Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the details of salmon catches on rivers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51663/12]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that the information sought is available in respect of those fisheries that are public fisheries. I am advised that no salmon catches were recorded on the River Maine which has been closed for the years in question. IFI advise that they conducted a pilot study in the Castlemaine Fishery in 2010 which led to the opening of that Fishery in 2011 and 2012. This has resulted in a reduced annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the River Laune and any other rivers associated with Castlemaine Fishery. For the Deputy’s information I am providing the recorded catch in the Harbour

The number of salmon caught by the top 8 individual draft net licence holders on the relevant public fisheries is set out in the table below.

There are a number of private fisheries on the River Laune. These fisheries are operated by three separate private fishery owners and commercial sensitivity precludes disaggregating the individual catches. The table, however, provides the combined total number of fish caught for the Deputy’s information.

1. Figures for 2012 are preliminary returns and while material change is not anticipated these returns are yet to be definitively finalised