Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan has made the following order and bye-laws as of Thursday 11 April:

1. Control of Fishing for Salmon (Amendment) Order S.I. No. 81 of 2024

This order authorises the issue of commercial fishing licences by Inland Fisheries Ireland and sets out the criteria under which those licences may be issued and prescribes the maximum number of commercial licences which may be issued.

2. Galway District Conservation of Trout in the Rivers Clare, Abbert, Dalgan, Grange, and Sinking Bye-Law No. 1008, 2024

This bye-law provides for the following trout conservation measures in the rivers specified in the bye-law:

• Provides for a daily bag limit of 2 trout in the specified rivers of which not more than 1 trout is greater than 10 lbs (4.54 kgs)
• Prohibits the taking or having in possession of trout less than 13 inches (33 cm)
• Prohibits the use of more than 1 rod or 4 artificial flies when fly fishing
• Prohibits the use of more than 1 rod when dapping
• Prohibits the use of more than 2 rods or 4 artificial flies per rod when trolling
• Prohibits the use of more than 2 rods when bait fishing or spinning
• Prohibits the having on board a boat more than 3 rods when more than 1 person
• is bait fishing, spinning or trolling

3. No. 5 or Cork Fisheries District, Lower River Lee, (Sea Trout and Brown Trout) Angling Bye-Law No. 1009, 2024

This bye-law extends the annual close season for angling for sea trout and for brown trout from 14 October to 1 October each year in the waters of the river Lee and its tributaries downstream of the hydro-electric dam at Inniscarra.

The close season for angling for sea trout in said waters will commence on 1 October each year and end on 31 January in the following year, both dates inclusive and the close season for angling for brown trout in said waters will commence on 1 October each year and end on 14 February in the following year, both dates inclusive.

4. Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout (Draft Nets and Snap Nets) Bye-law No. 1010, 2024

This bye-law sets out the opening and closing dates (and hours) for the draft net and snap net salmon and sea trout commercial fishing season in 2024 and prohibits draft net and snap net fishing for salmon and sea trout in all fishery districts except those mentioned in the schedule to the bye-law.

5. Conservation of Eel Fishing Bye-Law No. C.S. 335, 2024

This bye-law prohibits the taking, or attempting to take, fishing for or attempting to fish for, aiding or assisting the taking of or fishing for eel in any fishery district in the State. It also prohibits being in possession of, selling or offering for sale or reward, or purchasing eel caught or taken by any means in any fishery district in the State.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has opened the second draw for anglers wishing to catch and keep salmon from Kerry’s Roughty River, following the first draw last month.

‘Brown tag’ regulations came into force on the river from 15 March and will remain in place until the last day of September, when the salmon fishing season ends.

A total of 96 brown tags will be available and are being distributed to anglers with a rod licence via four draws through the 2024 angling season.

Up to a quarter of the available number of brown tags can be issued at one time. Therefore, 24 brown tags will be selected through the first online lottery on Wednesday 17 April.

The measures are part of the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2023, recently signed into law by Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan.

Interested anglers can apply for the first draw until Sunday 14 April. Full application details are available by phoning IFI’s Macroom office at 026 41221 or by emailing [email protected].

Successful anglers who receive the tags via the lottery system must place them on the fish along with a blue tag as proof it was lawfully caught and may be retained for private use.

Anglers not allocated a brown tag are permitted to fish for salmon on a catch-and-release basis on the Roughty River, where the salmon is returned safely to the same waterbody, using single or double barbless hooks only. Use of worms as bait is not permitted.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured convictions against three men in two separate cases of illegal angling on Lough Sheelin.

Jason Bennett of Blue Ball, Co Offaly and Thomas McCarthy of Tullamore, Co Offaly were prosecuted for trolling — where a fishing line is drawn through the water behind a boat — outside of the permitted season.

Separately, Marius Sarauskas of Navan, Co Meath was prosecuted for obstructing IFI officers while they were attempting to issue him with a fixed-charge penalty notice (FCPN), or fine, of €150 for illegal trolling on Lough Sheelin.

Lough Sheelin, bordering counties Cavan, Meath, and Westmeath, attracts anglers nationwide and internationally and is a famed wild brown trout lake.

It is illegal to troll on Lough Sheelin between 1 March and 16 June, a ban introduced to help conserve fish stocks.

Mullingar District Court heard how Bennett and McCarthy were offered the opportunity to pay a fine of €150 — issued in lieu of court proceedings — for the alleged offences at Clareisland, Co Westmeath but did not do so.

Both men failed to have a midland permit required to fish on Lough Sheelin at the time of the incident on 3 June 2023.

A fine €500 was imposed on both defendants, with costs of €1,053 also charged to each man, in court on 26 January this year.

A third conviction was secured at Cavan District Court on 2 February where Marius Sarauskas was convicted of obstructing fishery officers at Kilnahard, Co Cavan.

IFI officers were attempting to issue him with a fine for illegal trolling on Lough Sheelin on 13 May 2023.

Sarauskas was fined €400 and must also pay €1,642 toward the costs of the case.

David McInerney, Shannon River Basin District director at IFI said: “These cases highlight the seriousness of failing to comply with angling regulations, and of obstructing fishery officers while doing their work.

“It also serves as a reminder that fixed-charged penalty notices are issued in lieu of court proceedings, and failure to pay these fines can result in court convictions.

“Angling rules must be obeyed to support the management and protection of the unique Lough Sheelin fishery. In general, compliance among anglers in Lough Sheelin is high.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured convictions against two men for illegal netting, with fines and costs reaching €8,000.

Valiulis Dalius and Bloslanas Dzapbarovas, both of Kilnamanagh in Dublin 24, were prosecuted for using a net to capture fish in freshwater river/lakes and for keeping up a continued net stretched across any river.

The incident happened on the Grand Canal near Monasterevin, in the townland of Killinure, Co Laois on 27 May 2023.

This case was finalised at Portlaoise District Court on 16 February. The offences were in contravention of Section 95(1) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, and Section 91(1)(d) of the same Act, as amended by Section 77 of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010.

Both men were fined €3,000 each, and had to pay €1,000 in legal costs each.

Commenting after the court verdict, Lynda Connor, South Eastern River Basin District director at IFI said: “The protection of our freshwater fish species is extremely important in an era when there are numerous pressures impacting Ireland’s environment.

“I commend our local IFI protection officers for their unwavering commitment in protecting our fisheries resource.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has opened the second draw for anglers wishing to catch and keep salmon from Cork’s Lower River Lee in 2024.

‘Brown tag’ regulations came into force on the river from 1 February and will remain in place until 30 September, when the salmon fishing season ends.

A total of 218 brown tags will be available, and will be distributed to anglers with a rod licence via four draws through the 2024 angling season.

Up to a quarter of the available number of brown tags can be issued at one time. The first draw was held at the end of January, and a second issue of 55 brown tags will be selected through the online lottery on Thursday 4 April.

These measures are part of the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2023, recently signed into law by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan.

Anglers interested in entering the April draw can apply via the IFI website until midnight on Sunday 31 March.

Successful anglers who receive the tags via the lottery system must place them on the fish along with a blue tag as proof it was lawfully caught and may be retained for private use.

Anglers not allocated a brown tag are 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.

Anglers must use catch-and-release methods only, involving single or double barbless hooks. Use of worms as bait is not permitted.

Full application details are available through the above link, by phoning IFI’s Macroom office on (026) 41221 or by email to [email protected].

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured a prosecution against Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) after 40,000 litres of chemical leaked into a stream, killing 100 fish.

The incident happened on 11 June 2022 at the Whelan’s Bridge Stream, a tributary of the River Suir in Co Waterford, and caused the death of 100 fish including salmon, trout, lamprey and eels.

Uisce Éireann was found to have committed water pollution breaches at the Adamstown Water Treatment Plant at Kilmeadan, Co Waterford and must now pay more than €7,100 in connection with the incident.

Evidence was given by IFI Fisheries Environmental Officer Oliver McGrath who outlined the facts to the court.

Approximately 40,000 litres of aluminium sulphate — a chemical toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates — discharged into the stream from storage tanks on the plant site.

The defendants were found to have permitted or caused deleterious matter to enter into the waters of the Whelan’s Bridge Stream, contrary to Section 171 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959.

Waterford District Court imposed a fine of €4,000 on Uisce Éireann, and it was also ordered to pay costs of €3114.60, when the case was finalised last week on Monday 26 February.

Commenting after the verdict, Lynda Connor, South Eastern River Basin District director at IFI said: “This outcome highlights IFI’s continued and determined efforts to protect and conserve Ireland's inland fisheries resource.

“Fish kills, such as these, are serious and damaging ecological events. It is critical that Uisce Éireann ensures that adequate systems and processes are in place to prevent any such incident recurring.”

A separate IFI investigation resulted in Uisce Éireann being fined €10,000 in relation to the death of 2,000 fish in Co Clare in May 2023, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has prosecuted a forestry owner who must now pay €10,000 for damage caused to a fish spawning habitat.

Michael McHugh of Kilbride, Clonee, Co Meath was prosecuted for allowing large volumes of silt to wash into the Cornavannogue River at Glenfarne, Co Leitrim.

Clearfelling and replanting had taken place on a site bordering the Cornavannogue River owned by McHugh.

Insufficient mitigation measures were in place to control silt run-off at the 13.5-hectare forestry site, which led to the water being contaminated.

Following reports of a pollution event, IFI staff found sediment-laden water entering the Cornavannogue River from the nearby forestry site.

IFI senior environmental officer Ailish Keane visited the location on 9 January 2023 and observed significant quantities of silt going into the water.

The case in relation to the incident was heard at Manorhamilton District Court on Wednesday 14 February.

McHugh was given the benefit of the Probation Act and must give a voluntary contribution of €5,750 to Glenfarne Community Development Trust, along with costs of €4,250 for IFI.

Glenfarne Community Development Trust provides services and initiatives for the local Glenfarne community in Leitrim, and the money will be used to enhance and further develop the playground near the impacted river.

The funds will also cover the costs of information signs to promote environmental awareness of the area, detailing local flora, fauna and biodiversity by the Cornavannogue River catchment.

Dr Milton Matthews, director of IFI’s North Western River Basin District said: “This pollution incident at a tributary of the River Erne was entirely avoidable. It represented a total disregard of best practice guidelines for forestry management.

“These guidelines are required for appropriate management of clearfelling and replanting of forestry sites located adjacent to a river, or other watercourse.

“IFI is committed to ensuring that appropriate forestry practices are fully adhered to, to protect and preserve Ireland’s fish stocks and aquatic habitats for future generations.”

The scale of poaching in some Irish rivers is so great that anglers are being driven away from the sport, the Seanad has heard.

Senator Garret Ahearn raised concerns from the angling community amid a decline in the rate of prosecutions for fisheries offences in the latest figures from Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).

And as the Irish Independent reports, he argued that action must be taken to protect both valuable stocks of salmon and sea trout, and the anglers and clubs who fish for them.

“Many people are poaching fish from [the River Suir] and essentially getting away with it,” Senator Ahearn said. “The fishermen who fish in it every week, who catch and release, feel like they have to manage the river themselves.”

The senator added that there is a feeling among anglers that protection “is not happening to the extent it should” — though IFI insists it is working to protect national fish stocks and support the angling sector.

The Irish Independent has more on the story HERE.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured a conviction against Sligo County Council for damage caused to a tributary of a river linked to a Special Area of Conservation.

The incident happened at Carraun in Corballa, Co Sligo on a stream which flows into the Killala Bay/Moy Estuary Special Area of Conservation.

It involved machinery, commissioned by the council, driving through a river bed while carrying out road improvement works nearby.

The machinery crossed the stream a number of times, despite previous instructions from IFI to use an alternative route.

Sligo County Council was fined €250, must pay costs of €1,845 and has to pay €500 to IFI in respect of the expense of assessing restorative works.

Mary Walsh, director of IFI’s Western River Basin District, Ballina, said: “This work was overseen by the council, a large public body, and the habitat damage caused by machinery traversing the stream should never have taken place.

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

Prior to the commencement of proposed council works, consultation took place between an IFI senior environmental officer and a representative from Sligo County Council during which IFI clearly outlined the sensitivity of the watercourse on the site, and of the pollution mitigation measures required.

Despite this, damage was done to the river bed and the banks of a tributary stream of the Newtown River in April 2023.

The case was heard at Sligo District Court on Tuesday 6 February.

Walsh added: “Public bodies, contractors and landowners need to seek all necessary and relevant information from Inland Fisheries Ireland before carrying out any works near, or on, a watercourse.

“IFI 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 from Teagasc on minding Ireland’s watercourses.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has welcomed the outcome of its prosecution of Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) for chemical discharges to the Ballymacraven River in Ennistymon, Co Clare in May 2023.

At Ennis District Court on Friday 16 February, Uisce Éireann was fined €10,000 and must pay €8,477 in costs in connection with the case.

The incident last summer caused the death of an estimated 2,000 fish.

Deceased species included a large number of eel, along with salmon, trout, rudd and flounder, of all ages.

IFI’s in-depth investigations led to the instigation of legal proceedings against Uisce Éireann, with court procedures concluding on 16 February.

Uisce Éireann accepted liability for discharge of deleterious matter from the Ennistymon Water Treatment Plant on two separate dates in May 2023.

Commenting on the verdict, David McInerney, director of IFI’s Shannon River Basin District said: “The impact of the discharges from Uisce Éireann’s water treatment plant resulted in a very significant fish kill over 2.6km of the river.

“It created a devastating impact on an ecosystem that supports vulnerable salmon and eel stocks. The court was told the incident was an ‘ecological tragedy’.

“It is critical that Uisce Éireann ensures that adequate systems and processes are in place to prevent any such event recurring. We welcome the improvements made to date, and future improvements to be made at this plant.”

IFI reminds the public they can report instances of fish kills, pollution, fish in distress, habitat destruction or illegal fishing by calling its confidential 24/7 number at 0818 34 74 24.