Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will commission a survey on the number of predator seals and cormorants on Lough Foyle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28520/10]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether the fishery management framework employed by his Department could be broadened to include control of abundant predator species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28521/10]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 242 and 243 together.

Responsibility for the species referred to by the Deputy lies with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, under the Wildlife Acts 1976–2000 through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The Fisheries Boards are already actively engaged in seeking measures to control predator species, where appropriate, as part of their fisheries management. They work closely with the NPWS in undertaking studies to establish, for example, seal population trends and levels of predation on salmon. In addition they have commissioned BirdWatch Ireland to undertake a study of predation by the cormorant on fish in selected rivers. The objective of this study is to determine feeding preferences and carry out an assessment of the impact of cormorant predation on fish stocks.

The Loughs Agency has been working with both the NPWS and the Northern Ireland Environment Authority (NIEA) with regard to the possible control of predator seals in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. They will monitor closely developments in relation to the other above mentioned studies with a view to possibly applying the findings to the Foyle and Carlingford areas.