Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

186. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the rationale for treating the Suir river system as three distinct salmon fisheries for regulatory purposes; and if he will review this classification to ensure integrated management of the estuary, lower and upper river. [36129/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Suir, and three minor rivers that drain into the Suir estuary are integrated as a single salmon river system for assessment and subsequent provision of annual catch advice by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). The Suir river system is not treated as three distinct salmon fisheries for regulatory purposes, nor from a scientific catch advice point of view. A single provision of scientific catch advice is given annually for the Suir catchment.

The River Suir is divided into three water body classifications under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), Upper, Lower, and Estuary. This is due to differences in their ecological characteristics and the pressures they face. This work is undertaken by the EPA. These classifications help in targeted management and protection efforts. The WFD requires classifying water bodies based on their ecological characteristics and the pressures they experience to tailor management strategies.

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

187. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider introducing a non-commercial ‘heritage salmon fishing licence’ to allow intergenerational skills and local culture in the Suir estuary to be retained, under a conservation framework. [36133/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The statutory responsibilities of my Department and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) include management, conservation and protection of the inland fisheries resource. This means that the conservation imperative, based on rational exploitation of any element of the resource, is paramount. The conservation and protection of this vulnerable species is essential, especially with the rapid declines that are being observed.

In 2006, the coastal drift-net fishery for salmon ceased. This mixed-stock fishery intercepted salmon not only from multiple rivers in Ireland but also salmon destined for other European countries. As salmon stocks are unique to their rivers of origin, it was not possible to sustainably manage such a mixed-stock fishery. Since 2007, both recreational and commercial harvest fisheries are operated in many river catchments in Ireland where stocks can be sustainably exploited. The harvesting of salmon is only permitted in stocks in rivers or associated estuaries which are above their conservation limit (CL) (the minimal number of salmon required to ensure a stock is healthy) so that any harvest quota set will ensure that a stock is fished sustainably without impacting the viability of that stock.

Ireland manages its salmon populations on a river-by-river basis based on robust conservation-focused scientific advice. The River Suir has been below its conservation limit for a number of years. This is based on scientific stock assessments and associated sustainable catch advice provided by the independent Technical Expert Group on Salmon. Our salmon management regime follows international best practice as advised by the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). It is in this context that it would not be appropriate to introduce a new form of salmon fishing licence on the Suir.