ESB must shut River Lee fish pass to save salmon

In 1951, 14,000 salmon were caught on the River Lee between the draught nets and rods. In 1957, the inniscarra Hydro Scheme opened to generate electricity. In 1961, 141 salmon were caught.

The Lee salmon had been wiped out. The ESB were forced to open the Carrigadrohid Hatchery.

The agreement was they would put 250,000 smolts into the river every year to try to replace the salmon. In the past number of years the ESB has reneged on this agreement and the number of smolts being put in is as low as 40,000.