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Stop Salmon Drift News Now (SSDNN)

PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:19 pm
by kieran
People have asked me to post up the link: -

http://www.stopnow.ie

PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 10:47 am
by x
Just in case anyone isn't sure why drift netting for salmon should stop 'now', Leon passed me the following information. It doesn't take a mathematical genius to extrapolate from the figures given that it's bound to be more cost effective for the country to offer to buy out the drift netters than to destroy the revenue from angling tourism. And this is from just figures for one year. We can all sit back and let the drift netting decimate this fishery for good, including a lot of the tourism income, employment etc that goes with it. The government's main reason appears to be that it's not cost effective to offer a buy-out scheme.

There were 848 drift net licences issued in 2004.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.as ... ll&Page=36 -- see article 218

If we assume that a similar number were issued this year, 2005, and that
the figure that the drift netters are said to require to allow the buy-out to be well subscribed to is ?80,000. So this would cost ?67,840,000. If angling is worth ?55,000,000 per annum, it doesn't look unviable to me - or most right-thinking individuals. So we are forced to assume that the government has another agenda.

At the drop of a hat the government managed to find ?45,000,000 last week for a decommisioning scheme, along with ?200,000,000 or part thereof for the whitefish fleet renewal programme instituted earlier. Anyone else feel like challenging the government on what it's real agenda is? Based on the value of angling to the country, anglers out to be a way more powerful lobby than commercial fishermen.

Chamber NewsPosted Monday, July 18, 2005 by Ballina Chamber
Keep Our Salmon Flowing!

The value of the wild Moy Salmon to Ballina is well known locally but sometimes I suspect somewhat underestimated.

For example of the 40,000 anglers visiting Ireland every year, 10,000 of these are drawn to the Moy Fisheries of Ballina and its hinterland. It is said that the business generated from Angling in Ireland is ?55 million, so a quick calculation reveals that angling is worth ?13.75 million to Ballina and The Moy Valley Region of North Mayo and West Sligo.

When you consider that for every Euro spent by tourists, 36 cent goes on food and drink, 27 cent on accommodation, 17 cent on shopping, 10 cent on transport, 4 cent on entertainment and sightseeing and 6 cent on other. This means that the wild Moy Salmon is worth ?5 million to our local food and drink industry, ?3.5 million to our accommodation sector, ?2.2 million to local retail, ?1.4 to our transport sector, ?540,000 to our entertainment sector etc.

Angling tourism is the cornerstone of our economy ? supporting over 5000 jobs in Ballina the Moy Valley Region.

Long live the salmon!

However, while we still enjoy growing angling numbers, the survival of the Atlantic Salmon is causing concerns all over the world.

The main reason for this threat is off shore salmon drift netting. Drift netting occurs in the inshore area up to 6 miles from the coast. The problem with drift netting is not that it just catches a very large number of fish, but that it does so indiscriminately of whether those fish are returning to rivers with an ample spawning population or to rivers, which are struggling to maintain their stock.

85% of the salmon catch is taken by commercial fisherman, with 15% going to anglers. It is estimated that the driftnet catch is worth no more than ?5 million per annum to the economy ? while angling is worth ?55 million.

It simply doesn?t add up!

Ireland is the only country either side of the Atlantic and the last county in Europe that still permits drift netting.

Ballina Chamber has put this issue top of our agenda. The Government must immediately buy out all driftnets, compensating the licence holders who through no fault the own have become involved and confine commercial fishing to inshore bays and estuaries. It must also regulate realistic quotas on anglers so that each river catchment has a viable population of wild salmon while at the same time, still encouraging tourism. That way, commercial, leisure and conservation interests can be served to the benefit of all.

It really does beg that question, that the minister responsible for not moving to buy out all driftnet fishermen , Pat ?The Cope? Gallagher? is from the constituency of South West Donegal, where the highest concentration of commercial fishermen, including salmon fishermen are located ?..

Should you wish to display a poster supporting this campaign in your premises, contact the Chamber on 096 72800 or email us at info@ballinachamber

PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:21 pm
by Leon Roskilly
Just had this email forwarded to SACN:

Fort William Estate Fishery

Dear Ministers and interested parties,

Some of you will know me and what I do for a living.

For those that don't, I manage a salmon rod fishery on the R.Blackwater in Ireland.

I am one of those who are in the "trenches" right now, dealing with the total collapse of this year's summer salmon run in Ireland.

I am no politician, nor represent any group.

I just look after 4 beautiful stretches of the Munster Blackwater.

Five years ago, Fort William was fully booked a year in advance, for June & September and I had a waiting list of 14 groups, trying to get a week's slot during these times. July & August were 75% full, May was 50% full and the Spring was not heavily fished due to stocks having already been decimated.

This year I still have many weeks available right to the end of the season and can't sell them!

This year so far, I have had 7 groups cancelling, never to return while we continue to drift-net. That is a total of 21 more anglers lost to the Irish economy

I am not going to get technical by using words like "rod days" etc, I prefer to put things in layman's terms.

This year (2005) in May, I had 12 fishermen, who caught 8 salmon.

In June, I had 40 anglers who caught 14 salmon.

So far in July I have had 22 fishermen, who have caught 16 salmon.

Please bare in mind, I can cater for up to 12 anglers a day on 4 stretches.

In the year 1999, we had 45 salmon in May, 102 in June and 69 in July.

Since the year 2000, Fort William fishery has lost 90 tourist anglers (mostly from the UK), as a direct result of the continued decreasing catches or catching no fish at all!

This year by far, has been the worst and going from a season of 5 busy months, I am now facing a season of 2 fishing months (Aug & Sept), after the commercial netting has ended 31st July.

What is just as alarming, I have recently returned from the CLA Game Fair in the UK. This is the largest game fair in Britain & Ireland, spread over 500 acres and has over 500 000 visitors.

I spoke to many anglers, angling bodies and representatives.

There was an over whelming feeling of resentment towards the Irish Government.

What I found most disturbing, was the general feeling amongst many, to deliberately boycott Ireland.

They do not want to spend their money in a country, helping a government who have no intention of phasing out drift-netting.

The number of tourist anglers avoiding Ireland, is growing by the day.

It also spans into the other European countries, France, Germany & Switzerland etc etc.

As a result of our government's policy on drift-netting, we now have such a bad name amongst so many tourist fishermen, that no amount of advertising will bring them back.

I was really quite shocked at this level of feeling.


However I must add, that there were absolutely no complaints about our beautiful rivers & loughs, accommodation & restaurants and most of all ,our friendly welcome.

They just don't want to come over out of principle, while our government continue to ignore the situation.

This is only going to snowball and you can't blame them.


We must also not forget our own Irish anglers, who have fished their native rivers for generations.

There are now an increasing number nationals, booking fishing trips outside our shores because they cannot catch fish here!

What a travesty, that our children and grandchildren etc, will be denied the opportunity & excitement of catching a wild salmon in their own country!

Not only have we lost our Spring & now our summer run, we have also lost our angling tourist industry and our reputation as one of worlds best Wild Atlantic Salmon angling countries.

Why is our government so arrogant as to think that they can continue to net & net & net until the salmon are gone?

Then not only will they have lost their "precious" commercial salmon drift-net fisheries that they care so much about, but they will have thrown away the opportunity to become one of the most desirable destinations for tourist anglers from all over the world.

These anglers will spend millions here each year as well as creating many more jobs.

This government is going to leave Ireland's salmon angling reputation in tatters, to be scorned at all.

We will be known as the country that had the "Golden Goose", then took it out and shot it for dinner!

I beg all of you who are involved in this....please do not let this happen.

What more evidence is needed here????

Do not let our Wild Irish Salmon die because of votes or any other hidden agendas.

I cannot comprehend how our Government cannot see this.....How long does Mr.Gallagher think that our wild salmon stocks can withstand, on a annual basis, being hunted down by large, state of the art drift-net vessels, with sonar, radar and updated fish finders, not to mention invisible mono-filament net.

With over 700 drift-net licences and no major hatcheries, where in the name of God does he think these numbers of fish will continue to come from?

The R.Blackwater had it's hatchery closed by the government 3 years ago, we have a fish counter that hasn't worked since last year because they won't replace the modem, we have a fishery board staff spread thinner than paper with extremely limited resources which are cut annually. What is going on here!

I would love to know!!!!!

Whoever has the guts to save this critical situation, will live in the memory of so many, as the one who saved our heritage!

Regards

Patrick Devennie

Fishery Manager Fort William Estate

Tel. (00353) 87 8292077

Email: info@fortwilliamfishing.net

Web Site: [url]http://www.fortwilliamfishing.net[/url]

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:18 am
by Adrian
Patrick Devennie isn't the only one who thinks that Pat "The Cope" is killing the golden goose, I sent the letter below to the minister for tourism yesterday. I also sent one to Pat "Kill the goose" Gallagher.


Dear Minister O’Donoghue,

I am writing to you with regard to minister for state Pat “The Cope” Gallagher or should I say Pat “Kill the golden goose” Gallaghers recent decision to allow an increase in the allowable catch of wild Atlantic salmon, which is above and beyond that advised by scientific study.
I totally disagree with this decision.
A rod caught wild Atlantic salmon has been proven to be worth 10 to 20 times more to the Irish economy that a netted salmon. This action has the potential to destroy Salmon angling in Ireland as a viable tourism attraction. Ireland is the only country either side of the Atlantic and the last county in Europe that still permits drift netting.
If you were a foreign salmon angler and were considering where to travel to for good salmon fishing, would you consider Ireland? Probably not, Scotland for example is already looking more appealing as they have completely banned drift-netting so much greater numbers of salmon are returning to the rivers to spawn.

Drift netting for salmon should be completely banned for the good of this country and the rest of Europe. As Minister for Tourism you should put pressure on the Government to buy out the netters now before it’s too late.

Yours Faithfully

Adrian Redican

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:48 am
by x
There already is an attitude in government against offering a buy-out of drift net licences and I believe that this attitude will persist if unopposed for another few years at least.

It is my personal belief that this a cynical ploy to save the government spending the money required - the ?80,000 per licence that has been bandied about as the figure required to get the drift netters to take up the buy-out.

With the level of control and traceability offered by the current salmon tag scheme, I believe the government will let the netters catch away for a few years, then do their sums and say to the netters that their average income from salmon has been so much per year, so here's what we will offer - a figure I believe will be much, much less than the ?80,000 per licence - take it or leave it.

I'm sorry if I sound like a cynic again but in the face of the pressure that's been brought to bear on the government to ban drift netting already - God knows they can't fail to have noticed - the information available supports no other logical conclusion. If anyone, in government or otherwise can see any other possible justification for continuing to allow drift netting, I'd be open to hearing it.

PostPosted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 4:06 pm
by Adrian
Message from Vincent Duignan:

Hi,
As part of our ongoing campaign we have decided to make our presence felt in Killarney on 22-10-05 to coinside with the weekend of the FF ARD FEIS. It is absolutely vital that you and your friends attend this event as it is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to show your disapproval to the present mismanagement of our national salmon resource. Please distribute the attached notice either by email or by printing it off to all your friends.
More details will be given later.
Vincent Duigan
Camapign Director SSDNN


Join the Stop Now Mass Lobby of Delegates to the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis,
Killarney, Saturday, 22 October 2005


Fianna Fail are the only major political party that does not support the progressive ending of drift netting for salmon. In this they are out of step with Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the Progressive Democrats and the Green Party.

The Stop Now lobby of the several thousand delegates to the Ard Fheis from all over the country is designed to inform them about drift netting and how it can be ended in a way that is fair to the drift netters. It is also designed to remind Fianna Fail that anglers and those involved in angling tourism have votes too.

What you should do now
1. Organise your club or a group of friends to go to Killarney – the lobby will be in the afternoon and evening.
2. Tell Stop Now as soon as possible about what you are planning by email to info@stopnow.ie or by post to Vincent Duigan, 1 Bullock Park, Carlow.
3. You will get more details later about the lobby

PostPosted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:25 pm
by phenwick mist
Surely it would take far far less than 80,000 euro per licence. A commercail crabber in north west donegal that fishes 1000 pots is only allowed to land 200 salmon per year at - what- 3 euro per pound average fish 6 lbs = 3600 euro per year. NO ONE can make a living at salmon fishing only and as i'm sure most of you can guess i would be on the side to these guys as i have done it myself and see how hard they work but make them a sensible offer and get the anglers back.

For a lot of guys fishing salmon they have had a licence all their lives and its nearly a sport to fish the salmon. I know of one guy works on his boat all year to fish salmon for 3 weeks. He's around 80 yrs old and thats probably one of the main things that keeps him going all winter.

20 or 30 grand would be a nice retirement windfall for him!!

PostPosted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:17 pm
by pete
Fishermen have been getting prices of up to 17 euro a kilo for salmon this year.

pete

Action not Apathy!

PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:56 am
by x
"A message from SSDNN....

Written By: Ian Powell
On Date: 10/10/2005

All too often we think that others will take up the cause,
that our presence won't really make a difference or that we just plain can't be bothered! Just look at what the scallop fishermen achieved when they blockaded Rosslare harbour.

In 24 hours the Government found the money to bale them out. Our golden opportunity is upon us! It is vital that the Government feel the weight of public opinion on this issue and that all parties concerned for the future of salmon stocks (and the vital contribution it makes to the economy) demonstrate a united front & turn out in huge numbers to confront the Government.

Now is the time for ACTION

The Stop Salmon Drift Nets Now organisation has been working extremely hard since its foundation in July 2004.

Tremendous progress has been achieved in creating an awareness of the problems facing salmon stocks, highlighting the Irish Government's inability to manage the salmon resource and lobbying concerned & influential parties, organisations & individuals.

The most important moment in the campaign is now approaching.

The governing Fianna Fail party - whose Minister Pat ""The Cope"" Gallagher"" is responsible for the mismanagement of the salmon resource - hold their Annual General meeting (Ard Fheis) in Killarney on October 22.
The Stop Salmon Drift Nets Now rally is intended to demonstrate to the Government the huge voice of public opinion that is in favour of the removal of the drift nets.

It is of paramount importance that not only all salmon anglers & riparian fishery owners, but everyone who benefits from angling tourism (hotels, B&Bs, pubs, restaurants, petrol stations, shops etc. - the list is endless!) take the time to attend the rally to prove to the politicians once & for all that there is a massive vote lobby behind the campaign.

Be there to demonstrate your support and to help save our salmon stocks! If you are unable to travel to Killarney to join us in the demonstration, don't worry. There are two other ways that you can help too!

1. Visit the Stop Salmon Drift Nets Now website by clicking on the poster above. Join the organisation - your contribution will be invaluable in helping to fund the organisation, which now has a full-time campaign manager.
2. From the Stop Now site, go to How Can I Help or click here to go to it directly. There you will find the contact email details for the Government Ministers concerned.

Take the time to email them (as many times as you can) and let them know your feelings.

Best Regards & Tight Lines
Ian Powell
Proprietor
Blackwater Lodge Hotel & Salmon Fishery
Upper Ballyduff
Co. Waterford
Ireland
Email: info@ireland-salmon-fishing.net
Web: http://www.ireland-salmon-fishing.net
Tel: 00 353 58 60235 From UK: 0871 474 0135 (10p/min any time!)
Fax: 00 353 58 60162 From UK: 0871 474 0136 (10p/min any time!)
Mobile: 00 353 87 235 21 20
"

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:45 am
by x
"The latest on the drift net issue, courtesy of Leon...


http://www.anglingnews.co.uk/rep_detail.asp?ID=3906

Written By: Noel OFlynn
On Date: 10/10/2005

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources will launch its report on salmon drift-netting, draft-netting and angling in the audio-visual room in Leinster House 2000 tomorrow [Tuesday], October 11, at 12pm.


The report is expected to propose a compensation scheme for drift-net and draft-net fishermen to safeguard the survival of the salmon species.


The Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel ?cFlynn TD, said: ?This seminal report recommends shifts in public policy that safeguards both salmon stocks and the future of the angling fishing industry.


?It is my hope that the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources will take on board the recommendations from the Joint Committee in a move towards single-stock management and the long-term survival of the salmon species.


Noel ?cFlynn can be contacted on (087) 2464856
Bernard Mallee, Press Officer, Fianna F?il, Leinster House, Kildare
Street,
Dublin 2.
Tel: [office] 01 618 3726 [Mob] 087 917 3022

http://www.anglingnews.co.uk/rep_detail.asp?ID=3904

The (Irish) Government seems set to undertake a major policy shift on wild salmon management if a public-private compensation scheme for drift-net and draft-net fishermen is approved. Minister of State for the Marine Pat ""the Cope"" Gallagher says he is prepared to look at a system of voluntary buyouts and temporary set-aside for commercial salmon catchers, which has been recommended in a report due to be published tomorrow by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

Funding for the scheme, estimated to cost anywhere between ?5 million and ?70 million, should be drawn from the tourism angling sector, as the main beneficiary of any such move, and from national and international conservation groups, according to the report. It says EU and State funds could also be used.

The report is the result of a nine-month consultation undertaken by a sub-committee of the group chaired by Cork North-Central TD Noel O'Flynn (FF), and comes less than a fortnight before a protest rally organised by an umbrella group of angling interests, the Stop Salmon Drift Nets Now campaign for the Fianna F?il ardfheis in Killarney, Co Kerry.

Government policy to date is opposed to any total buy-out, and the Minister of State told the Oireachtas committee last April that he remained unconvinced that investments to buy out the commercial wild salmon fishery could be returned from the tourism angling sector.

Meanwhile the Progressive Democrats have rejected claims of ""political opportunism"" in the debate after party TD Fiona O'Malley said she was prepared to vote against the Government in support of an end to the current system. The Green Party accused the PDs of gaining an interest in the issue in advance of a Government policy shift.

The party last week produced a detailed policy in favour of a ban on draft-net fishing, written by Senator John Dardis.

A PD spokeswoman said the party's position had in no way been influenced by the imminent Oireachtas report, and that it had been in preparation since early in the summer.


""It's certainly not political opportunism,"" she said. ""John's policy paper was discussed in detail at the party's parliamentary meeting in Dublin in September and there was a unanimous decision to support it.""

The committee's report outlines two separate compensatory schemes - a once-off payment for drift- and draft-netters who surrender their licence permanently, and an annual sum over three-years for licence-holders who set aside their activities for three years. This latter group may reapply for their licences if the stocks recover during that period.

Significantly, the committee recommends an increase in licences for the commercial sector after three years if stocks do recover sufficiently, and it calls on the Department of the Environment and Local Government to commission a report on the effects of seal predation of wild salmon.

Several reports on the impact of seals have been prepared for Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

The Minister of State told The Irish Times there were complex factors involved in wild salmon survival, including pollution, seal predation and global warming and the issue was ""not as simple as has been portrayed"".

He said he would refer the Joint Oireachtas committee report, and the PD policy paper, to the newly appointed National Salmon Commission. The commission meets in Dublin tomorrow.
"

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:03 pm
by x
"Living proof that this government do not understand that every citizen in the country is a stakeholder in the marine environment, not just anglers...

From: <PressMail@dcmnr.gov.ie>
Date: 11 Deireadh F?mhair 2005 12:40:16 A+T
To: <development@arainnmhor.com>
Subject: Pat the Cope Addresses New National Salmon Commission and Welcomes Joint Oireachtas Report on Salmon - DCMNR Press Release



Marine Minister, Pat the Cope Gallagher, T.D., today addressed the newly appointed National Salmon Commission, which was meeting for the first time this morning in Dublin. Speaking at the meeting the Minister re-iterated the importance he attaches to the role of the Salmon Commission in the management of the wild salmon resource and praised the Commission for the significant role it has played in recent years in advising him on salmon management policy.
""Through the last three years in particular we have, by working together, put in place a regime of increasingly constrained quotas and fishing effort, a mechanism to manage this on a collective basis and, most importantly, a consensus around urgent alignment on ever improving scientific advice. These are no mean achievements"", said the Minister.
The Minister accepted however that more needs to be done to ensure the conservation of the wild salmon resource for future generations. ""Earlier this year, when setting the comm ercial salmon quotas for the 2005 season, I accepted the outgoing Commission's recommendation and gave a firm commitment to fully align the exploitation of salmon, both at national and district levels, on the scientific advice by 2007"" said the Minister. ""I have specifically asked the new National Salmon Commission to advise me as to how best this alignment can be implemented,"" he added.
The Minister has re-appointed Mr. Joey Murrin from Killybegs as Chairperson of the new Salmon Commission. A full list of the Commission membership is attached as is a copy of the statutory terms of reference which have been given to it.
The Minister also welcomed the publication today by the Joint Oireactas Committee for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources of it's Sub-Committee's report on the future management of the wild salmon resource in Ireland. In doing so, he thanked the Joint Oireachtas Committee for their decision to conduct this review, which has illuminated the var ious and wide-ranging issues surrounding the management of this important natural resource.
""While I have yet to completely study the contents of the report I am pleased to note nevertheless that the Joint Committee acknowledges the complexity of this issue and specifies that the focus of effort must be on the survival of the salmon species,"" he said.
""Regarding any possible buy-out of commercial fishermen as I have said before I am open to any relevant proposals presented whereby those stakeholders who would benefit a reduction in the commercial catch would engage with licence holders and indicate a willingness to address any compensation issues that might arise. It is my intention that any buy-out proposals will be considered by the new National Salmon Commission to see if they can be realistically considered in the context of any review of policy for the salmon fishery which might be recommended. However any buy-out scheme must be predicated upon a public good be ing identified, justified and quantified,"" continued Minister Gallagher.
The Minister gave assurances that he will examine carefully the recommendations now being made by the Joint Committee in this regard. Indeed, as an immediate first step, he has already asked the new National Salmon Commission, which is holding it's first meeting today, to ensure that the Joint Committee's report receives priority in their consideration on how best the wild salmon resource may be managed, conserved and exploited on a shared and sustainable basis into the future having regard to Government policy.

Note to Editors
The National Salmon Commission is a statutory body established to assist and advise the Minister in relation to the conservation, management, protection and development of the wild salmon and sea trout resource in Ireland. Its members include representatives of the commercial sector, the angling sector and other relevant stakeholders.
It assists and advises the Minister in relation to the conservation, management, protection and development of the national salmon resource. It also makes recommendations to the Minister in relation to the management, development and conservation of stocks of wild salmon or sea trout, the tagging of such fish and the setting of a national total allowable catch and quotas for the taking of salmon, in consultation with the fisheries boards, the Marine Institute and other such bodies.

The members of the new National Salmon Commission are:
Mr. Joey Murrin, Director of Marine Institute (Chairman) Mr. Derick Anderson, C.E.O., Loughs Agency Mr. Luke Boyle, South East Salmon Federation Mr. Noel Carr, Federation of Irish Salmon & Sea Trout AnglersMr. Michael Connors, East/South East Netsmen Association & Irish Salmon Traditional Netsmen's Association Mr. Jim Curran, Donegal Angling Federation Mr. Brian Curran, Ireland West AnglingMr. Seamus De Burca, Cork Drift Net Association Mr. John Doherty, Ir ish Fishermen's Organisation, Irish Salmon Traditional Netsmen Association, Burtonport Fishermen's Co-op Society, Donegal Traditional Inshore Fishermen's Association Mr. Jerome Dowling, Kerry Anglers Federation Mr. Peter Dunn, The Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association Mr. Lal Faherty, National Anglers Representative AssociationMr. Frank Flanagan, Galway & Conemara Salmon Fishermen's AssociationMr. Richie Flynn, Irish Salmon Growers Association Mr. Peter Hunt, Clonbur, Co. GalwayMr. Michael Keating, B.I.M.Ms. Carmel Lynn, Traditional Draftnet Association Mr. Martin McEnroe, Salmon & Sea Trout Recreational Anglers of IrelandMr. John H O'Brien, Inisbofin, Co DonegalMr. Vincent Roche, C.E.O., North Western Regional Fisheries Board
* In addition to the above names, the Minister intends appointing a nominee from Failte Ireland, confirmation of whom will be announced at a later date.

Terms of reference for the Commission
1. To consider how best the wild salm on resource may be managed, conserved and exploited on a sustainable basis, having regard in particular to Government policy.
2. To consider what conservation management mechanisms might be required to achieve the alignment of national and district total allowable catches and quotas with scientific advice given to it by the Standing Scientific Committee not later than 31 March 2007.
3. To propose how an objective balance between competing interests in the salmon fishery may be obtained within the framework of the conservation management mechanism as necessary.
4. To engage, as appropriate, in a proactive dialogue with representatives of bodies and organisations prescribed for the purposes of section 55A(2)(b) of the Fisheries Act 1980 and other relevant persons and objectively evaluate any proposals they may have to achieve the alignment referred to in paragraph 2, having regard to the conservation, management, protection and development of the national salmon resou rce and to make practical recommendations to the Minister in this regard.
5. To consider in relation to the making of any practical recommendations under paragraph 4 the following points:
(a) best practice internationally,(b) technical rules such as net size, lure type, etc.,(c) enforcement measures,(d) catchment management,(e) compensatory measures, including detailed costings of them, and details of how they are to be resourced,(f) adjustments to fishing seasons,(g) national obligations under relevant legislation of the European Communities,(h) how the work of the Standing Scientific Committee may be better co-ordinated so that its scientific advice to the Commission reflects the needs of individual ecosystems,(i) how the private sector may best contribute to the promotion of effective management, development, sustainable exploitation and conservation of wild stocks of salmon, and(j) a timeframe within which the Commission considers specific recommendations should be implemented.
6. To have regard, without prejudice to paragraphs 4 and 5, that any recommendations that may be made in relation to any compensatory measure must be predicated on the basis the Minister will not contribute to any funding that may be required for any measures that may be recommended, unless a public good is identified, justified and quantified.
ENDS



For further media information, please contact:



Grace Cappock Press AdvisorOffice: +353 1 678 2440
Mobile: 087 202 4971
Ken Cleary Press OfficerOffice +353 1 678 2441Mobile: 087 905 9618

Tel: +353-1-6782443 ? Fax: +353-1-6782739 ? E-Mail: press.office@dcmnr.gov.ie
"

PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:07 pm
by Wes
And a wee link to go with the above... http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.a ... =130442609

PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:26 pm
by Leon Roskilly
http://www.anglingnews.co.uk/rep_detail.asp?ID=3914

Written By: Niall Greene
On Date: 13/10/2005

The EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Mr Borg told the European Parliament yesterday (12 October) that the Commission has “undertaken to produce a report on the so called “interceptory fisheries” for salmon in EC waters”. He was responding to a question tabled by the British Labour MEP, Terence Wynne.

Mr Borg went on to say that the Commission will produce a report which will be forwarded to the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament for discussion before the end of 2005.
For further information contact Niall Greene 086 826 9222

PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 3:04 pm
by Jack-the-Fish
What experience and history teach is this-that people and Governments have never learned anything from history or Acted upon any lessons they might have drawn from it.
George Wilhelm Hegel..............

Revolution the only answer YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE.................. :x

PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:22 am
by Woody
Hi Sandman,
I read again yesterday in a local rag that the PDs are calling for an immediate ban on all drift netting at sea. They seem to quite concerned about being considered good europeans. Is there any feedback that they will take action or is it huff & bluff?
Keep up the good work.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 10:25 am
by x
"My personal feeling on the PDs is that they're trying to hop somebody else's bandwagon. There are a few political entities that actually do have a genuine agenda as regards at least some forms of marine conservation and have been pushing it for a considerable period.

The true test of any political party's true intentions are when they actually engage and do something positive, instead of heckling from the back of the room.

However, it's good to see at least one angler who appears to be listening to what is going on in regards to conservation and what's actually happening in the commercial fishing industry.

This industry is quietly going about it's unsustainable business largely out of sight, gobbling up taxpayers money in grants and subsidies and leaving devastation in it's wake.

Few people who have not worked on commercial fishing boats can really comprehend the scale of damage most practices cause. Indeed, the non fishing, non-angling public are largely ignorant, and kept that way otherwise the public outcry would bring a pretty swift halt to a lot of it.

Few people seem to realise that today the damage being done is by commercial fishing, whereas if oil drilling or industrial discharges did the same damage, the perpetrators would rapidly be reigned in.

We need more anglers, particularly sea anglers, to interest themselves in the wider aspects of conservation and the whole marine environment and to inform themselves about the current state of the fisheries.

Compared to freshwater anglers, we (sea anglers) are a disorganised rabble - and this is something we need to address. SSDNN should be an example to all.

I've posted a few books that form a decent intoduction, do a search for ""recommended reading"". Some of the stuff would have you spitting feathers within a couple of chapters...

It does no harm to read the Fishing News, Irish Skipper, Marine Times, you can also sign up for press releases from the DCMNR web site and Greenpeace also have a newsletter you can subscribe to.

Inform yourself. I can personally guarantee you'll get the eye-opener of your life......"

PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 11:18 am
by Woody
I sent an email to Tim O' Malley last week saying that I had read the article and asked what action did they intend taking. I got no reply which was no surprise after reading your comments.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 1:45 pm
by x
"Woody,

Nice to see someone actually doing something. Your one e-mail is not a lost cause, even if not answered or if just answered with the boilerplate ""your comments have been noted"".

All it takes is a few such letters and then politicians start to spot a trend and pay more attention.

A few tips for getting responses are:

1. Write to multiple politicians. Email is great as they can see who else is in the To: line. Then they all have to respond in case the opposition gets a word in.

2. Always end with a question, indicating you want a response.

3. Keep it shorter and more to the point than my letters."

PostPosted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:52 am
by quarterflounder
From the Marine Times........

Fish Or Foul


What's the difference between 70,000 salmon and 140,000 salmon? It depends whether you are an angler or a commercial fisherman. Anglers caught 70,000 salmon last year, adding value to the Irish economy. But the 140,000 salmon caught by drift and draft net fishermen, according to anglers, were threatening the future of the species. The anglers' 70,000 salmon were taken in sport so were no threat to conservation or the future of the species.

As the Marine Times went to press for this edition, drift and draft net fishermen were due to meet with members of Fianna Fail at the party's Ard Fheis in Killarney where fishermen together with their families and supporters from rural communities, endeavoured to present their proposals and gain support for the protection of the future of their industry. A well publicised mass demonstration to coincide with the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis, was planned by an umbrella group of anglers, to mount a high profile protest, under the campaign to Stop Salmon Drift Nets Now. This group want an end to drift and draft net fishing and put a value on each salmon caught by an angler as being €500 to the Irish economy.

The sum of €20 put forward by SSDNN as being the value of a drift / draft net salmon, is a bit misleading because if anyone was lucky enough to buy a wild salmon this past season, they would have paid upwards of €50, in some cases as much as €150.

Living mid-way between two fishing villages, I can see for myself the benefit to the West Cork community, as small time fishermen buy gear locally, sell to local customers, local smokeries and restaurants, and the profit they make is again spent in the local community.

You might have noticed that the national press is averse to writing anything about salmon, that is, apart from an angling point of view. So you will only read this information in the Marine Times or similar publications, because there appears to be an embargo on presenting information in the public forum from the viewpoint of drift and draft fishermen.

Anglers caught 70,000 fish last year, for game and for pleasure. Commercial salmon fishermen caught 140,000 fish which at an average €50 per fish made up an important part of their annual income, because of the lack of alternative employment. There's no industry you see, no Luas or Dart, in West Cork villages, so for many families this source of earnings is a vital part of their annual income and enables them to remain within coastal communities, which are rapidly becoming weekend retreats for the wealthy, but that's a story for another day.

Commercial salmon fishermen don't receive any subsidies, yet this year they paid €500,000 to the government in licence fees, and that's another figure that will be omitted from any information issued by anglers.

In what is very much a David and Goliath situation, you have the commercial drift and draft net fishermen, a fragmented group, mainly through earning their living in the extremities of this country. What they are not fragmented about, is the need for public and political support for their traditional way of earning a living.

For the past ten years in an effort to support their traditional way of life they have gone along with their total allowable catch being reduced annually and their fishing season reduced, without any monetary compensation. Notwithstanding this, anglers still say that commercial fishermen are the big bad bears who are solely responsible for the reduction in fish coming into these waters to spawn. Excerpts from the report by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural resources, say that there should be an investigation into the predation by seals on salmon stocks.

There is a more widespread threat to salmon and to the rest of us and it doesn't take an Einstein to work out that if almost 40% of Ireland's rural domestic wells are not fit for human consumption, being polluted by nitrates and nitrites, this same polluted water has to flow somewhere and will be as equally unfit for consumption by wild salmon.

There should be counters in all Irish rivers, but there is not enough funding to do this. Existing counters are said to be either not working or in the wrong place. And whilst anglers talk about banning driftnets in the name of conservation, how does taking 70,000 fish out of Irish rivers equate to conservation? Or is it just that because they were caught by anglers that these 70,000 dead fish don't count as depleting Irish stocks? There are different rules for anglers, it seems, because angling is a sport. Anglers have a very poor record of completing log books or accounting for tags, but angling is a sport.

Draft and drift net fishing is not a game. It is a way of life, a way of earning a living. A local TD says he has never experienced the volume of letters and phone calls received from anglers, calling for a ban on drift and draft net fishing. This powerful angling lobby group, who can fish seven days a week from January to September, wish to extinguish the rights of drift and draft net fishermen who are allocated a TAC and a two month season.

If the powers that be, bend to this powerful lobby, who want in addition to their own 70,000 salmon, the 140,000 caught by commercial fishermen, a public and natural resource will be privatised, wild Irish salmon will become a thing of the past, except if you are an angler that is, and another coastal industry will be wiped out.

PostPosted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:07 am
by x
A local TD says he has never experienced the volume of letters and phone calls received from anglers, calling for a ban on drift and draft net fishing.


See how organised anglers can get recognised? Why aren't sea anglers doing the same thing? Lack of organisation? Lack of leadership? Apathy? Laziness? Must we wait until we're all blanking on a regular basis?