Irish nets - some good news?

[easky]

There was some good news yesterday in relation to Irish netting - the Minister for the Marine - Pat "the Cope" Gallagher has resigned.

He has been seen by a lot of people to be primarily responsible for the Irish Government's intransigent attitude with regard to the removal of drift nets & conservation of salmon stocks. It remains to be seen whether his successor will take a more realistic approach - but lets hope he/she is more enlightened

E

[macd]

easky

great news...but who is lined up to replace him?

How did you fare on the drowes.

macd

[Fruin]

Goodbye and good riddance!!!

Let's hope he is replaced by somebody with sense.

[easky]

yes it is great news in itself but it will depend on his successor - whether or not they will see the light or follow the same policy.

You can find out more at the stop now web site www.stopnow.ie/ptcgone.html

It looks like is will be Minister Dempsey who will be taking over - see www.stopnow.ie/jmurrin.html

Macd - no luck on the Drowses, the water was very low for this time of year (fishing with size 10's). We did see some fresh fish and also some kelts but didn't manage to connect with anything. Good luck on the Dee tomorrow, hopefully you manage to tempt one on your Wilky tubes (the trebles looked great in the water).

E

[wilbert]

Just got sent this email and it doesn't make good reading, it looks like drift netting will be allowed yet another year before any decision is made.

DRIFTNETTING TO CONTINUE AS ANGLERS HAVE 'HALF A SALMON' RESTRICITON IMPOSED

Background: Instead of the long awaited announcement of an end to driftnetting by the Irish Government, a three-man 'expert' committee was announced by Marine Minister John Browne to sit for 5 months to produce another report to add to the mountain of reports already in the offices of the Dept of Marine. While many of the press statements gave the impression that the end to driftnetting was imminent, Junior Marine Minister Mr John Browne would not say if this year would be the last salmon season- But the Tourism Minister says that no decision will be taken to end driftnetting as a lot to work has to be done over "the coming year".



There has been much confusion among salmon interests as to what exactly the Minister and Government decided in his announcement last month. Ever since the National Chairman of FISSTA - Federation of Irish Salmon and Seatrout Anglers, Mr. Edward Power condemned the Government’s deferral of their decision to end drift netting, some angling bodies believe that almost, without doubt that driftnetting will close with the 2006 season. Their rationale for this belief is taken from the main statement issued on 24 March in which Minister Browne states that the Government commits itself to “fully align with the scientific advice from the Standing Scientific Committee of the National Salmon Commission”. But this commitment has been made since 2003 and to date has not been honoured.



However, Tourism Minister, John O' Donoghue TD has now further clarified the Government policy for us all when he stated to the Kerryman newspaper on April 6th that "There's still a lot of work to be done over the coming year before any decision will be taken in relation to a ban on driftnetting". So, our worst fears are realised as the reference to "the coming year" will probably mean a second season, which is likely to coincide with the May 2007 General Election. Therefore, it now transpires that more penal restrictions are being imposed on angling without any guarantee that this Government will ever end driftnetting.



Mr Power concluded that: “In essence, it now leaves the Government decision open to whatever the political climate will be next year prior to the general election in May 2007. This means that no serious salmon restoration can begin in Ireland, England, Wales and EU until 2008 and beyond. FISSTA had warned that the sum total of this Ministerial announcement would result in the provision of an added supply of salmon off our coasts for the commercial sector to kill this season. The press statements from the North Atlantic Salmon Fund and our international friends share our concern for the salmon stocks at this time of such wide confusion from Government.

[kercock]

Disgusting.