David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

98. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the process for granting foreshore fishing licences on the river Blackwater; the number of licences sought; the number of licences granted; the entitlements accompanying a licence and the permissions granted or not granted in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21235/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are a number of Blackwater Rivers and I assume the Deputy is referring to the Munster Blackwater. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the State Agency responsible for issuing licences for recreational salmon and sea trout angling.

State angling licences are issued only where a sustainable surplus, sufficiently above the individual river’s conservation limit, has been confirmed conveying a status on the river of open for exploitation or where the river has attained catch and release status.  The status of a river is determined via the annual scientific assessments carried out by the independent Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS) and the management advice of IFI. No licences are issued in respect of years where the river is classified as closed to all angling.   

Angling licences are normally valid for all rivers on a national basis or in the case of district licences relate to all of the rivers in any one of the 17 Fishery Districts rather than confined to a single river. 

The conditions of a valid licence are set out in the annual Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Regulations. These regulations set out the general rules pertaining to the use of the licence, the status of each river (open, closed or catch and release), the surplus available on each river open to harvest; the tagging requirements and distribution of various tags, and the completion of angler’s logbooks  Local regulations or bye-laws may also apply.

An additional permit may be required in association with a State licence for certain waters. While there is no specific “foreshore fishing licence” among the categories of angling licence, what is commonly termed “foreshore fishing” would, by its nature, take place below the tidal limit of the Munster Blackwater.  As those waters are in private rather than public ownership, anglers must acquire a valid permit from the fishery owner to fish on any of the privately owned (several) fisheries on the river in addition to a valid State Licence from IFI.