Drift net fishing - Move to save salmon stocks long overdue

The recommendation from the Oireachtas joint committee on Marine and Natural Resources, that the country’s 1,500 drift net fishermen be encouraged to abandon fishing permanently, is a practical, if overdue, measure aimed at conserving salmon stocks.

It is intended to achieve this through a voluntary compensation scheme, in tandem with the long-term objective to put single stock management system of salmon fishing in the sea, river and streams under the aegis of a central control. The Joint Oireachtas Committee has issued these recommendations after a detailed study of the crisis facing salmon stocks in Ireland, which has been a major concern for too long.

It is a concern of the national economy that drift net salmon be abandoned, and if that can be achieved through an equitable compensation scheme, it will be in the interest of all concerned. While no potential cost has been referred to, the compensation has to be adequate for the loss of earnings involved, but should not equate with a get-rich-quick scheme.