§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of spawning salmon and grilse which are needed to(a) maintain and (b) enhance the number of fish running each river in the Foyle system; what has been the average (i) counted and (ii) estimated in each such river in each of the last five years; what is his estimate of the optimum number of (1) parr and (2) smelts needed to bring each of these rivers up to maximum numbers; and what numbers of salmon he would take as the maximum run for each river.
§ Mr. AncramThe basis for management of salmon stocks in the Foyle system, including estimates of the number of spawning fish required in each of the principal tributaries, is set out in the report by P. F. Elson and A. L. W. Tuomi entitled, "The Foyle Fisheries: New Basis for Rational Management". Information on the status of stocks in recent years is contained in the Foyle Fisheries Commission annual report for 1992. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.
There are no facilities for counting parr or smelts but fish counting facilities for ascending stocks are available for a major part of the system and these indicate that runs for the past six seasons have significantly exceeded the estimated spawning requirement. The estimated spawning requirement was still significantly exceeded after deduction of reported angling catches.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) one sea winter, (b) two sea winter, (c) three sea winter and (d) four sea winter fish were salmon and grilse fish running the River Bush in each available year; how many fish were caught by rod in each class in each year since 1964; and what was the average weight of fish in each class in each year.
§ Mr. AncramThe available information is given in the table:
487W
Year 1SW 2SW Hatchery Total reported rod catch 1973 2,334 213 0 192 1974 3,246 214 10 374 1975 2,969 289 80 688 1976 2,842 205 40 245 1977 1,631 152 528 254 1978 1,366 189 81 160 1979 1,662 158 6 256 1980 2,593 271 65 321 1981 1,142 396 43 307 1982 1,373 119 42 271 1983 833 133 11 169 1984 504 88 20 108 1985 1,922 454 140 642 1986 2,402 434 868 641 1987 1,799 587 710 606 1988 2,647 358 1,078 796 1989 896 97 270 300 1990 1,649 194 329 374 1991 2,021 254 1,021 472 1992 2,186 301 484 677 No three or four sea winter fish have been identified. Although the number of hatchery origin salmon returning as adults are also given in the table, these are not segregated into age groups as they are almost entirely one sea winter fish. Rod catch statistics are available only from 1973 and are not separated to show wild-hatchery segregation, sea age class or average weight. Average weights for wild-salmon are not routinely summarised and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.