Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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404. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason for a by-law (details supplied) in regard to the reduction of fishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20021/18]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I understand the Deputy is referring to the annual suite of regulations to facilitate management of commercial salmon fisheries by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). I recently finalised these regulations ahead of the opening date for the commercial season on 12 May 2018. These regulations are concerned with conservation of each genetically unique river stock and apply to those rivers with a harvestable surplus of fish on which it is intended to open commercial fisheries.

District Committees, which include representatives of both the angling and commercial fishing sectors, meet annually to make recommendations on how any surplus on each river is to be allocated between anglers and commercial fishermen. These recommendations are notified to the relevant Regional Director of IFI to assist informed decision making.

The commercial salmon fishing season has normally closed on 31 July for many years – for a small number of years this was extended into August for some fisheries on the basis that the full allocation for commercial fishermen was not being taken by the closing date.

In 2018, the established closing date of 31 July is being set in an effort to protect the important late running cohort of salmon - the traditional 'autumn run'. Salmon catch is limited by quota and there is a strong possibility that the quotas will be fully utilised by the commercial nets before that date. In the event that the allocation in any individual fishery is not taken by the closing date the option remains for me to consider an extension to the season, on a case by case basis.