Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent of the Gweebarra river system in County Donegal under the direct control of Inland Fisheries Ireland; and the agreements it has in place with landowners to lease fishing rights on the river. [7106/12]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Gweebarra Rod Fishery is mainly state owned with a small portion in private ownership. Prior to 2007 access to both public and private parts of the Fishery was unregulated. Neither the state agencies concerned nor the private riparian owners took steps to limit access to their portion of the Fishery nor required a permit fee to be discharged by visitors. A person angling for salmon on the Gweebarra required only the statutory licence required to fish for salmon on any of the waters.

As part of its general statutory functions to protect, improve and promote fisheries within its region the then Northern Regional Fisheries Board (NRFB) decided to consult with the stakeholders on the Gweebarra to see whether agreement could be reached in relation to the preservation and development of the Fishery. The NRFB, in March 2007, reached agreement with the local Gweebarra Fishing Club which agreement runs in perpetuity. There are some 30 reputed riparian owners and agreement was reached with most of these in the same timeframe. This agreement runs for a period of 10 years.

Thus Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) have direct management responsibility for the vast majority of the river, only a small number of short stretches of the river located above Doochary village are not directly under IFI management. The main elements of the Agreement with the local Fishing Club were –

That the fishery was to be protected, improved, developed and managed in accordance with the principles of "catchment management".

That fishing was to be conducted in a sustainable manner under an agreed rod management plan as detailed in the Agreement.

That full membership of the Club was to be granted to all Applicants of good character residing within the catchment, all existing members of the Club at the date of the Agreement and riparian landowners who had entered into Agreements with IFI.

That the Club was entitled to admit others as associate members (for the same fee and with the same access rights as full members, the only difference being that they could not vote on decisions affecting the fishery).

That there would be an annual permit fee payable to IFI for each member of the Club.

That visitors would be accommodated on payment of a daily fee.

That the fishery would be divided up into beats or sections and the Rod Management Plan involved a limited number of anglers to be accommodated on each beat at any one time.

These new arrangements commenced in 2007 and essentially the previously unregulated position pertaining on the Gweebarra came to an end at that point. The Board commenced management of the Fishery and expended a sum of approximately €160,000 on improvement works on the Fishery.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the cost to date to prosecute three local anglers (details supplied) on the Gweebara river; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7107/12]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Prosecutions taken by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) against the three named Anglers for allegedly fishing on the Gweebarra River system are currently adjourned before the District Court. The costs of these prosecutions are unlikely to be significant or out of the norm for routine Fishery prosecutions in the District Court.

In my reply to Parliamentary Question No 109 of today's date, I have set out the background to the agreement by IFI and its predecessor body, the Northern Regional Fisheries Board, with the local fishing club and riparian owners to protect, improve and promote the fishery on the Gweebarra river which has resulted in an investment of €160,000 on improvement works on the fishery. Following the adjourned District Court Cases, High Court Civil Proceedings were instituted by the former Northern Regional Fisheries Board (now Inland Fisheries Ireland) against three named Anglers. This arises from the need to protect a State asset and the responsibility of IFI to preserve and protect this and other Fisheries in which similar agreements may be reached. While there were efforts to mediate a resolution, these were not successful.

IFI have informed me that clarity in relation to the High Court costs cannot be stated with confidence until hearing dates are set and indeed will depend on the progression of the case. However, it is clear that notwithstanding efforts to mediate a resolution, costs will already have been incurred given there was the initial interlocutory hearing and extensive discovery being sought by the Defendants.