Salmon worth more on a rod than in a net

NIALL GREENE (Irish Examiner, August 5) quite rightly points out that we are losing up to 200,000 salmon a year due to the netting of salmon off our shores in our estuaries.

Does Minister Ahern not realise the net loss to the economy of allowing this situation to continue. Of those 200,000 salmon taken at sea at an average of €25-€30 per salmon. The net fishermen in Ireland gain approximately €5m to €6m per annum.

However, with the economic value of a salmon alive in our rivers estimated to be in the region of €1,000 to €1,300 per fish, the opportunity being lost is actually in the region of €255,000,000. Serious money is at stake here and I believe that the minister for marine should reconsider this new directive to introduce catch-and-release.