Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to allow island-based small fishing boats a preferential allocation of salmon fishing rights when the ban has had a much greater economic impact on island communities than on the mainland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8322/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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1As the Deputy is aware, the primary motivation in aligning the management of the wild salmon fishery with the scientific advice to cease mixed stock fishing at sea, is the conservation of the wild salmon stocks. It is vital to afford every protection to the at-risk salmon stocks and to clearly prioritise conservation over catch. Ireland must fulfil its obligations under the Habitats Directive, namely to maintain or restore fish stocks, protected by the Directive, to favourable conservation status.

I am advised that there can be no question of relaxing the conservation measures other than in rivers where stocks are meeting conservation limits and where it is established that significant numbers of fish destined for other rivers are not intercepted. It is not envisaged, for these reasons due to the constraints of the Habitats Directive that drift netting in the open seas will be licensed in the future. I am conscious of the impact of the cessation of the seasonal wild salmon fishery on island communities. This was addressed, I understand, in the allocation of funds made available through the Community Support Scheme funded from the Salmon Hardship Fund.