Fahey denies rift with salmon commission over logbooks issue

The Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, has denied a rift has developed with the National Salmon Commission over his involvement in a new management scheme for the wild fish.

The chairman of the commission, Prof Noel Wilkins of NUI Galway, declined to comment yesterday. A spokesman for the Minister also played down reports of a conflict.

The commission, which was established by the Minister last year, initiated the new tagging and logbook scheme for monitoring wild salmon, which has aroused opposition from one of the main angling organisations.

After protests against the scheme two weeks ago by the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA) in Fermoy, Co Cork, and in Galway city - Mr Fahey's constituency - the Minister announced a compromise in the Dail. He said the amount of information required for logbook returns was to be reduced forthwith, in response to FISSTA concerns.

The Minister said he had made it clear to FISSTA that he wanted to see "all players working constructively through the forum of the salmon commission on the major challenges facing the salmon resource, with conservation the first priority".

He said the decision on amending the logbooks, which were introduced on January 1st, was taken as a means of building confidence in the tagging scheme.

FISSTA has indicated that it will not be satisfied with this one move and is concerned about the potential for abusing the tagging scheme, the treatment of farmed salmon and restrictions on commercial fishing, including buying out driftnet licences.

The Salmon Commission, chaired by Prof Wilkins, has already ruled against buy-outs, while favouring temporary setaside, and has emphasised the rights of coastal communities to a stake in the wild salmon resource.

It has advocated the tagging scheme for both salmon and sea trout as the first step towards assessing the state of the stock, as part of a long-term management policy based on conservation.

The commission cancelled a meeting, due to have been held several days after the anglers' protests, and the Minister has directed that it reconvene. The commission was set up in March 2000 under Section 22 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act to assist and advise the Minister on conservation, management, protection and development of the national salmon resource.

Late last year the Minister distanced himself from a survey on support for a driftnet buyout initiated by one of the commission members, who is a ministerial appointee.