A voluntary compensation scheme for fishermen who stop fishing will improve the dire state of Ireland's salmon stocks, Fine Gael claimed today.
The proposal is part of a five-point plan which the party's marine spokesman John Perry said would lead to an increase in the endangered salmon population.
"Under the Fine Gael five-point plan, the dire state of our salmon stocks and our angling tourism industry will finally be addressed after years of neglect," he said.
The proposals include a number of key points:
- A voluntary compensation scheme would pay commercial netsmen to stop fishing indefinitely or set aside their nets for three years. Under the programme payments would be tax-free and the overall quota would be reduced in line with the allocations participating fishermen had.
- A single approach to managing salmon stocks in seas, rivers and streams would be introduced, with Sea Fishery Officers empowered to police inland waterways and administer the scheme.
- Inter-departmental action must be taken to tackle water pollution.
- Commercial development of Irish salmon will be promoted by the National Salmon Commission.
- Scientific advice should be respected and adhered to if salmon stocks are to be preserved and increased.
Mr Perry said: "Under our compensation plans, an independent body will be appointed to meet all concerned parties who would be willing to engage in talks regarding these schemes.
"The current situation is bad for everyone - fishermen, anglers, the tourism sector and the taxpayer.
The party said if action wasn't taken immediately, Ireland was in danger of losing a vitally important economic and environmental resource.
Salmon stocks were dangerously low, and there were now not enough fish available for commercial fisherman to make a profit, Fine Gael's `salmon charter' said.
In 2004 the commercial quota was set at 161,965 fish but only 145,253 were caught.
Yet in 2005 fishing quotas were set at 169,000 overall - 40 per cent above scientific recommendations.
Meanwhile, the number of angling tourists has dropped from 54,000 in 1999 to 27,000 in 2005.
Between 1986 and 2003 contributions to GNP from salmon angling dropped from €28.6 million to €13.6 million.