‘Unreserved welcome’ for ban

ANTI-DRIFT NET campaign group Stop Now gave an enthusiastic endorsement yesterday to the independent report.

The group embraces anglers and tourism interests, lobbying for years for an end to salmon drift netting.

Campaign director Vincent Duigan, describing it as a huge opportunity for all sides, said his organisation gave it an “unreserved welcome.” He claimed that an end to drift netting would help restore — possibly up to 100,000 — salmon numbers in Irish rivers.

However, he warned that removing drift nets, alone, would not save the fish. Mr Duigan insisted anglers will also have to play their part as salmon stocks in Irish rivers remain on the verge of extinction.

“Anglers will have to take some pain over the next number of years but they are totally behind this recommendation because they realise that, if nothing is done, there will be no salmon anyway.”

The chairman of the Stop Now campaign, Niall Greene said: “The ending of drift netting is a significant milestone for all of those concerned about the future of Irish salmon.

“Anglers, tourism interests and conservationists have battled hard to convince the Government that its policy must change. We have been assisted in that campaign by the EU Commission which issued a final written warning to Ireland in June in relation to the Government’s management of salmon stocks.

“Ireland, despite all the difficulties that face the salmon in the future, now has an unparalleled opportunity to reverse the decline in stocks. It is important that we grasp it,” said Mr Greene.

Eamon Ryan, Green Party marine spokesman, also welcomed the report’s findings. “For many years we have argued that the use of drift nets at sea was threatening the survival of our precious wild salmon stocks. The fact that the commercial catch halved over the last five years shows the scale of the crisis we face,” the south Dublin TD said.

“We welcome the compensation system proposed in the report. An end of drift netting could actually help ensure a more long-term livelihood for commercial fishermen, who will still be able to operate in rivers and estuaries.

“Drift netting is not the sole reason why the numbers of salmon have declined but as long as it continued in operation, it would prove impossible to adopt the other conservation measures. The battle to save the salmon will require major investment in new water treatment and river management systems.”