Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 464 and 465 together.

Each of Ireland's 147 salmon rivers, river sections and estuaries has a genetically distinct salmon stock. Salmon stocks are, therefore, managed on an individual river basis with each river having a Conservation Limit (CL) which is scientifically assessed on an annual basis by the independent Standing Scientific Committee for Salmon.

River stocks can be harvested only where a sufficient surplus over the CL has been identified. where commercial fisheries exist, such surpluses are shared between stakeholders (anglers and commercial fishermen) via the representative District Fishery Committee. Commercial fishing in estuaries is only permitted where all rivers contributing to the estuary are exceeding their individual CL so as to avoid indiscriminate exploitation.

Commercial fishing for salmon is by way of public licence. Licences are applied for and issued annually. An annual public licence does not confer property or other rights on the holder and consequently licences are not transferable. In that regard also, the issue of compensation does not arise. The Commercial fishing season generally opens in May of each year and notice of statutory provisions governing the application for, and issue of, licences and other conditions for 2019 will be notified in the first quarter of next year.

The Salmon Hardship Scheme was introduced following the decision to cease, for conservation reasons, the commercial salmon mixed stock fishery in the sea. In excess of €25 million was allocated to the scheme to facilitate payments to fishermen with a further €5 million provided for community development projects. Under the scheme, fishermen active in the fishery could opt to voluntarily cease fishing in the commercial drift net and draft net sectors and undertake not to seek a licence in the future.

I am advised that the average payment under the scheme was almost €23,000. The scheme closed for applications on 31 December 2007 and ceased in 2008 and I understand that all funds were expended and there are currently no plans to revisit such a scheme.

The international dimension to the protection and conservation of Atlantic salmon is important. In that context, the Atlantic salmon resource is managed through the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) with which Ireland is aligned through the European Union.

Concerted international co-operation has ensured that restrictions in Greenland and Faroese waters, to where salmon from Irish rivers migrate to feed before returning in adulthood to their natal river, have been in place for a number of years. In June this year, my officials and those of IFI joined delegates from the EU, USA, Canada, Norway, the Russian Federation, Greenland and the Faroes in securing a continuation of restrictions in these waters to offer a level of protection to Irish and other stocks.

Ireland chaired the discussions on Faroese waters to where the majority of migrating fish originate in European, including Irish waters. Agreement was secured that there will be no commercial fishing in these waters. The challenge of asserting and securing the conservation and protection imperatives for salmon stocks when they are migrating in international waters would be significantly harder if we were not managing towards those imperatives at home.