Drift netting - Enforcement of salmon quota needed

Two elements from an independent group’s recommendations could, if implemented realistically, influence greatly the preservation of wild salmon in Irish waters.

Financial hardship for the commercial fishing sector must be addressed properly, and rehabilitative steps to preserve the species must be effectively policed.

Reassuringly, Marine Minister John Browne announced yesterday that recommendations from the National Salmon Commission had been adopted, and that an independent group would be appointed to examine the implications of the new regulations for the commercial sector from next year onwards.