Key salmon fishery set to reopen after stock levels improve
Draft net fishing of wild salmon, under licence, is set to reopen in the Castlemaine harbour area of Dingle Bay in late June.
The Kerry harbour is a special area of conservation.
The improvement in salmon stocks was noted on the Maine, one of the estuary’s main river tributaries.
Genetic data has also shown that most salmon entering the bay near Killorglin are from the Laune River, a healthy river draining from Killarney’s lakes.
The Laune — from where the brádán feasa or salmon of knowledge was taken according to local versions of the Fenian legends — never had to close to allow salmon stocks to recover.
Minister for Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte yesterday said he planned to approve the reopening of the harbour for commercial fishing, with a limit of 1,162 fish on the draft fishery.
A further 3,591 fish will be taken from the private commercial fisheries in the Laune and Caragh rivers.
However the re-opening will require a bylaw and there is to be a 30-day consultation period, dating from yesterday’s announcement.
Submissions are being invited and it is expected anglers will object.
Draft net men, who are also expected to make a submission, said they were hopeful fishing could resume but there was still some distance to go in “persuading anglers”.
For his part, Mr Rabbitte said his decision to re-open the harbour was based on scientific and fishery management advice from Inland Fisheries Ireland and from his own department.
A trial in the harbour last year had established that commercial salmon fishing could be done without impinging on stocks, he said.
“The consultation period will give those who disagree with that conclusion to put forward their views and I will pay close attention to what they say before reaching a final conclusion on the matter,” Mr Rabbitte said.
His announcement noted the pilot study conducted last year wanted to see if a commercial fishery could be operated on salmon stocks in a special area of conservation, “in a sustainable manner,”.
