Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 425: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the proposals he has in regard to the reopening of salmon fishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25083/09]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations, 2008 (S.I. No. 586, 2008) provide for, among other things, the quotas of salmon that can be harvested by commercial and recreational fishermen during the 2009 season from those rivers identified in the Regulations.

An array of conservation measures is provided for in bye-laws made during 2009, as applied in 2008 (e.g. annual bag limit, specified rivers in which angling is permitted on a catch and release basis only, prohibition on angling for salmon and sea trout in specified rivers that are below their conservation limits). These include the Salmon and Trout Conservation (Draft Nets and Snap Nets) Bye-law No. 856, 2009, which set out the opening and closing dates for the commercial fishing season and prohibits draft net and snap net fishing for (salmon and trout) in all districts other than those rivers mentioned in the bye-law.

The relevant statutory instruments and bye-laws are available on the Department's website. The harvest of salmon by commercial and recreational means is only permitted in those rivers that are meeting their conservation limits and which have an identified surplus.