Europe to warn Ireland over salmon drift netting

THE European Commission has decided to issue a letter of formal notice to the Irish Government about the effects of drift netting on the conservation status of salmon.

This is the first step in an infringement procedure against Ireland over its failure to meet its obligations in respect of salmon, which enjoy a special status in certain designated Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive.

The notice, which has not yet been published by the Commission, holds that Ireland has failed to meet the requirements in the setting of quotas for the catching of salmon and that the scale of drift netting puts in jeopardy the favourable conservation status of salmon.

The action follows on from complaints made by lobbyists calling themselves Stop Salmon Drift Nets Now.

Commenting on the development, a spokesperson for the lobby group, Niall Greene said: “Although this is only the start of a long and complex legal process between the European Commission and Ireland, the issuing of a formal notice by the Commission is very good news indeed.”