. 94 of 1997).

While it is not the intention to issue commercial fishing licences for the Waterford District in 2007, any future issue of licences under the Control of Fishing for Salmon Order will recognise 2006 as the most recent year for fishing in determining the order for the allocation of licences. Anyone who makes an application and receives a payment under the Salmon Hardship Scheme will be required to give an undertaking not to make a future application for a commercial salmon licence.