Salmon fishermen offered compensation after ban

Salmon fishermen have until the end of the month to secure a slice of the €30m compensation package agreed to help them cope with the ban on drift nets, it was revealed today.

The money was set aside by the Government last November as part of a compulsory buy-out to conserve stocks and help coastal communities deal with the knock-on effect.

Under the hardship scheme, 877 drift nets men will be paid six times their average annual catch over the four years from 2001-2005, multiplied by the average price per salmon over the period, which is €23.

They will also receive a lump sum payment of more than €2,000, six times the 2006 licence fee.

John Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, said details of the scheme will be announced shortly.

“I hope that this scheme will provide a measure of relief for those commercial salmon fishermen affected,” he said.

There were 1,553 commercial nets in the seas off Ireland last year. The ban only covers the 877 drift nets with snap nets. Draft nets, used in estuaries and up river, allowed to continue fishing.

Scientific assessment has shown less than half of the salmon coming back to Irish rivers in the 1970s and 1980s are now returning. The Government said the ban would allow wild salmon stocks to be managed on a river-by-river basis.

Some 68,000 salmon are expected to head back up rivers with the ban in place.

The fund is available to all commercial salmon licence holders who held a licence for the 2006 season.

An additional €5m fund will be available for a community support scheme.

Designed to help development in communities where the ban will be hardest felt, the money will be earmarked to provide alternative employment and new economic opportunities.

The hardship scheme will be advertised in the national media and an information booklet and application forms will be sent to all those who held commercial salmon fishing licences in 2006.

Applications can be made until March 30 and licence holders will have until the end of the year to accept offers.