Fine Gael has accused the Government of presiding over the collapse of wild salmon numbers in Ireland.
Fine Gael's marine spokesman John Perry
The party's marine spokesman John Perry says drift-netting has caused a rapid decline in the species and the surrounding tourism industry.
Mr Perry said Ireland's international reputation was being badly tarnished as a result.
He pledged Fine Gael would establish a voluntary buy-out and set-aside scheme for drift or draft-netting licences if elected to government.
The Sligo/Leitrim TD said: "There are simply not enough salmon available for fishermen to make a profit from drift or draft-netting."
He said: "Last year, 36 per cent of the fishermen caught 58 per cent of the catch. This means that approximately 500 fishermen out of 850, or almost 60 per cent, caught less than 100 fish and earned less than €1,000".
"A voluntary buy out and set aside scheme over a period of three years would be of significant benefit to stocks and the majority of drift and draft-net fishermen would favour one of these options," he said.
The European Commission is understood to be preparing a letter of formal notice to the Irish Government regarding the effects of drift-netting on the conservation of salmon.
The letter will claim Ireland has failed to meet requirements of the Habitats Directive in setting quotas for catching salmon.
