John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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771. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether the conservation levels of salmon stock in both the Suir and in the Nore have reached acceptable levels and they have therefore been reopened for net snap fishing, if he will confirm that once the conservation levels of the stock of salmon on the Barrow has also been reached and snap net fishing is reopened there, if it will then follow that this will lead to the traditional drift net fishery being reopened on the Suir further down where the three rivers flow together; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37715/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Salmon Conservation Limit (CL) in any river is the number of spawning salmon required to maintain a sustainable population and is used to indicate the number of salmon in a river system above which a harvestable surplus can be considered. Salmon conservation limits are set similarly for all of Ireland’s 142 salmon rivers. The main criteria used are the size of the river (wetted area) and the latitude. In addition factors specific to each river are used such as the proportion of one sea winter salmon and multi sea winter salmon in the population and the average weight of these salmon. Other inputs to calculating conservation limits nationally are proportions of male and female salmon and the average numbers of eggs per female fish. The Independent Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) advice for the Suir for 2013 was that the river was meeting its CL and had a surplus of 2,371 salmon. The SSC advice for the Nore for 2013 was that the river was also meeting its CL and had a surplus of 5,548 salmon. On the basis of this advice a Snap net fishery was open on both rivers, although with a restricted season on the River Suir to facilitate rational exploitation for the smaller surplus of Salmon in that river. The SSC advice for the River Barrow for 2013 was that it was significantly below its conservation limit and therefore would remain closed for harvesting of Salmon. The opening of a Snap net fishery on the River Barrow could only be considered if there is a suitable surplus of salmon (in excess of conservation limit) available for harvest. The snap net fisheries, which are a low intensity activity with relatively low exploitation rates, apply to each individual river. IFI have advised that there has never been a drift net fishery on any of the individual rivers and that drift nets previously fished only in the common Waterford Estuary area and not within individual river systems. I am advised that the common estuary is considered those estuarine waters below the confluence of the River Barrow, Nore and Suir and hence is a mixed stock fishery containing Salmon from, at the very least, the three distinct rivers of the Barrow, Nore and Suir.

Prior to any commercial fishing being considered in the estuary it will be necessary for all the rivers entering the estuary to be above their individual conservation limit and generating an individual surplus at the same time and for genetic analysis to have confirmed that no other stocks are mixed in the area. If genetic assessment can prove that the stocks in the area are specific to local rivers only, and that analysis shows that these stocks are all above their conservation limit with a surplus available for exploitation, consideration could be given to the operation of a commercial fishery on the estuary. The estuary would consititute a mixed stock fishery area, with fish originating in each of the tributary rivers. Permitting commercial fishing in such a mixed stock area where one of the genetically unique stocks is below its conservation limit would represent indiscriminate and irresponsible exploitation and would run counter to the conservation imperative.

Any future decision on a fishery can only be taken in the context of all river stocks contributing to the estuary area being above their conservation limit. Ireland must be particularly careful to ensure that all national and international legislation and other obligations are met in any future management regime.

As the Deputy will be aware €25 million has been paid under the Salmion Hardship Scheme to those who ceased mixed stock fisheries and in particular ceased drift net fishing. In all the circumstances the method and intensity of commercial fishing that could be permitted in any future surplus situation would have to be carefully investigated prior to consideration of the potential re-opening of the commercial fishery.