A Sligo angler has been convicted of a breach of fisheries legislation for illegal salmon angling.

Mark Cawley, with an address in Sligo town, was observed in possession of an untagged salmon at Rockwood Parade on the Garavogue River in Sligo town.

The offence took place on 4 July 2022 and an Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) officer gave evidence in court.

Cawley was convicted at Sligo District Court on Tuesday 6 June. He was fined €250 for breach of Section 182 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act, 1959 — possession of salmon unlawfully captured.

He was ordered to pay costs to IFI of €675 and €106.66 in expenses.

Mary Walsh, director of the Western River Basin District said: “The Garavogue River is open to catch-and-release fishing only. Atlantic salmon stocks are in decline and they need to be protected.

“It is critical for all stakeholders to strictly abide by tagging regulations to safeguard the future of these valuable salmon fisheries.

“IFI actively pursue those who fish illegally. I commend the ongoing surveillance operations carried out by our fisheries protection officers in the district, which led to this conviction.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has announced the 24 projects awarded a total of €999,272 from the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund.

The competitive fund, administered by IFI, supports sustainable development initiatives to ensure native salmon and sea trout can survive and thrive, and overcome challenges they face in the wild.

The transformative new fish conservation projects in 12 different counties include:

• Riverside fencing and solar pasture drinking pumps in Co Offaly to minimise pollution by livestock encroachment in water.
• A major fish barrier removal scheme in Co Wicklow to help improve river connectivity for migratory fish and eel.
• A project to curb the spread of the invasive plant species, rhododendron, on river catchments in Co Mayo to benefit in-stream habitat quality.
• Spawning enhancement and habitat restoration works in the River Boyne catchment in Co Meath.
• Surveillance measures, using environmental DNA, to monitor the presence of invasive pink salmon species in Irish rivers nationwide.

Announcing the projects on Friday (26 May), Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan said: “I welcome the nearly €1m in funding which IFI is investing in projects across Ireland to improve and protect our incredibly important freshwater fish and their habitats.

“Our rivers are like the nature and biodiversity arteries of the country. Since the 1980s we have seen a significant deterioration in their water quality, putting our freshwater fish and their habitats under considerable stress.

“It is crucial to protect and future-proof our natural resources and this funding helps to do that. It is particularly encouraging to see applicants to the scheme taking on the stewardship over their local natural amenities.”

The Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund has provided over €3.75m to different groups and fisheries development experts since 2016.

Barry Fox, head of operations with IFI said: “The Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund is made possible through fishing licence income. Conserving and protecting fish species, like Atlantic salmon and sea trout is an integral part of IFI’s progressive and sustainable salmon management operations.”

Grants will be provided to initiatives based in Offaly (€80.5k), Cork (€140k), Donegal (€3.5k), Galway (€78k), Clare (€42.7k), Kerry (€18k), Kildare (€6.3k), Sligo (€34.3k), Mayo (€124k), Meath (€104.2k), Wicklow (€115k), Westmeath (€73k), and national projects (€180k).

Two Limerick men have been found guilty of being in breach of fisheries legislation for using a net to illegally capture salmon.

John Quinlivan of Moyross, Limerick and Kieran Molloy of Ballynanty, Limerick were prosecuted for illegal salmon netting on the River Shannon at Monabraher, Limerick on 26 June 2021.

Both were convicted at Limerick District Court on 27 April this year and received fines of €400 and costs of €553 each.

Separately, Quinlivan was also convicted of fishing in the tailrace of Ardnacrusha Generating Station on 10 June 2021, in contravention of the rules of the ESB Lower Shannon Salmon Angling Permit. He was fined €300 and ordered to pay costs of €958 for this offence.

Fishing with a net in this area is illegal, and it is also illegal to catch and keep salmon by any method on the River Shannon as salmon numbers are significantly below levels required to sustain a healthy natural population.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) reminds members of the public that Atlantic salmon populations are under significant pressure from a range of factors, and any illegal fishing puts further pressure on a very important and iconic wild fish.

Members of the public are encouraged to report suspicions of illegal fishing activity, pollution or fish kills to IFI’s 24/7 confidential line at 0818 34 74 24.

The deadline to enter the third online lottery for ‘brown tags’ for wild salmon angling on the Lower River Lee is 5pm on Thursday 18 May.

A further 45 brown tags are being allocated on Monday 22 May, following the first lottery for 45 tags in January and the second for 40 tags in March. A total of 180 brown tags are being made available for the season via a series of online lotteries.

Under brown tag regulations, an angler who wishes to ‘harvest’ a wild salmon or sea trout greater than 40cm and keep it must attach a brown tag as well as a standard blue tag to the fish.

These essential identification rules for salmon angling are in force until the 2023 season closes on 30 September.

Anglers with a 2023 rod licence not allocated a brown tag are only permitted to fish for salmon and sea trout greater than 40cm on a ‘catch and release’ basis on the Lower River Lee, where the salmon is returned safely to the same waterbody.

Commenting on the requirements, Sean Long, director of the South West River Basin District at Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said: “Brown tag regulations for salmon and sea trout are required on the Lower River Lee in Cork to conserve stocks and avoid accidental over-harvesting.

“Where there is a modest harvestable surplus with a risk of over exploitation, this brown gill tag system is introduced to closely monitor the angling quotas.

“The numbers of wild Atlantic salmon returning to our rivers is declining and the risk of over-fishing puts stocks in further jeopardy. Conservation measures such as brown tags are necessary and very effective.”

Anglers interested in entering the second draw are being asked to apply online between now and 5pm on Monday 20 March only. For more see the IFI website.

Two men have been convicted of possessing 16 illegal salmon nets near the River Drowes in Co Donegal.

Philip and Eoghan McCluskey of Bundoran, Co Donegal received fines and costs totalling €6,000 in relation to the offence, which occurred on 25 July 2021 on the Drowes River in Magheracar, Bundoran.

Among the items in the father’s and son’s possession on the night were two large holdall bags which contained 16 nets, wooden pegs, 20 empty coal sacks, balaclavas, a knife, throw line, binoculars and a camouflage jacket which was covered in wild salmon scales.

The case was heard at Ballyshannon District Court on Friday 21 April.

The court heard that Inland Fisheries Ireland’s (IFI) Mobile Support Unit (MSU) for fisheries protection, with local fisheries staff, discovered evidence of possible illegal activity taking place on the lower Drowes River.

The MSU, working together with local fisheries officers, carried out covert surveillance of the river which led to the defendants being apprehended.

Commenting on the case, Francis O’Donnell, chief executive of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said: “This illegal operation was halted by a professional team of fisheries officers through a significant covert operation.

“The two men had 16 nets in their possession when caught, and 20 empty coal bags to place fish into. IFI was established in 2010 and in that time there has never been a seizure of such a quantity of nets used for the illegal capture of fish in fresh water. The potential impact of these nets on the River Drowes would have been catastrophic for the salmon population.

“IFI will not tolerate this behaviour on any Irish river. We will continue to prosecute those who persist in poaching. I would like to commend all our Fisheries Officers for their commitment in dealing with this type of ecological crime.”

Welcoming the judgement, Dr Milton Matthews, director of IFI’s North West River Basin District said: “Salmon stocks have never been under more pressure from illegal fishing, habitat loss and climate change.

“The River Drowes represents one of the last strongholds for Atlantic salmon in the Northwest of Ireland. The apprehension of these offenders and seizure of this quantity of poaching equipment represents a significant boost to safeguarding this valuable natural resource.”

A former salmon draft net licence holder has been found guilty of two breaches of fisheries legislation when he was found to be in possession of 13 untagged salmon in the boot of his vehicle.

Liam Whyte of Ardara, Co Donegal was convicted in relation to an illegal fishing incident which occurred on 10 July 2017.

The case was first heard in Glenties District Court on 27 February 2019 where Whyte was convicted and fined €1,300 for possession of the salmon,and fined costs of €750.

In light of previous convictions, the court imposed a sentence of three months’ imprisonment which was suspended for two years, on condition that there be no further convictions under the Fisheries Acts during that time.

Whyte appealed the ruling to Donegal Circuit Court and the case was heard on 14 March 2023.

As Whyte had not come to the attention of the courts in the intervening period, the court waived the three-month suspended sentence and instead convicted Whyte on two counts of breaches in fisheries legislation with fines amounting to €2,800 and costs of €979.63.

Commenting on the outcome of the case, Dr Milton Matthews, director of the North Western River Basin District at Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said: “I commend the ongoing vigilance of our fisheries protection officers who conduct extensive surveillance operations throughout the year to ensure that licensed salmon draft net holders comply fully with the strict tagging and quota regulations.

“Any salmon killed in excess of the quota identified for any particular salmon fishery directly impacts on the long-term sustainability of that salmon fishery.

“It is critical for all stakeholders to strictly abide by tagging and quota regulations to safeguard the future of these valuable fisheries. Members of the public can report incidents of illegal fishing, water pollution and fish kills, to Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 24-hour confidential hotline number on 0818 34 74 24.”

Two Cork men have been fined a combined €4,000 over an incident in June last year which resulted in the seizure of a 500-plus-metre net and eight illegally caught salmon.

Frank Sheenan of Dursey Sound, Co Cork and Denis Healy of Cahergarriff, Castletownbere, Co Cork were both convicted of illegal fishing at Bantry District Court on Thursday 23 February.

Judge James McNulty heard evidence at an earlier sitting of an extensive operation by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) at Garnish Bay on 28 June 2022 which resulted in the seizure of a 523-metre-long net, eight salmon and a van.

Hearing that both men had previously been convicted of illegal fishing and had benefitted from a Hardship Scheme introduced to compensate fishers who ceased salmon fishing, Judge McNulty ordered both to come to court with banker’s drafts to the value of €2,000 each.

The court also heard evidence that illegal salmon netting has far-reaching consequences for vulnerable salmonid populations migrating along the coast to their spawning grounds.

On finalising the case at the 23 February sitting, Judge McNulty imposed fines of €2,000 each for breaches of Section 285(a) of the Fisheries Act 1959 (as amended) and ordered each to pay €250 by way of contribution to IFI’s expenses. Orders of Forfeiture were made in relation to the salmon and net.

Each defendant was also found guilty of a breach of Article 3 of Bye-Law no. 857 of 2009 and Section 182(2) of the 1959 Act, which were taken into consideration.

Sean Long, director of the South-Western River Basin District at IFI welcomed the conviction, reiterating that illegal netting of migrating salmon can wipe out an entire year-class of stock in rivers with already declining populations.

“These men had no consideration for the future of our salmon stocks nor for the social and economic value sustainable salmon stocks contribute to local economies supporting jobs and businesses,” Long said.

“Maintaining biodiversity and protecting and conserving these precious fish is critical. This case sends out a clear message to those involved in illegal fishing: Inland Fisheries Ireland will use its full powers under the law to prosecute offenders through the courts.”

The deadline to enter the second online lottery for ‘brown tags’ for wild salmon angling on the Lower River Lee is 5pm on Monday 20 March.

A further 40 brown tags will be issued on Wednesday 22 March, following the first lottery for 45 tags on 27 January, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Under brown tag regulations, an angler who wishes to ‘harvest’ a wild salmon and keep it must attach a brown tag as well as a standard blue tag to the fish.

To help conserve stocks of wild salmon within the Lower River Lee, No 5 or Cork District, a total of 180 brown tags will be available for the season — which closes on 30 September — and will be distributed to anglers with a 2023 rod licence through a series of online lotteries.

Anglers interested in entering the second draw are being asked to apply online between now and 5pm on Monday 20 March only.

Applicants must provide their name, contact address and telephone number and they must also quote their 2023 Salmon Licence number. Only one entry is permitted per licence holder into the draw.

Anglers with a 2023 rod licence who are not allocated a brown tag are only permitted to fish for salmon on a ‘catch and release’ basis on the Lower River Lee, where the salmon is returned safely to the same waterbody.

Further details are available from the Inland Fisheries Ireland website at fisheriesireland.ie or by phoning its Macroom office on (026) 41221.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is seeking submissions in relation to a proposal to restrict the commercial salmon draft net season on the Loughros Estuary in Co Donegal in 2023 to fishing between 1 and 21 July.

The proposed changes, along the lines of last year’s consultation, are to reflect the limited overall salmon quota available for 2023 and the number of commercial draft nets available.

An overall surplus of 283 salmon has been advised for 2023 to be divided between the commercial draft net and recreational angling sectors.

The commercial draft net season for the fishery normally opens on 12 May and closes on 31 July.

Any person wishing to make observations on the proposed regulation may make submissions before 5pm on Thursday 9 March, either by email to [email protected] or to the address below:

Loughros Estuary Commercial Salmon Draft Net Fishing Season 2023 Public Consultation,
Inland Fisheries Ireland,
Station Road,
Ballyshannon,
Co Donegal,
F94 WV76

The Loughs Agency will retain salmon carcass tag numbers for licence holders for the 2023 season in line with the policy followed in the previous two years.

Based on the information collected in 2022, a continual fall in salmon numbers has been recorded year on year, and consequently the precautionary approach previously adopted needs to be maintained, the agency says.

Its interim policy was introduced for the 2020/2021 season whereby the number of tags issued with a game angling licence was reduced to a maximum of one blue tag (1 March to 31 May) and two black tags (1 June to 31 October).

The agency says that after careful evaluation it was decided to maintain the previous position adopted in both 2021 and 2022 while introducing in-year reviews of the salmon runs based on fish counter data, annual angling returns and run strength.

The principal objective of this measure is to carefully manage salmon in the Foyle system due to concern from within the agency over conservation levels of the species.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Loughs Agency has suspended netting in the Foyle area and restricted angling ion the River Finn as a result of a significant drop in recorded salmon migrations upstream.

“It is the view of some stakeholders that the agency should manage carcass tags on a catchment-by-catchment basis,” it says. “The use of real-time figures can be beneficial in informing decision-making on the number of tags to be distributed per year, and how many tags can be given out for angling in each catchment.”

This viewpoint is to be considered in regulatory changes once actions from the review can be implemented, the agency adds.

In the majority of rivers throughout Northern Ireland and in many locations globally, catch and release is now mandatory for salmon angling due to the pressures on sustainable populations. In these areas, no carcass tags are issued, and anglers are forbidden from retaining any fish.

It is encouraging that most anglers in the Foyle area are aware of these pressures, and now voluntarily practice catch and release, the Loughs Agency says.

The agency also emphasised that it “recognises the value of anglers on the rivers and their contributions towards sustainability”.