John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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248. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the stock levels of eels; if he has costed and valued the loss of eels through the Electricity Supply Board turbine per year; if the elver traps are maintained; the last occasion these traps were inspected and-or maintained; if he has calculated the financial loss to licensed eel fisherman since this fishing was banned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25578/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's Eel Management Plan (EMP) was accepted by the EU in 2009 under the EU Eel regulation 1100/2007. The plan outlined the following main management actions aimed at reducing eel mortality and increasing silver eel escapement to the sea:a cessation of the commercial eel fishery and closure of the market;

-mitigation of the impact of hydropower installations;

- ensure upstream migration of juvenile eel at barriers; and,

- an improvement of water quality.

The independent Standing Scientific Committee on Eels sets targets of quantities to be transported annually. This Committee comprises scientists from the Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the Loughs Agency, the Agriculture, Food and Biosciences Institute for Northern Ireland (AFBINI) the Electricity Supply Board (ESB),the Marine Institute (MI) and third level institutes. The advice from the SSCE is independent of the parent agencies.

While the operation of both T&T and elver trap actions are day to day operational issues for ESB, I am advised by ESB that the overall T&T targets for each of the three fisheries have been consistently met. I am also advised that ESB installed additional traps in 2015 at Ballyshannon and Parteen. All other traps, including trap substrates, ramps, water flow and tanks at all ESB locations (Ballyshannon, Parteen, Ardnacrusha & Inniscarra) were refurbished and upgraded in early 2015.

ESB also confirmed that all traps were operational before 17 March this year. The traps at Parteen and Ardnacrusha were inspected on Thursday 12 March by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). The traps at Ballyshannon, which are on a trans-boundary waterway, were jointly inspected on Friday 13 March by both IFI and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland.

There is no property right attaching to public eel licences and consequently the issue of compensation is not relevant or appropriate, given that the closure of the fishery was applied for conservation reasons under the Fisheries Acts.