Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

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Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers Ms Ní Chuilín: DCAL Fisheries Protection Officers have not detected any salmon nets placed in coastal waters to date in 2012. Salmon Nets Mr Swann asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure how her Department has sought to ensure that no salmon nets have been placed around the coast of Northern Ireland this year. (AQW 13473/11-15) Ms Ní Chuilín: DCAL Fisheries Protection Officers continue to carry out surveillance in the areas in which the netsmen operated to ensure that they are complying with their undertakings and that no other illegal fishing activity is taking place. Patrols are carried out both at sea and along the coastline Permanent Removal of Salmon Nets. Mr Swann asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure for an update of the negotiations between the holders of licences for salmon nets and her Department on the permanent removal of these nets. (AQW 13474/11-15) Ms Ní Chuilín: The Department is not in any current negotiations with the holders of licences for salmon nets on the permanent removal of those nets. The Department is currently carrying out a public consultation on a range of options for salmon conservation measures and the outcomes of this will inform the development of future salmon conservation policy, including the licensing of salmon nets. Eradication of Hogweed around Loughs and Lakes Ms Boyle asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what responsibility her Department has in relation to the eradication of Hogweed around loughs and lakes (AQW 13489/11-15) Ms Ní Chuilín: DCAL has no responsibility for the eradication of Giant Hogweed. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency offers advice and guidance to landowners on their website on best practice to control and remove this invasive species. 2013 World Police and Fire Games Mr Elliott asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure how many staff are engaged and employed to deliver the 2013 World Police and Fire Games. (AQW 13508/11-15) Ms Ní Chuilín: The 2013 World Police and Fire Games Ltd is the Company established to deliver the Games. Currently the Company has 30 staff and a further eight people will join in the next 2-3 months making a total of 38 staff. The Company does not employ any staff directly and all staff are on secondment from their parent employer organisations. Additionally staff from a number of the stakeholder bodies, for example Belfast City Council, are working very closely with the Company to deliver particular work streams, such as the Opening & Closing Ceremonies and Accommodation. Six Volunteer Co-ordinators, employed by Volunteer Now, are working with the Company to recruit 3,500 volunteers for the Games and approximately 70 voluntary Sports Co-ordinators representing each of the sports organisations’ Governing Bodies are also working with the Company. WA 460
Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers 2013 World Police and Fire Games Mr Elliott asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure for an estimate of the cost to the Executive of hosting the 2013 World Police and Fire Games. (AQW 13509/11-15) Ms Ní Chuilín: The cost of delivering the 2013 World Police and Fire Games is £13.811m, as specified in a business case addendum approved by DFP in March 2012. In September 2010 the NI Executive agreed to contribute £6.04m cash to the project. However as part of the business case addendum approval process my department agreed to try to manage, in conjunction with the 2013 World Police and Fire Games Ltd., potential cash pressures of £843k from existing resources. If the pressure is realised it would bring the total cash contribution from the NI Executive to £6.88m. ionally a number of stakeholder bodies, such as the PSNI, NIFRS and NIPS, have agreed to ‘in kind’ contributions to the delivery of the games. The ‘in kind’ contributions from NI Executive linked bodies is £2.51m. Salmon Conservation Limits Mr D McIlveen asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, in light of the low percentage compliance rates in 2010, how her Department plans to improve the compliance with salmon conservation limits in the Bush, Glendun and Maine rivers. (AQW 13551/11-15) Ms Ní Chuilín: My Department is involved in a range of activities aimed at contributing to improvements in compliance with salmon Conservation Limits in the Bush, Glendun and Maine rivers. Catchment management is informed by on-going work on each of the rivers to assess juvenile populations through electro fishing and monitoring of adult salmon by fish counters. My Department has a full inventory of salmon habitat in each of these rivers derived from habitat surveys and specialist assessment techniques. A fish passage assessment has been carried out on the River Bush using hydro acoustic tagging studies. The Department continues to fulfil its responsibilities under the Fisheries Act (NI) 1966 for the protection and conservation of fish and fisheries habitat. The Department works with local angling clubs to develop and implement in river salmon habitat enhancement projects in line with NASCO commitments. The protection of wild Atlantic salmon is a priority for my Department and Fisheries Protection Officers carry out a range of enforcement activities to detect, deter and disrupt those involved in illegal fishing. In the current season, my Department has brokered the cessation of all commercial netting of wild salmon in the DCAL jurisdiction. My call for voluntary catch and release of salmon by recreational anglers has attracted widespread support and the Department has made all Public Angling Estate waters catch and release only for 2012. The Department has gone to public consultation on a range of options for salmon conservation measures for both commercial and recreational salmon fishing. This will inform the development of salmon conservation policy with the aim of improving the state of salmon stocks in all our rivers. It is pertinent to mention that there are a number of factors that influence compliance with Conservation Limits that are outside the control of DCAL, notably the increase in mortality in the marine phase of the salmon life cycle. WA 461
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RWA 4
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Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

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