Galway, Friday 5 April 2002
The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Frank Fahey, T.D. today reassured anglers and angling clubs that the Government was committed to fostering and developing their sport.
Minister Fahey said “I can assure every angler that your position will be protected in the context of the management of state fisheries”. He added “It is Government policy that the long established partnership principle of mixed ownership and management of rivers and lakes will continue into the future.”
The Minister also noted that anglers have indicated that they are prepared to play their part in ensuring that fisheries are maintained and managed in a sustainable way. “Provided proper access to non-angling club members is allowed, anglers had nothing to fear from policies regarding the management of state fisheries” the Minister stated.
He did indicate, however, that exclusive access and/or unsustainable management practices would not be accepted where state fisheries are concerned. The Minister also reminded anglers that state fisheries belong to all citizens and not any particular group, although he was perfectly happy, subject to them doing a good job, to see angling clubs being granted management licences/leases. In this regard, Minister Fahey said he had ordered a review of current policy with a view to giving clubs multi-annual leases in return for agreeing to suitable access and sustainable management practices.
With regard to the implementation of Catchment Management Policies on the River Laune/Leane the Minister stated that he has now received Morgan Buckley’s report on the review of issues arising and intends to publish it on Monday next.
The Minister also strongly defended his stance on the conservation of wild atlantic salmon. He said “No other Minister or Government has implemented the range and scale of conservation measures which are now in place”. He pointed out that he is introducing scientifically backed, district based, quota arrangements for commercial fishermen in tandem with bag limits and prohibitions on the sale of rod caught salmon for anglers.
Referring to the issue of “buy-outs” of commercial fishing licences, Minister Fahey commented “I remain unconvinced that this is either feasible or desirable and having met many commercial fishermen in recent weeks, I can detect no great clamour for a buy-out based on realistic amounts of compensation”.
“I am confident that these measures will greatly assist in arresting the decline of salmon stocks which are attributable of a range of factors including climate change and pollution of spawning and not just over fishing” the Minister said. He also outlined how he has brought the issue of water quality to the fore with his Government colleagues, overseeing a tripartite approach involving the Departments of Agriculture & Food, Environment & Local Government and his own department to tackle problems relating to eutrophication etc.
ENDS.
For further information, please contact:
Tony Bass
Media & Communications Manager
Department of the Marine and Natural Resources
Leeson Lane
Dublin 2
Tel: +353-(0)1-619-9471
Fax: +353-(0)1-676-6161
Or
Tom Mc Loughlin
Press Officer
Department of the Marine and Natural Resources
Leeson Lane
Dublin 2
Tel: +353-(0)1-619-9662
Fax: +353-(0)1-676-6161