Anglers soft target as nets scoop the catch

ANGLERS are now being informed by the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards that certain districts must exercise catch-and-release of all salmon caught in these areas from September 1 to 30. They say this is to conserve salmon stocks.

Is it not amazing that both drift and draught nets were allowed to take to 500,000 salmon out of the system up to the end of the net season with no thought for conservation?

Once again, the angler is the easy target. Great fishing was had once again this year by the north-west area anglers as their salmon came direct from their feeding grounds with very few drift nets to avoid.

To get to the Kerry and Cork rivers, the salmon have to try to pass every drift net on the west coast. The few that manage this feat then have to negotiate the licensed draught nets in the estuaries and rivers, as well as the poachers’ nets.

Figures for June and July last year gave the Moy system approximately 350 salmon per week and the Ballysadare river 100-plus per week. I would guess that all the Kerry rivers together would have been hard pushed to produce 50 salmon for this whole period.

In the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards’ information sheet just received by post, it states that Kerry anglers are allowed to take one salmon per day.

However, on the reverse side of the sheet it states that the river Feale comes within the catch-and-release area. Is not the river Feale in Kerry? Another Irish solution to an Irish problem.

David Moriarty

12 Cahill’s Park

Tralee

Co Kerry