§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by drift nets in (i) the Foyle fisheries area and (ii) the fisheries conservancy area in each of the last 10 years; what was the average weight of each category of fish; and how many fish in each category were taken by fishermen resident in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic.
§ Mr. AncramCommercial salmon catch returns do not differentiate between salmon and grilse. The total drift net catch, and average weight of fish, for the areas within the jurisdiction of the Foyle Fisheries Commission and the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland respectively are as follows:
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Foyle Fisheries Commission Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland Number Average weight (kgs) Number Average weight (kgs) 1983 65,654 3.44 1,231 3.27 1984 18,299 2.94 662 3.12 1985 24,528 3.39 1,010 3.33 1986 32,280 3.34 479 3.15 1987 12,587 2.91 248 3.18 1988 17,321 3.21 675 3.09
Foyle Fisheries Commission Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland Number Average weight (kgs) Number Average weight (kgs) 1989 55,108 3.14 812 3.17 1990 33,850 3.14 252 3.03 1991 20,379 3.02 838 3.10 1992 33,321 2.98 2,267 3.08 Information on the number of fish taken by fishermen resident in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland respectively is not available but for statistical purposes it is established practice to include 50 per cent. of the catch in the Foyle area, in addition to all of the Fisheries Conservancy Board catch, when computing the total Northern Ireland catch.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by each type of net in Northern Ireland fisheries in each of the last 10 years; and how many such fish were taken by anglers in the same years; and what sums were paid in licence fees in each of those years by (i) netsmen and (ii) anglers.
§ Mr. AncramSalmon catch returns do not differentiate between salmon and grilse. Total commercial catches—inclusive of 50 per cent. of the catches in the Foyle area—by type of net, were as follows:
Drift nets Draft nets Fixed engines 1983 34,058 8,260 14,425 1984 9,812 5,695 13,077 1985 13,274 7,433 8,908 1986 16,619 6,381 12,064 1987 6,541 2,786 10,808 1988 9,335 8,202 13,389 1989 28,366 15,619 17,529 1990 17,177 5,112 10,135 1991 11,028 2,720 6,673 1992 18,927 4,515 7,696 Accurate information on angling catches is not available. Anglers are not required to make returns in the Fisheries Conservancy Board's area, but such information as is available is published in the board's annual reports. A very low percentage of anglers make the required returns in the Foyle Fisheries Commission area, with reported angling catches and the percentage of licensed anglers who made the following returns.
Year Angling catches Percentage return 1983 831 7 1984 379 15 1985 1,814 10 1986 1,172 8 1987 390 4 1988 960 5 1989 975 6 1990 927 4 1991 482 9 1992 523 6 Licence fees paid by commercial salmon fishermen and anglers respectively to the Foyle Fisheries Commission and the Fisheries Conservancy Board were as follows: 258W
Year Foyle Fisheries Commission1 Fisheries Conservancy Board Angling licences £ Commercial fishing licences £ Angling licences £ Commercial fishing licences £ 1983 29,800 32,763 98,477 10,188 1984 29,454 35,488 108,656 9,140 1985 38,942 36,314 117,687 10,873 1986 44,113 37,307 134,450 11,520 1987 47,907 35,470 146,941 10,839 1988 57,658 35,982 159,166 12,050 1989 56,147 38,226 164,607 11,818 1990 58,893 40,328 174,545 10,473 1991 61,994 43,351 188,146 12,116 1992 62,622 42,410 192,003 13,658 1 Full licence revenue included.