Non-traditional driftnets have decimated salmon stocks
“As a commercial salmon fisherman for the past 30 years,” he says. Let’s see what’s happened in that time.
The Irish salmon fishing industry existed in a state of equilibrium since useful records began around 1860, up to 1965. In that period, traditional driftnetsmen got about 15% of the catch, mostly from the estuaries stock were heading into.
The traditional in-estuary driftnets were getting approximately 60%. A large proportion of those harvesting the stock were multi-generation operators and a large proportion were working on a rate-paying property right, as were the upriver riparian owners.
Suddenly, hundreds of new driftnet licences were given out. With the advent of monofilament netting, these got out of control, being multiples of their original legal length. Not one report or any research was conducted into the consequences of these actions. Numerous reports and much research since have recommended this interceptory drift netting be stopped.
We thus had a massive swing offshore of the catch and to the west and northwest, where the returning fish first come near our coast.
The new Seamus de Burca-type sector was soon getting over 80% of the catch, up from 15%. After just a few years, the rapid demise of wild salmon took hold. The only reason this is now to be stopped is the proven scientific fact that non-traditional driftnets were taking stock from all over the place, including Britain, France and Spain - and thus the EU Commission got involved.
But it is closer to home in the traditional netting areas of the east and southeast that the robbery was worst felt. On the Suir, where I live, a once thriving resource is now almost destroyed.
Mr de Burca has had 30 years’ reward. Any compensation in this game should be shared with the people who were dispossessed.
A vibrant, tourist-based salmon angling sector is one thing we can do well in this country. But to do that, the stock has to be managed on a river system by river system basis.
Nicholas Grubb
Castle Grace
Clogheen
Co Tipperary
