Minutes of Proceedings

In attendance at 10:30am for a briefing session on the Foyle Area (Control of Drift and Draft Net Fishing) Regulations 2002: Mr Derick Anderson, Chief Executive of the Loughs Agency and Mr Nigel Quinn, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Chairperson opened the meeting, in private session, at 10:25am.

1. Chairperson's business

1.1. The Committee agreed to open the meeting in private session.
1.2. The Chairperson reminded members that mobile phones should be completely turned off.
1.3. The Committee agreed that, in the aftermath of the arrest of the Acting Chief Executive of the Ulster-Scots Agency in the United States of America, its primary concern was to ensure that the good work of the Agency continued. The Committee agreed to ask the Department when the Agency hoped to appoint a permanent Chief Executive and what interim management arrangements are being put in place.

The meeting moved into public session at 10:30am.

1.4. The Committee noted that Departments would be consulting Committees on their proposed bids from the second round of allocations from the Executive Programme Infrastructure Fund after the Easter Recess.
1.5. The Committee agreed that it would not contribute to the Committee for Finance and Personnel's Inquiry into the Department of Finance and Personnel's effectiveness in relation to European Structural Funds and Community Initiatives. 
1.6. The Committee welcomed the news that the Fisheries Conservancy Board had decided to increase, from 5% to 10%, the commission payable to its licence distributors for the issue of game fishing licences.
1.7. The Committee agreed that the Chairperson and Mr Wilson would accept the invitation from the Foyle Association of Salmon and Trout Anglers to meet with their committee to discuss mutual interests.
1.8. Members noted that the delegation from the Central Fisheries and Western Regional Fisheries Boards would take place from Wednesday 24 April to Friday 26 April 2002 and that a draft itinerary had been prepared. Members agreed to make themselves available for as much time as possible over the three-day period.
1.9. The Committee noted the Minister's response about why the bid for health and safety at sports grounds was deferred in the December monitoring round and also that £1million would be allocated in 2002/03 for safety at sports grounds.
1.10. Members noted the handouts from the Budget seminar held in the Long Gallery on Wednesday 20 March 2002. Members also noted that the Department would be attending the meeting on Thursday 11 April 2002 to discuss the Department's draft Position Report.
1.11. Members were reminded that the media launch of the Golden Cow Youth Games would take place in the Long Gallery at 10:30am on Friday 22 March 2002. Members noted that Mr Hilditch, representing Carrickfergus Football Club, would travel to Great Britain as part of a Sports Council delegation to look at best practice in youth soccer.
1.12. Members noted the invitations to the announcement of major Lottery allocations on Thursday 28 March 2002 at the Sheridan IMAX cinema, Odyssey centre, Belfast.

Mr Shannon attended the meeting at 10:46am.

2. Foyle Area (Control of Drift and Draft Net Fishing) Regulations 2002

2.1. Mr Anderson, Chief Executive of the Loughs Agency, and Mr Quinn, an official from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, briefed the Committee on the proposed regulations and answered Members' questions.
2.2. The Committee agreed to write to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development voicing its concern about the proposed draft net limit of 55 licences. The Committee considered that the Agency should reconsider the position in the context of setting the limit closer to the historical level of licences issued over the previous 4 years, as the Committee believed that a limit in excess of those figures would convey the wrong message in terms of the promotion of salmon conservation.

3. Minutes of the meeting of 14 March 2002

3.1. The draft Minutes of Proceedings of 14 March 2002 were agreed.

4. Matters arising

4.1. Foyle Cup Tournament
The Committee agreed that Mr McMenamin, in his capacity as an MLA, would write to the 
Northern Ireland Events Company to ascertain why funding was not made available for the Foyle Cup Tournament.

5. Quinquennial review of the Planning and Water Appeals Commissions

5.1. The Committee agreed that it had no comment to make on the OFMDFM consultation document on the quinquennial review of the Planning Appeals Commission and the Water Appeals Commission.

6. Inland Fisheries Report follow-up

6.1. The Committee considered the progress to date on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the Committee's report on the Inquiry into Inland Fisheries in Northern Ireland and agreed further action.
6.2. The Committee agreed to hold another progress monitoring session before the Summer Recess.

7. Any other business

7.1. Members agreed to seek information about the salmon history of the Muttonburn Stream which runs through the Kilroot Motor Cycle Racing track.

8. Date of next meeting

8.1. The next meeting of the Committee will take place at 10:15am on Thursday 11 April 2002 in Room 152.

The Chairperson brought the meeting to a close at 1:00pm.

E ONeill
Chairperson