Anglers blame drift netting for river’s salmon slump

THE number of salmon caught on one of the finest river beats in the county has decreased alarmingly in the past five years, and the blame is being laid squarely on drift net fishermen.

Figures released yesterday by the Fort William Fishery, on the River Blackwater near Fermoy, County Cork, also show a major increase in the number of damaged fish being caught due to coming into contact with commercial nets.

Patrick Devennie, fishery manager on the Fort William estate, said tourist anglers attracted to the 3.5-mile beat dropped last June by 60% and 67% in July. Catches of salmon are, however, healthy in August and September - when the drift netting season is over. But they are also dependent on adequate rainfall to allow salmon to move upstream.

The decline in road-caught salmon at Fort William is particularly marked in June. In 1999 a total of 102 salmon were caught during that month, but in the corresponding month last year the figure had dropped to 14.

In July the figure dropped from 69 in 1999 to 34 in 2005.

However, in August, when drift netting is supposed to cease, catches have topped the 270 mark.

The summer decline was described by Mr Devennie as “a worrying situation.” The number of rod days has decreased from 872 in 2000 to 536 in 2005.

Further proof of damage caused by drift-netting has been correlated from catches on the beat.

Mr Devennie said in 1999 that 32% of fish sampled had marks consistent with net damage. That figure rose to 73% last year.

“As a result of the continued highlighting of our Government’s stance, and ignorance on the Irish drift net situation, increasing numbers of European anglers are boycotting Ireland.

“Sadly, there is a feeling amongst visiting fishermen that why should they support the Irish government as a tourist angler, when commercial salmon drift netting seems to have priority?” Mr Devennie said.

He added that anglers cannot comprehend how the Government continues to ignore scientific advice, EU warnings, illegal fishing, the downturn in the salmon angling tourist trade and a “total mismanagement” of a of the national heritage.

Meanwhile, the North Atlantic Salmon Fund has disputed claims by the Irish government that there is no evidence to suggest Irish drift nets are intercepting salmon that would otherwise return to European rivers.

In a statement the group said just about every salmon interest group in Europe has expressed dissatisfaction with Irish salmon policy.

Conservationist Orri Vigfusson has accused the Government of a failure to protect Irish and European wild salmon stocks.

* The salmon angling season in the South West Region opens tomorrow.