Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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332. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount spent in the past ten years, per annum, on the restocking of hatcheries and rivers; and the areas in which it has been spent. [18551/17]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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 has supported the rainbow and brown trout stocking requirements of Ireland’s trout angling stakeholders for some time from its fish farm operations which are a day to day operational matter for the Board of IFI.

IFI’s main fish production unit is located near Roscrea, with a supporting facility, which mainly supports the maintenance of broodstock, located at Cullion (Mullingar). There is also a small operation at Lough Allua.

I have been informed by IFI that they do not restock the hatcheries because of the existence of the brood stock.

Generally, it is angling clubs which stock fish to rivers with fish supplied by IFI and other sources. However, in the time available, it has not been possible for IFI to assemble the required information from sales and other records. I  have asked IFI to respond directly to the Deputy with the relevant information. In the meantime, if the Deputy has a specific query in mind, I would be happy to arrange a detailed briefing with IFI.

IFI also advise that, for the period 2014 to 2016, direct stocking by the Agency has been to two rivers; the Camlen River in the Shannon River Basin District with 50 brown trout in 2014 costing €173 and the Tolka River in Dublin with 1,000 brown trout in 2015 at a cost of €3,075.