asked the Minister for Fisheries the number of rivers where traps, nets and other legal means apart from rod and line, are used for catching salmon; and the number of salmon caught by this method for each year since 1966.

Commercial fishing for salmon by means of various fishing engines, such as drift nets, draft nets, stake nets etc., is permitted in the tidal portions of most of our rivers and the use of traps is permitted in the freshwater portions of the rivers Boyne, Nore, Blackwater, Currane, Corrib, Moy, Drowse and Lennon.

Details of the commercial catch of salmon by the various fishing engines from 1966 to 1974, the latest year for which published statistics are available, are set out in a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Commercial catch of salmon 1966-1974

NOTES: (1) The catches by drift and draft nets include the catches made in the open sea. Separate returns are not compiled of the proportion of such catches that are made in the tidal portions of rivers.

(2) Details of the catches by the fishing traps in the freshwater portions of rivers are confidential and may not be published.

13.

asked the Minister for Fisheries the restriction, if any, that has been imposed on the legal catching of salmon, other than by rod and line, in salmon rivers in the country since 1966.

The principal measures introduced since 1966 imposing restrictions on commercial fishing for salmon were the Control of Fishing for Salmon Orders which limit the number of net licences that may be issued in each fishery district, by-laws limiting the length and depth of drift nets and a by-law prohibiting the use of monofilment nets.

In addition to the foregoing restrictions which are on a national basis, various by-laws have been made restricting fishing in specified areas. These by-laws relate mainly to length of fishing season, weekly close time, etc.