Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a draft net fishing licence will reissue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9054/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The yearly allocation of public licences for commercial draft nets is governed by the provisions of the relevant Control of Fishing for Salmon Order. The Order for 2012 is currently under consideration in my Department and it is expected that it will be finalised shortly. Any person over the age of 18 is entitled to apply for a public draft net licence unless they have previously availed of the Salmon Hardship Scheme. The Salmon Hardship Fund was established in line with the decision to end, on conservation grounds, the mixed stock fishery for salmon at sea. The scheme provided a payment, based on catch history, to former commercial licence holders who could no longer fish or who chose to withdraw from the fishery. The beneficiaries undertook to abide by the conditions of the scheme including not to apply for a commercial fishing licence in the future. I understand that the person referred to by the Deputy is a former holder of a commercial drift net licence and received payment under the Salmon Hardship Scheme. Under these circumstances, the person is not entitled to apply for a drift net licence. Under the terms of the scheme an applicant who received a hardship payment and is in the future found to be in breach of the salmon fishing regulations will be required to repay the full amount of the hardship payment received together with interest from the day of payment.