§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing for each year since his Department began its programme of work on salmon in the river Bush the annual catch of fish, the grilse of spring, summer and autumn fish and the numbers of cohorts and salmon in each cohort; and how these figures compare with the average for five years before the work began.
§ Mr. ButlerA full report of the experimental work being carried out by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland at the river Bush, including the annual catch figures requested, is published each year in the Department's annual report of research and technical work.
Prior to the Department's acquisition in 1972 of the fishing rights for experimental purpose, returns of the commercial catch by the private owner of the river were made on a confidential basis. The primacy of the experimental work being undertaken by the Department has resulted in fundamental changes to the commercial fishing regime and no meaningful comparison could be made between catches before and after the Department acquired the rights.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to have ova from salmon from the river Finn, or offspring from such fish, available for the river Roe.
§ Mr. ButlerSalmon ova from the river Finn will be imported into Northern Ireland to stock the river Roe only when adequate health certification is available. An alternative source of ova from salmon that have similar characteristics to those of the river Finn has been identified and, subject to confirmation of a standard of health certification which would protect the sound fish health status of Northern Ireland, ova from this source will be used for the stocking of the river Roe in the spring of 1984.