Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

616. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will review the selection process for draft salmon licences, in view of the complete inequity of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6132/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Salmon stocks in Ireland are assessed on an individual river basis because each river contains a genetically unique stock. The annual assessment is carried out by the statutorily independent Standing Scientific Committee on Salmon and underpins management decisions for the coming season.

This committee comprises scientists from IFI, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Loughs Agency, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Marine Institute, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI-Northern Ireland) other State bodies and third level institutions. The scientists act independently of their parent organisations

Following scientific assessment and management advice, the surplus (if any) available in each river is established so that it may be apportioned between anglers and commercial fishermen.

The annual Control of Fishing for Salmon Order comes into force around March each year prior to the commencement of the commercial salmon fishing season. The schedule to this Order sets out the maximum number of public draft net licences that are available for fishermen in the public salmon fishery in the specific Fishery Districts where a commercial fishery exists and where it is ‘open’ for fishing.

This Order authorises the issue of commercial fishing licences by Inland Fisheries Ireland, sets out the clear criteria under which those licences may be issued and prescribes the maximum number of commercial licences which may be issued in line with the conservation imperative. The criteria are openly and transparently based principally on the track record of applicants within the relevant fishery and I am advised by IFI that this is the most equitable manner in which licences can be awarded

I am arranging for a copy of the most recent order (S.I. No. 132 of 2014 for the 2014 season) to be forwarded to the Deputy and this is also available online at

.

If the Deputy has a specific case in mind, I would be happy to have IFI personnel locally brief him on how the process is implemented.