Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured convictions against three men for illegal fishing offences on the River Shannon.

Two men were convicted of illegal salmon netting on the River Shannon, and another man has been convicted of possessing an unlawfully captured salmon.

Damien Mallard and Calvin Hughes of St Mary’s Park, Limerick were observed by IFI officers setting a 100-metre salmon net from a boat, spanning almost the entire width of the River Shannon in Limerick city.

Separately, Ger Molloy of St Mary’s Park, Limerick was convicted of possessing an unlawfully captured salmon.

In the early hours of 22 July 2022, IFI officers apprehended Mallard and Hughes and seized a net which the men had retrieved and brought onboard a boat.

With the assistance of An Garda Síochána, the boat was also seized.

The case was heard at Limerick District Court on Friday 8 September this year.

The court heard how Mallard was convicted of previous illegal fishing offences, and a four-month suspended sentence was imposed for two years in October 2020. As the date of the July 2022 offence was within the two-year period of the suspended sentence, the sentence was invoked.

Taking on board the early plea, but also the seriousness of the offences, a one-month custodial sentence was imposed by the court.

Legal counsel for Mallard indicated he would appeal the sentence with general bail conditions attaching to this appeal. This has the effect of staying the operation of the District Court order until such time as the appeal is concluded in the Circuit Court.

Costs of €560 to IFI were granted.

The co-accused — Hughes, who pleaded guilty to the same illegal salmon netting offence — received a fine of €250 and costs of €250 were awarded to IFI.

Separately, in a case heard on Friday 8 September at Limerick District Court, Ger Molloy was convicted of possessing an unlawfully captured salmon.

The court heard how on 1 July 2022, Molloy was observed angling for and catching a salmon by rod and line in the tailrace portion of the River Shannon.

A fine of €250 was imposed, and IFI was awarded costs of €250.

Commenting on the cases, David McInerney of the Shannon River Basin District at IFI said: “The lower River Shannon is open to salmon fishing on a catch-and-release basis only. Salmon numbers in the River Shannon catchment are significantly below levels required to sustain a healthy natural population.

“Any illegal fishing puts further pressure on a very important and iconic wild Irish fish. In 1971, a total of 1.2 million wild salmon returned to Ireland. Last year, that number was just 171,697 — representing a fall of 86 per cent.”

IFI encourage the public to report incidents of illegal fishing, water pollution or fish kills to its 24/7 confidential phone line at 0818 34 74 24.

Inland Fisheries Ireland’s West/North West team were the winners of 2023’s Annual Inter Agency Sea Angling Challenge.

Now in its 22nd year, the 2023 event took place in Clew Bay, Co Mayo on Friday 8 September with competitors representing IFI, the Marine Institute and other marine agencies.

The yearly event began in 2001 as an idea from staff of the two agencies. These friends and colleagues have been a part of the organising team since its inception, which has helped ensure participants have consistently high-quality angling options in the selected competition areas.

In addition to the relaxing hook and line fishing that takes place, the aims of the event are to provide an informal networking opportunity, increase and improve awareness of sea angling (particularly among newer staff) and provide opportunities to discuss issues within the sport.

Patricia Orme, director of corporate services at the Marine Institute said: “The annual angling challenge is a fantastic way for staff from multiple Irish marine agencies to build connections and learn more about the area of angling, all while taking part in some friendly competition. We hope to see the event continue for many more years.”

The social and educational event allows anglers to enjoy the productive marine waters off the coast of Ireland.

In recent years, teams have included current and former staff from IFI River Basin Districts, the Marine Institute and Sea Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA). They have also been joined over the years by teams from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Loughs Agency.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and water users on the Shannon-Erne Waterway that Inland Fisheries Ireland will be conducting a fish stock survey on Lough Garadice in Co Leitrim next week between Monday 4 and Thursday 7 September.

All nets will be clearly marked by orange buoys marked “IFI Survey”, adds the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways.

Masters of vessels and all water users should proceed with additional caution when operating on Lough Garadice during this period.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is seeking submissions in relation to a proposal to reduce the daily bag limit of four brown trout to two brown trout on the rivers Clare, Abbert, Dalgan, Grange and Sinking in the Galway Fishery District.

The current daily bag limit of four brown trout for these rivers is included in the Western Fisheries Region Conservation of Trout Bye-law no. 840, 2008.

Having reviewed the existing bye-law, IFI propose to put in place a separate new bye-law for the aforementioned rivers.

A copy of the existing and proposed new bye-law are available for public inspection at the IFI offices in Galway. The draft bye-law is also available on the IFI website.

The public consultation period will run for the next four weeks and the closing date for receipt of submissions is 5pm on Thursday 14 September.

Submissions should be marked “Public Consultation – Clare River brown trout bag limit” and be submitted by email to [email protected] or by post to:

The Director,
Inland Fisheries Ireland,
Teach Breac,
Earl’s Island,
Galway, H91 E2A2

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) says it is investigating a water pollution incident which took place Monday morning (14 August) east of Cork city.

The incident occurred on the tidal section of the Glashaboy River downstream from the bridge in Glanmire, Co Cork.

IFI was first alerted to the incident by multiple calls to its hotline number at 0818 34 74 24 and staff were on the scene shortly afterwards.

The pollution appeared to have impacted between one and one-and-a-half kilometres of river and caused a blue/grey discolouration of the water.

The freshwater part of the Glashaboy River upstream was unaffected. No fish fatalities have been recorded so far.

IFI staff have taken water samples for analysis.

The State agency for Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources says is not in a position to confirm the specific cause of the pollution incident at this early stage, but investigations are continuing.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and other users of the Shannon-Erne Waterway that Inland Fisheries Ireland will be conducting a fish stock survey on Lough Scur between Monday 14 and Thursday 17 August.

All nets will be clearly marked by orange buoys marked ‘IFI Survey’, adds the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways.

Masters of vessels and all water users should proceed with additional caution when operating on Lough Scur during this period.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured combined fines of €8,500 against two separate landowners for destroying stretches of their local rivers in Laois and Tipperary.

In Co Laois, Michael Hosey was convicted of carrying out works on 800 metres of river channel at Trumera, Mountrath, thereby impacting the habitats of trout, lamprey and eels along the river.

In Co Tipperary, Milo Cuddihy was convicted of carrying out instream works on 300 metres of the Lingaun River at Breanormore, affecting the habitats of salmon, trout, lamprey and eel populations.

Cuddihy was fined a total of €4,000, and directed to pay a further €750 in costs to IFI.

IFI became aware of the issue on 28 January this year and the case was heard at Carrick-on-Suir District Court on 5 July.

Separately, Hosey was also found guilty of two breaches of fisheries legislation for the destruction of a local river.

Portlaoise District Court heard Hosey’s motivation for carrying out the work was to drain land to alleviate flooding.

At a sitting on 16 June, the court was told that 800 metres of river channel on Hosey’s property and on an adjoining property had been dug out, deepened, re-profiled and the river bank vegetation removed.

Realignment of the Lingaun River with river-bed material on the bankside | Credit: IFI

He carried out these extensive instream works in the closed season at his farm in Trumera, Mountrath, Co Laois in December 2022.

Hosey received total fines of €3,000, and was also ordered to contribute €750 towards the costs of the prosecution.

Commenting on both cases, Lynda Connor, South-Eastern River Basin District director at IFI said: “These were acts of ecological destruction. The actions of the defendants demonstrated a real disregard for the rivers, their fish species and habitats.

“IFI will continue to prosecute such illegal activity in fulfilment of its remit to protect and conserve Ireland’s important inland fisheries resource.

“The decimation and removal of a river’s habitat can be devastating in terms of its effects on fish. It can also impact instream biodiversity such as vegetation and insects.”

Connor added: “Landowners need to seek all necessary and relevant information from their advisors, and from Inland Fisheries Ireland, before carrying out any works near, or on, a watercourse adjacent to their land.

“The appropriate window for any instream works is between July and September, but only with the guidance and permission of IFI. During the closed season, from October to June, no works should take place in a river.

“IFI continues to encourage members of the public to report incidents such as this, and those of water pollution, fish kills, and illegal fishing to its 24/7 phone number, 0818 34 74 24.”

Landowners can refer to further guidance on minding Ireland’s watercourses from Teagasc.

Mackerel, pollack, dogfish, seabass and whiting were the most-widely caught fish species by Ireland’s 250,000 sea anglers in 2022, according to new data from Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).

The results are taken from IFI’s Irish Marine Recreational Angling Survey (IMREC) app, which enables anglers to log their catch details on their phones as they fish.

Other data revealed by Irish shore and boat anglers — fishing along more than 3,000km of coastline — during 2022, reveals that:

• Counties Cork, Clare, Donegal, Kerry and Wexford were hotspots for marine angling;
• During 2022 anglers spent an average of 42 hours each, fishing by the/at sea;
• An average of just over 80 fish were caught by recreational fishermen/women annually;
• During a single trip anglers caught more than six fish;
• Catch and release rates were over 80%;
• Approximately six different species were caught per angler annually.

Flounder, poor cod, dab, ballan wrasse and smooth hound were also among the top 10 most-caught fish species brought ashore around Ireland’s coasts last year.

A survey of 1,200 sea anglers by IFI in 2021 showed that more than 90% of respondents said they primarily fished to relax and unwind, and be in the outdoors.

In addition, they reported spending an average of €100 per fishing trip on food and drink, transport and bait.

They paid a further €970 annually on items such as rods, reels and clothing, and on fishing and boating expenses.

Sea anglers of any experience are invited to sign up to the IFI IMREC app, and a explanatory how-to video guide to IMREC is also available.

Commenting on the 2022 figures, Dr Diarmuid Ryan, research officer with IFI said: “We are very keen for more anglers in this community to sign up to our anonymous, free and easy-to-use app.

“Recreational anglers can become citizen scientists by recording information from their own fishing sessions.

“The app provides invaluable intelligence, in the form of pooled and anonymised information, that feeds into a broader European project that monitors marine fish stocks.

“IFI recognises anglers as critical stakeholders that effectively act as environmental stewards in helping to maintain Ireland’s rich marine life resources.”

Hobby fishermen/women who use the online diary tool can easily log their trips; attach photos of their catches; record details such as tide, weather and bait used; and look back over previous sessions on their own interactive map.

The IMREC app is not available via Google Play or Apple App Store but is a web-based app that is accessed through a web browser.

Earlier this week, IFI revealed that a record percentage of wild salmon were placed back in the water after being hooked by fishermen/women in 2022, as reported on Afloat.ie.

A newly published report by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) reveals a record percentage of wild salmon were placed back in the water after being hooked by fishermen/women in 2022.

And IFI’s Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Statistics Report 2022 shows that five rivers in four counties accounted for more than half of all salmon caught in 2022.

Last year, anglers in Ireland released back 54 per cent of their wild salmon catch compared to 52 per cent in 2021 and 51 per cent in 2020.

The Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Statistics Report 2022 outlines the total number of fish caught by all methods (commercial and angling, including catch and release) was 26,715 salmon and 2,082 sea trout.

This is a reduction of 14 per cent on the total salmon catch recorded in 2021 (31,148) but an increase of 30pc of the total sea trout catch recorded that year (1,595).

The report highlights that 53 per cent of all salmon caught last year were taken on just five rivers across four counties: the River Moy in Co Mayo (18%), the River Blackwater (Lismore) in Co Cork (16.1%), the River Laune in Co Kerry (7.3%), the River Corrib in Co Galway (5.9%) and the Lower River Lee in Co Cork (5.4%).

In other notable statistics from the 2022 report, anglers from 42 different countries held salmon rod licences in Ireland in 2022.

Most of these licences were sold to residents of the Republic of Ireland (66.5%), followed by Northern Ireland (11%) and Great Britain (6.6%). Hundreds of anglers from France, Germany and the United States also bought salmon licences in 2022 during trips here.

Commercial fishers caught 15 per cent of the salmon catch in 2022, compared to 21 per cent in 2021 and recreational anglers caught 85 per cent in 2022 compared to 79 per cent in 2021.

A total of 17,318 salmon licences were bought by fishermen and women in 2022 — up some 11 per cent on the corresponding figure for 2021.

Barry Fox, head of operations at IFI said: “Catch-and-release of salmonids in Irelands rivers and lakes is becoming the norm.

“It is very encouraging to see the year-on-year increase in the catch-and-release of salmon. This method supports the angling community to sustainably fish, and conserves our salmon stocks.

“Wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout continue to face numerous risks, including climate change, water pollution and illegal fishing.

“I commend all our stakeholders who participate in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme, which limits the number of fish that can be retained, and helps ensure its continued success.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured a prosecution against Uisce Éireann for pollution of the River Liffey at a water treatment plant in Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare.

At a recent sitting of Naas District Court, Judge Desmond Zaidan convicted Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) of water pollution offences in the Liffey, which dated to June 2022.

The conviction was secured against Uisce Éireann on Monday 3 July under Section 171 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, for allowing deleterious matter to enter the River Liffey’s main channel upstream of Ballymore Eustace.

Uisce Éireann pleaded guilty to the charges and was fined €5,000, and ordered to pay an additional €5,500 in costs and expenses.

Commenting on the case, Brian Beckett, Eastern River Basin District Director at IFI said: “Point-source pollution events such as this are entirely avoidable through good on-site management, regular visual checks, and monitoring of discharge points.

“Effluent discharges can significantly impact fish populations and other aquatic life of receiving waters. River Liffey fish populations, comprising several fish species, are under significant ecological pressure.

“Despite this pressure, the River Liffey remains one of only a handful of European capital cities through which a self-sustaining population of Atlantic salmon migrate.

“Fines imposed in this case will be invested in water quality and habitat improvements in the River Liffey catchment.

“IFI is currently working on a number of initiatives in the River Liffey catchment with regulatory and non-regulatory stakeholders with a view to maximising the sustainability of all fish — including Atlantic salmon — and their habitat.”

Members of the public are encouraged to report instances of water pollution, illegal fishing or fish kills to IFI’s confidential number at 0818 34 74 24.