Newsletter Number 29 – 30 January 2025

The newsletter opens with an overview of a recent Canadian federal court ruling on salmon aquaculture, which confirmed the right of governments to act decisively and precautionarily in defence of wild salmon, even where such decisions carry significant economic consequences. This case provides a timely and relevant international context for policy and regulatory decisions now facing Ireland. The article then turns to domestic matters, including the proposed Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging and Conservation Regulations, the scientific rationale for strengthened probability thresholds at Conservation Limit, the treatment of rivers assessed as having no exploitable surplus, and the implications of departing from established scientific and management advice. It also addresses the management of recreational exploitation, the protection of early-running fish, and Ireland’s obligations under EU conservation and Nature Restoration law. The intention of the newsletter is to contribute constructively to ongoing discussion by setting out the conservation, governance, and legal context in a clear and accessible way, while emphasising the need for evidence-led, precautionary decision-making in the face of continued stock decline. I hope you find it useful and informative, and I look forward to further engagement on these issues.    

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