Salmon (Hansard, 13 February 1997)

§ Mr. Martyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of reports prepared by(a) the National Rivers Authority and (b) the Environment Agency on the impact of drift net fishing off the west coast of Ireland on the salmon population in Wales. [15133]

§ Mr. Jonathan Evans
Reports by the National Rivers Authority and the Environment Agency on the impact of the Irish drift net fishery on salmon stocks in Welsh and English rivers form part of the assessment work being carried out by a joint working party made up of Government fisheries scientists, the Environment Agency and the Irish Department of the Marine. This group is expected to report before the end of the year.

§ Mr. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in respect of the impact of driftnet fishing in the Irish Sea on the number of salmon returning to Welsh rivers; and if he will make a statement. [15135]

§ Mr. Evans
In the period since June 1995, several representations have been received from Welsh salmon fishery organisations and other interested bodies about the impact of the Irish driftnet fishery on salmon in Welsh and English rivers.

§ Mr. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the impact on Welsh rivers of drift netting in the Irish sea. [15066]

§ Mr. Evans
Recent reports indicate that the Irish driftnet fishery does exploit salmon originating from some rivers in Wales and England. The Irish Government have implemented some measures intended to reduce levels of exploitation in the driftnet fishery. Further work to evaluate the levels of exploitation is being carried out by a joint working group which includes the Irish Department of the Marine. The group is expected to report before the end of the year.

§ Mr. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact on Welsh rivers of the recent measures introduced by the Irish Government relating to fishing in the North sea. [15068]

§ Mr. Evans
It is too early to assess the likely impact of recent measures introduced by the Irish Government to restrict salmon exploitation by commercial netsmen. The situation will be closely monitored.

§ Mr. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on trends in the numbers of salmon and trout in Welsh rivers over the last 10 years. [15067]

§ Mr. Evans
Catch data provide an approximate index of the abundance of salmon and migratory trout entering Welsh rivers. Over the 10 year period to 1995 there is evidence of a decline in the declared catches of both these species.

§ Mr. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on proposals for confining salmon netting within river headlands. [15237]
292W

§ Mr. Evans
The Environment Agency's salmon management strategy states that exploitation of salmon should take place, as far as possible, where the stock is from a single river. In Wales, the Environment Agency has applied this principle by introducing measures which aim to phase out salmon netting outside river headlands.