203 Deputy Mary Alexandra White asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a fish audit was ever conducted on the Mountain River in south Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8436/10]

I am informed that fish related survey work has been carried out on this catchment on at least four occasions by staff from the Central Fisheries Board. In 1995 a ground survey assessment of habitat and fish in the Mountain River sub-catchment was undertaken. In 2004 eight sites in Mountain River were sampled as part of a national assessment of the status of lamprey. More recently in 2007 & 2009 several sites in Mountain River were surveyed as part of the catchment-wide electrofishing survey of the Barrow to assess the abundance of juvenile salmon fry. Details of the data available from the various surveys can be obtained from the Central Fisheries Board.