Brussels, 03/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 1 November, the Irish government decided to ban commercial salmon fishing in Irish waters from 1 January 2007 onwards. Ireland has accepted the recommendations of Irish experts (see EUROPE 9297) and the European Commission's requests. In August this year, the European Commission asked Ireland to take measures to reduce the use by Irish fishermen of driftnets (which catch vast quantities of salmon, see EUROPE 9248 on proceedings launched under the Habitats Directive to protect biodiversity).
Only a third to a half of the salmon which used to swim up our rivers in the 1970s and 1980s do so now, explained Irish sea minister Noel Dempsey, quoted by AFP. He explained that this was why all possible protection had to be provided for the remaining resources and the priority clearly had to be to conservation rather than fishing. Dempsey said the ban should allow around 68,000 salmon to be saved. The Irish government is planning to provide compensation to the 877 fishermen who will have to totally give up driftnet salmon fishing.
Driftnets have been banned in the EU sine 2002 for tuna and swordfish but are still authorised for salmon (see EUROPE 7238 on a 1998 Council decision). Salmon breeds in rivers in the UK before migrating to the North Atlantic in the summer and it is during the migration period that a lot of salmon is fished. (lc)