Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many drift 570W net licences have been issued for the Foyle Commission area in each of the last five years; how many were authorised but not issued; and how many persons were refused such licences.
§ Mr. PendryThe numbers of drift net licences issued in the five years from 1974 to 1978 inclusive were 117, 115, 115, 115 and 114 respectively. All authorised licences were issued. No records are kept of the number of persons refused drift net licences.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many salmon netsmen in the Foyle area who are licensed by the Foyle Commission make their living solely from fishing.
§ Mr. PendryThis information is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the net licences issued by the Foyle Commission in each of the last five years were to persons with addresses in the Republic of Ireland and how many to persons with addresses in Northern Ireland; and what was the number of fish taken by the nets-men on each side of the border in each year.
§ Mr. PendryThe figures requested regarding the issue of net licences are tabulated below:
Year Issued to Northern Ireland residents Issued to Republic of Ireland residents 1974 85 306 1975 82 309 1976 77 298 1977 70 306 1978 69 291 Information in the form requested on the number of salmon caught is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of salmon taken by anglers in the rivers in the Northern Ireland part of the Foyle Commission area in each of the last five years; and what was the total number for the Foyle Commission area for the same years.
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§ Mr. PendryThe reported catch of salmon by anglers is detailed below:
Year The Northern Ireland rivers of the Foyle area The Foyle area as a whole 1974 1,648 1,967 1975 650 792 1976 512 663 1977 662 886 1978 1,615 1,907
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many salmon redds were reported in each of the last five years in the Foyle Commission area; and how many of these were in the Northern Ireland portion of that area.
§ Mr. PendryThe information is as follows:
Year Foyle Commission area Rivers in the Northern Ireland portion of the Foyle Commission area 1974–75 3,268 2,093 1975–76 2,696 2,028 1976–77 3,058 2,348 1977–78 1,800 1,426 1978–79 3,844 2,964
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the value of eels taken by commercial fishermen in the Foyle area in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. PendryThis information is of a commercially confidential nature and is therefore not available for publication.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied that there are enough opportunities for
Foyle Commission nets Other commercial nets Number Value Number Value £ £ 1977 4,761 48,324 34,497 350,145 1978 4,219 42,190 43,692 436,920
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the sea feeding grounds of the salmon and grilse taken in the Foyle area have been established; and what percentage of these fish feed in Greenland waters.
§ Mr. PendryThis information is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
572Wnew entrants to fish for salmon commercially in the Foyle fisheries area; and how many new licences have been issued in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. PendryYes. The number of new licences issued in the years 1974–78 are 12, 13, 18, 15 and 5 respectively.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the selection procedure for the issue of salmon netting licences in the Foyle Fisheries Commission area.
§ Mr. PendryYes.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of pollution were reported in the Foyle Fisheries area in 1978; how many prosecutions there were; and how many are pending.
§ Mr. PendryTwo hundred and eight pollution incidents were reported in 1978. As a result of these, there have been five separate prosecutions involving three persons, and there are two prosecutions pending.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of salmon and grilse taken by nets operated in the Foyle Commission area in each of the last two years by the Foyle Commission and by other commercial nets, respectively, with the value of the fish taken in each case.
§ Mr. PendryThe number of salmon and grilse taken by nets in the Foyle area in the past two years is detailed below.