Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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1625. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will review his decision to indefinitely close the River Suir to snap net fishermen from 2014 onwards; his reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32922/14]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that the stock, genetically unique to each of Ireland's more than 140 salmon rivers, is assessed annually by the Independent Standing Scientific Committee for Salmon (SSCS) which includes Scientists from IFI, the Marine Institute, BIM, ESB, the Loughs Agency and the Agri-Food and Bioscienes Insitute (AFBI) Northern Ireland. The Scientific Committee annual assessments are carried out with reference to the established Conservation Limit (CL) for each individual river. 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.

The assessments reference the most recent 5 years of available data and is considered by IFI in formulating its management advice as to whether each individual river may be open, open to catch and release angling or closed to all exploitation for the comming year. The SSC advice for the Suir for 2014 was that the river was below its CL with a deficit of 2,449 salmon.

I am advised that it not the case that management advice in respect of closing the River Suir for 2014 amounts to a decision to indefinitely close the River Suir to snap net fishermen from 2014 onwards as an assessment is carried out every year and will be carried out again in respect of the 2015 season. I am also advised that the RIver Suir closed to snap net fishing in 2006-2010 but was opened again in 2011, 2012 and 2013 as the conservation limit was sufficiently exceeded to facilitate a commercial snap net fishery.

The opening of a Snap net fishery on the River Suir can be considered if and when there is a suitable surplus of salmon (in excess of CL) available for harvest and Ireland must be particularly careful to ensure that all national and international legislation and other obligations are met in any future management regime.