Questions

144. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the proportion and estimated tonnage of recreational pollack removals used in the relevant ICES assessment that were attributable to Irish waters and anglers; the Irish data and IMREC findings used and the weight afforded to them; the reason the three pollack limit was introduced before the full IMREC dataset and socioeconomi…

156. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the three pollack daily recreational limit will be reviewed before the 2027 fishing negotiations; if the review will consider updated IMREC data, 2026 commercial and bait catches, socioeconomic evidence and Irish stock research; if its findings will be published; whether Ireland will seek an amendment to Article 12 of Council Regulation…

157. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 21 May 2026, the scientific evidence on recreational pollack catches used in negotiating Article 12 of Council Regulation (EU) 2026/249; the extent to which it relied on data from France, southern England or ICES Division 8a; the way in which its relevance to Irish inshore rod and …

284. Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the hardship the pollack three fish restrictions per 24 hour period will cause the fishing angling vessels nationwide given that the sea angling business is critical to so many in our coastal communities; if he has considered other fishing opportunities for this sector, including exploring …

150. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the concerns conveyed by the operators of charter boats about the three-bag limit on pollock planned for this year; and if he and his Department will engage with the sector to address those concerns. [21009/26]

291. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether the proposed Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations for 2026 will alter the licence conditions applicable to traditionally licensed draft-net fishermen; whether such licence holders will be permitted to operate on the same basis as in the 2025 season; the consultation that has taken place wit…

312. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in light of the opposition by anglers to the proposed new catch and release bye laws, if he will take action on the issues highlighted by a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1314/26]

332. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to consider a buyout of all draft nets on the Blackwater and country wide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74463/25]

162. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason traditional fishermen have been excluded from conservation planning while international trawlers continue to overfish with impunity, despite UN FAO warnings that 35% of global marine stocks are exploited unsustainably. [70979/25]

178. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason no appropriate assessment screening and/or Natura impact statement was published for the current public consultation on the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2025 and Conservation Measures for the 2026 season, considering that this documentation is vital for inspection by affected stakehold…

179. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason Lough Corrib SAC is moving from having a harvestable quota of wild salmon in 2025 to full 'catch and release' angling for the 2026 season, considering his comments on 9 October 2025 stating that the Corrib catchment has a sizeable stock of wild salmon to meet its natural reproductive capacity and does not require supplem…

180. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether Lough Corrib anglers can be prosecuted for removing invasive pink salmon (oncorhynchus gorbuscha) without gill tagging from the lake in 2026, considering that no blue gill tags will be distributed with the 2026 Galway district salmon licence under current draft proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6897…

181. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason Lough Corrib and its tributaries will be exempt from the 'salmon angling bye-law' for the forthcoming season, as referenced in an information note published alongside the draft 2026 wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68974/25]

182. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the use of minnow (phoxinus phoxinus) is deemed to be a permissible dead bait under the Waterford Fisheries District (River Barrow) Angling Limitations during Salmon Spawning Run Bye-law (No. 1011) 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68977/25]

125. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which a farmer (details supplied) can find out who owns the fishing rights on their land which bounds the River Suir; the way in which they can register their right to fish on their land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45465/25]

173. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of man-hours devoted to preparing the draft the inland fisheries (modernisation and consolidation) Bill by his officials since 2013; if the draft Bill has been subjected to an appropriate assessment under the EU Habitats Directive in addition to a regulatory impact analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.…

175. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the inland fisheries division of his Department will be a viable entity into the future considering how dysfunctional inland fisheries policies are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35540/25]

176. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if Inland Fisheries Ireland in conjunction with his Departmental officials are continuing to prepare retrospective appropriate assessment screenings under the EU Habitats Directive for the Conservation of and Prohibition on Sale of Coarse Fish Bye-Law (No. 806) 2006 and the Conservation of Pike Bye-Law (No. 809) 2006 in an attempt …

177. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the internal review of the Conservation of and Prohibition on Sale of Coarse Fish Bye-Law (No. 806) 2006 and the Conservation of Pike Bye-Law (No. 809) 2006 will form part of the Western Lakes Management Plan or be treated separately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35542/25]

186. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the rationale for treating the Suir river system as three distinct salmon fisheries for regulatory purposes; and if he will review this classification to ensure integrated management of the estuary, lower and upper river. [36129/25]

187. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will consider introducing a non-commercial ‘heritage salmon fishing licence’ to allow intergenerational skills and local culture in the Suir estuary to be retained, under a conservation framework. [36133/25]

12. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether Inland Fisheries Ireland has set a cap on the number of recreational salmon angling licences on the River Blackwater; and if not, whether consideration will be given to introducing one. [34838/25]

14. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether the board and or senior management team of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has given notice to Departmental officials that the Cong Salmon Hatchery in County Galway will cease operations imminently, considering that IFI operates under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34944/25]