Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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668. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason licences for salmon and eel net fishing on the River Slaney are still in a state of suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34999/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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669. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if salmon and eel stocks on the River Slaney have not recovered in the ten years since licences were suspended; the current factors impacting any regeneration of eel and salmon stocks on the River Slaney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35000/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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670. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the methodology that is employed by scientific researchers to measure salmon and eel stocks on the River Slaney; the specific locations on the River Slaney that are fished by the scientific researchers in order to determine fish stocks; and if his Department will allow a delegation of one of these Slaney net fishermen and-or a member from this Deputy's office to accompany them during the next exercise to measure salmon and eel fish stocks on the River Slaney. [35001/16]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 to 670, 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 salmon rivers has its own genetically unique stock of salmon.

IFI is supported in its management role by a statutorily independent Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) for 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.

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 individually genetic river population may be harvested commercially or by rod and line.

The harvest of salmon is restricted to those river stocks that are meeting their conservation limits. 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.

In the case of the River Slaney, fish counter data is used to estimate the salmon run. IFI has confirmed that the estimate of returning salmon in 2015 was below the individual conservation limit for the river Slaney and, using fish counter data averaged over the past five years, no surplus of salmon was available for 2016. I am advised that the data from all counters is verified on an annual basis. I am happy to ask IFI to brief the Deputy on the methodologies used around counter technology, and to provide the latest verified counter figures.

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

Ireland’s Eel Management Plan (EMP) was reviewed in 2012 and again in 2015 in line with EU requirements. IFI carried out a comprehensive public consultation process as part of the both reviews. Based on management advice from IFI, and having considered all aspects of their report, the existing conservation measures in Ireland’s EMP remain in place up to mid-2018. Conservation of Eel Fishing Bye-law No. C.S. 319, 2015 prohibits fishing for eel, or possessing or selling eel caught in a river in the State and ceases up to 30 June 2018.

The latest advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) for 2016 (published October 2015) is that “the status of eel remains critical and that all anthropogenic mortality (e.g. recreational and commercial fishing, hydropower, pumping stations, and pollution) affecting production and escapement of silver eels should be reduced to – or kept as close to – zero as possible.” There is no change in the perception of the status of the stock as being critically endangered.

A new collaborative research initiative, involving IFI scientists and former eel fishermen to further develop national knowledge of the species and its medium to longer term potential for recovery, is underway. It is intended that the scientific fishery is to be undertaken for three years commencing in 2016 to increase data and knowledge ahead of further review of eel management measures in 2018.

While I recognise fully the difficulty facing eel fishermen, there is no property right attaching to public eel licences and currently there are no plans to introduce a hardship scheme as outlined by the Deputy, given that the closure of the fishery was applied for conservation reasons under the Fisheries Acts.