Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will open a harbour salmon fishery (details supplied) which was reopened last year on a pilot basis; and if he will request Inland Fisheries Ireland to furnish the scientific results as soon as possible. [7341/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Castlemaine Harbour has been closed to commercial fishing since the introduction of the South Western Fisheries Region (No. 7 or Kerry District) Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Bye-law No. 844, 2008. The decision to close the harbour to salmon fishing was based on information available on the status of the wild salmon stocks in the rivers which flow into the common estuary. While three of the five rivers flowing into Castlemaine are above their conservation limits (the Laune, Caragh and Maine), two of the rivers (the Behy and Emlagh) salmon stocks are currently below those limits.

The pilot project was undertaken in 2010 to determine how a salmon fishery could be operated on salmon stocks in the harbour, maximising the opportunities for commercial fishing while ensuring that at-risk stocks are not compromised and surplus stocks are not over exploited.

Inland Fisheries Ireland is due to report to me on the results of the pilot project in early May. I intend to publish the report and consequential recommendations as soon as possible following my consideration.