James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

494. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a recent survey of fishery stocks has been carried out on the River Slaney; if so, when and the findings; if not, when is it proposed to carry out such a survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18081/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

495. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will re-open a hardship fund for drift net licence holders on the rivers Barrow, Nore, Suir and Slaney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18083/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

496. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if drift net licences are transferable or inheritable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18086/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 494 to 496, inclusive, together.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the state agency responsible for the protection, management and conservation of Ireland's inland fisheries and sea angling resources.  IFI manages salmon stocks on an individual river basis as each of Ireland’s 143 salmon rivers has its own genetically unique stock of salmon

IFI is supported in its management role a statutorily independent Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) on Salmon comprising scientists from IFI, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the Loughs Agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Marine Institute, the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (Northern Ireland), and other State bodies and third level institutions.  

Scientific and management assessments of each of the distinct stocks, including the River Slaney, are carried out every year and the SSC estimates the number of salmon likely to return to each river in the next fishing season based on estimates of salmon runs over the most recent five years. Each river has an individual conservation limit which is essentially the number of salmon required to spawn to maintain a healthy population. If the estimate of returning salmon is above this limit then salmon from that genetically unique river population may be harvested commercially or by rod and line.

The primary index for evaluation of likely returning numbers is the recorded rod (harvest or catch and release) and commercial catch averaged over the previous 5 years.  In the case of the River Slaney, the fish counter data is used to estimate the salmon run.   As stated, fisheries are only considered in rivers where the estimated returns are above the conservation limit for the river. I am advised by IFI that a risk analysis is undertaken on any estimate of returns expected to be above the conservation limit. IFI has confirmed no salmon surplus was available using fish counter data for the Slaney averaged over the past five years.  The most recent stock assessment on the River Slaney was carried out in October 2015. 

Assessments on all 143 Salmon rivers, including the Slaney, are carried out each year and the stocks will be again assessed later this year.  The period for assessments takes account of the fishing season and the timing of salmon runs so as to capture as much fresh data as possible in the current year and to ensure that the management legislation can be reviewed before 1 January the following year. This data is added to the most recent 4 years of data to create a new 5 year average to ensure that a "good" or "bad" year does not have a disproportionate impact on the assessment to the detriment of the conservation imperative   

The salmon assessment methodologies used in Ireland are considered internationally as best practice, with many other countries moving towards the development of similar scientific assessment models for salmon stock conservation.

The Salmon Hardship Scheme was introduced following a Government decision in 2006 to cease, for conservation reasons, the commercial salmon mixed stock fishery.  Under the scheme, fishermen active in the commercial salmon fishery, could opt to voluntarily cease fishing and undertake not to seek a licence in the future.

In excess of €25m was allocated to the scheme to facilitate payments to fishermen, with a further €5m provided for community development projects. Payments to individuals were based on verifiable track record and recorded catches in the five years prior to its introduction.

The scheme closed for applications on 31 December 2007 and ceased in 2008. I understand that all funds were expended and there are currently no plans to revisit such a scheme.

Public commercial fishing licences are issued annually on a prescribed application basis and, therefore, are not transferable or inheritable. There is no property right attaching to them.