James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding a person (details supplied) in County Longford who had their application turned down for an eel licence in 2009; the reaction from the EU to the national proposal to close the eel fishery for the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9564/09]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for the management, conservation, protection and development of the inland fisheries resource, including the issue of fishing licences is the responsibility of the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards. I have no function in the matter. I have been advised, however, by the Northern Regional Fisheries Board that the applicant identified by the Deputy, who applied for an eel fishing licence in 2009, has been informed that a decision on his application has been deferred until the May meeting of the Northern Regional Fisheries Board. Over the coming months, Ireland's draft Eel Management Plan, which was forwarded to the Commission on 9 January 2009, will be evaluated by the European Commission as to its adequacy in delivering the objectives of the EC Regulation. We await the outcome of that assessment.

I have previously advised this House that scientific advice by the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) recommends that all exploitation and other anthropogenic impacts on production and escapement of eels should be reduced to as close to zero as possible until stock recovery is achieved. Ireland's draft Eel Management Plan relies upon a number of management measures, including cessation of the fishery, in order to address the critical status of stocks and to achieve the targets set in the EC regulation. In the circumstances, for the regional fisheries board to issue a fishing licence for a year in which no fishing may be permissible, would be inappropriate until the adjudication from the European Commission is obtained.