Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party have all criticised the Government ruling on catch quotas for wild salmon this season.
However, the decision was welcomed by former National Salmon Commission (NSC) chairman Joey Murrin, who said the Minister was bound by a three-year scientific agreement.
The quota of 139,900 fish announced late last week by the Minister of State Pat the Cope Gallagher for this season applies to both commercial and angling catches, and is based on the figure recommended by the outgoing NSC, the Government's advisory body on salmon management. The Minister of State allowed for an additional 30-day consultation period after a draft figure was published.
Mr Gallagher said he recognised the "strong concerns expressed over the divergence in advice available to me this year, by the NSC and by the scientific community".
"However, the basis of the scientific advice changed this year, and the adoption of this shift would have meant an additional cut of over 30 per cent in total allowable catches this year," Mr Gallagher said.
This would have placed an "unreasonable burden" on coastal communities dependent on the part-time seasonal fishery for earnings.
Fine Gael marine spokesman John Perry said yesterday that Mr Gallagher was "presiding over the steady decline of a wonderful and valuable national resource and he has no policy to deal with the looming crisis in Atlantic salmon stocks."
Labour Party marine spokesman Tommy Broughan has described the decision as "disgraceful, irresponsible and damaging to the international reputation of Ireland".
Green Party marine spokesman Eamon Ryan described the decision as "shameful" and "baffling". "Scientific advice on the issue was that the salmon catch for this year should not exceed 97,000 fish," he said.
The Minister of State's ruling made "a mockery of the formalised 'public consultation' and shows utter contempt for those parties who engaged in it", Mr Ryan said.
The Minister of State reaffirmed his commitment to conservation and said that national and district quotas would be "fully aligned with the scientific advice" by 2007.
