Greens launch salmon campaign

WILD salmon could face extinction from Irish rivers if new commercial fishing quotas are approved by the Government, it was claimed yesterday.

Launching its Help Save Our Salmon campaign on Dublin’s Liffey, the Green Party urged Marine Minister Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher to consider reducing this year’s wild salmon commercial catch from 139,900 to 97,000 fish.

The Greens have launched a nationwide postcard campaign and travelling roadshow to oppose the draft regulations for the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (2005).

“The wild Atlantic salmon is under threat of extinction for many reasons like climate change, pollution and predators,” said the party’s marine spokesman Eamon Ryan. “But the greatest threat comes from that other predator species, the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrat politician.”

The public is being asked to send the postcards to the minister as part of the public consultation process which closes on April 13.

The Greens have also planned a roadshow of 17 meetings with local anglers around the country in the next fortnight.

Mr Ryan claimed that allowing an extra 42,000 fish to be caught could push salmon into extinction on some rivers.

“Only some 900 salmon came back to the Liffey last year, which is less than a fifth of the numbers needed for the river to be properly restocked.

“Many of these precious fish will be caught on nets off the Cork and Kerry coast as they turn for home. We see no problem with the local netting of fish where one knows that stocks of the local river can take it, but it makes no sense to continue the indiscriminate drift-netting of salmon at sea where it is impossible to know what river the fish are destined for,” said Mr Ryan.

The department yesterday said that the consultation process was still open, and added that the minister would consider all submissions received on what the final quota should be.