To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by drift nets in (i) the Foyle fisheries area and (ii) the fisheries conservancy area in each of the last 10 years; what was the average weight of each category of fish; and how many fish in each category were taken by fishermen resident in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic.
Commercial salmon catch returns do not differentiate between salmon and grilse. The total drift net catch, and average weight of fish, for the areas within the jurisdiction of the Foyle Fisheries Commission and the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland respectively are as follows:
Foyle Fisheries Commission | Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland | |||
Number | Average weight (kgs) | Number | Average weight (kgs) | |
1983 | 65,654 | 3.44 | 1,231 | 3.27 |
1984 | 18,299 | 2.94 | 662 | 3.12 |
1985 | 24,528 | 3.39 | 1,010 | 3.33 |
1986 | 32,280 | 3.34 | 479 | 3.15 |
1987 | 12,587 | 2.91 | 248 | 3.18 |
1988 | 17,321 | 3.21 | 675 | 3.09 |
Foyle Fisheries Commission | Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland | |||
Number | Average weight (kgs) | Number | Average weight (kgs) | |
1989 | 55,108 | 3.14 | 812 | 3.17 |
1990 | 33,850 | 3.14 | 252 | 3.03 |
1991 | 20,379 | 3.02 | 838 | 3.10 |
1992 | 33,321 | 2.98 | 2,267 | 3.08 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by each type of net in Northern Ireland fisheries in each of the last 10 years; and how many such fish were taken by anglers in the same years; and what sums were paid in licence fees in each of those years by (i) netsmen and (ii) anglers.
Salmon catch returns do not differentiate between salmon and grilse. Total commercial catches—inclusive of 50 per cent. of the catches in the Foyle area—by type of net, were as follows:
Drift nets | Draft nets | Fixed engines | |
1983 | 34,058 | 8,260 | 14,425 |
1984 | 9,812 | 5,695 | 13,077 |
1985 | 13,274 | 7,433 | 8,908 |
1986 | 16,619 | 6,381 | 12,064 |
1987 | 6,541 | 2,786 | 10,808 |
1988 | 9,335 | 8,202 | 13,389 |
1989 | 28,366 | 15,619 | 17,529 |
1990 | 17,177 | 5,112 | 10,135 |
1991 | 11,028 | 2,720 | 6,673 |
1992 | 18,927 | 4,515 | 7,696 |
Year | Angling catches | Percentage return |
1983 | 831 | 7 |
1984 | 379 | 15 |
1985 | 1,814 | 10 |
1986 | 1,172 | 8 |
1987 | 390 | 4 |
1988 | 960 | 5 |
1989 | 975 | 6 |
1990 | 927 | 4 |
1991 | 482 | 9 |
1992 | 523 | 6 |
Year | Foyle Fisheries Commission1 | Fisheries Conservancy Board | ||
Angling licences £ | Commercial fishing licences £ | Angling licences £ | Commercial fishing licences £ | |
1983 | 29,800 | 32,763 | 98,477 | 10,188 |
1984 | 29,454 | 35,488 | 108,656 | 9,140 |
1985 | 38,942 | 36,314 | 117,687 | 10,873 |
1986 | 44,113 | 37,307 | 134,450 | 11,520 |
1987 | 47,907 | 35,470 | 146,941 | 10,839 |
1988 | 57,658 | 35,982 | 159,166 | 12,050 |
1989 | 56,147 | 38,226 | 164,607 | 11,818 |
1990 | 58,893 | 40,328 | 174,545 | 10,473 |
1991 | 61,994 | 43,351 | 188,146 | 12,116 |
1992 | 62,622 | 42,410 | 192,003 | 13,658 |
1 Full licence revenue included. |