Salmon on the brink of extinction
This is over 42,000 more than the quota suggested by his scientists in the department.
It defies logic why the minister raised the quota while his own scientific advice suggested that only three rivers out of 200 have enough fish returning to spawn to sustain existing levels.
There is widespread anger among the country’s 75,000 anglers. As we are the only country in the EU drift netting for salmon, it will be only a matter of time before our salmon are totally extinct.
The loss to our economy is enormous with tourism sources saying that tourist angling has collapsed.
It is conservatively estimated that we will have fewer than 30,000 anglers in 2005 compared to a high of 184,000 in 1994. Spring salmon fishing has now all but collapsed throughout the country.
Ireland’s reputation abroad has also been damaged by this decision. Information given to the recent joint Oireachtas committee on salmon angling and netting revealed that up to six submissions are now before the EU commission requesting the EU to declare the North Atlantic salmon a protected species.
The Oireachtas committee hearing also revealed that not alone are we decimating salmon stocks around our own coast, but that the nets are also intercepting up to 10% of fish returning to British rivers to spawn.
This new scientific data, provided by a British-based marine scientist and fisheries’ owners, is alarming.
It is imperative that drift and draft netting for salmon be stopped and that compensation be paid to the netsmen.
Other EU countries have initiated buyout schemes, so why cant we? It may yet take an EU directive to compel our Government to take action. Unfortunately, it may be too late for the North Atlantic salmon. If ever we need an example of state ruination of a national resource, it is salmon angling.
Teddy Foley
Clahane
Ballyard
Tralee
Co Kerry
