This article is from page 14 of the 2006-11-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE long tradition of drift net fishing for salmon in the Shannon estuary could be under threat as a result of the EU’s Habitat Directive been adopted by the Government.
Up to 70 drift net licences are issued by the fisheries board every year in the Clare and Limerick area to allow fishing on the Shannon estuary from Kilrush to Coonagh including Clarecastle.
A further 25 draft net licences are also issued in the area.
A spokesperson for the Minister for Communications Marine and Natural Resources told The Clare People that fishermen would not be allowed to fish in estuaries, if any of the rivers flowing into it were below the conservation limit.
The Government said however that it would implement the key recommendations of the report by the Independent Working Group on Salmon, including the creation of a hardship fund for those affected by the compulsory buyout of drift net fishermen.
As part of the hardship scheme, a €25 million fund will give each fishermen a payment equal to six times their average annual catch over the period 2001-2005, multiplied by the average price per salmon over the period (€23).
Each fisherman will also receive a payment equal to six times the current licence fee. Although the scheme is compulsory for drift net fishermen, the scheme will also be open to other commercial salmon fishermen who use nets such as snap and draft.