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Newsletter Number 13 – 20 May 2025
This newsletter discusses the unique relationship between salmon and pearl mussel. It is in everyone's interest to know the link between these species and how we must keep habitat and water quality in a condition that supports vibrant stocks of both species. We also highlight the recent high temperatures and their potential effect on juvenile salmon. We have also provided a link to the Danish River Skyern and note that a declining trend in catches similar to UK and Ireland appears to be taking place.
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Newsletter Issue Number 12 – 11 May 2025
This newsletter deals with two issues which are of concern to all who support salmon conservation in Ireland. The first topic discusses the recent report from Inland Fisheries Ireland relating to the GeneFlow project which seeks to record the extent of introgression by farmed salmon into Ireland's rivers. The second issue discusses and focusses on the disasterous MSW salmon run in 2025 which follows another poor year in 2024. We are asking that all stakeholders adopt a reasonable approach to safe guard the resource. While the commercial sector is opening on 12th May and is quota restricted, it may be time to restrict fishing periods for these fisheries. We contend that commercial fisheries are not consistent with a proper management of the salmon resource and should be discontinued going forward. We are asking all the angling community to think before exploiting salmon above 65cm and to restrict their harvest.
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Newsletter Number 11 -Salmon Farm – Concerns
Salmon Watch Ireland Newsletter Deenish Island Aquaculture Update Urgent Concerns Raised by Salmon Watch Ireland Licence Breach: Introduction of Pre-Adult Salmon The recent transfer of fish to the Deenish Island site appears to breach key conditions of the extant aquaculture licence (AQ199). The licence strictly permits the introduction of smolts only—juvenile salmon—up to a cap of 400,000. The recent stocking of 406,450 pre-adult salmon, each averaging 2.155 kg, appears to represent a clear breach of this stipulation. This information was provided on foot of a request for AIE (Access to Environmental Information) to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
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Latest Update – Issue number 10 – 16 April 2025
This update concerns an update on Straffan Weir and an examination of a refusal to grant information pertaining to mortality figures, stocking rates etc. We have just been informed that our appeal has not been upheld and we will have to appeal to the information commissioner. We fully intend to do this. We certainly feel that the process of public consultation has been effectively usurped by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This will certainly be challenged in court if the need arises and certainly would suggest that the public is being effectively blinded to full factual information concerning these public licenses.
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Straffan Weir – Newsletter
In this week's issue we discuss an ongoing hydro scheme issue at Straffan Weir on the River Liffey. The hydro scheme has been resurrected after a considerable period of time. The turbine has been replaced and the scheme is to provide power to the nearby K Club. Our concerns relate to salmonid and other fish species migration and the question must be asked if these types of projects should be permitted considering the Nature Restoration Legislation, Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive which champion river connectivity and biodiversity.
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Update 18 March 2025
Waterville Fishery: A look back at research in the period 1980 - 1986 It is calamitous that the fishery now has few sea trout and to repeat this research may not be possible today. Certainly, a situation which can be rescued but only with your help.
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Newsletter Update 10 March
A summary of the 2024 salmon fishery in Greenland and a look at the scientific report of the sampling program in 2022 (Latest). It is obvious that the proportion of European fish is certainly in decline and is reflected in very poor spring salmon returns to Ireland over recent years. It will be interesting to note this year’s spring fishery in Ireland and UK to see if the low catch in Greenland is reflective of a continued decline in both countries.
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Newsletter 28 February 25 Salmon Watch Ireland
This newsletter deals with Section 19A (4) of the 1997 Fisheries Act which is to be deleted from Irish Legislation. Please click on image below
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Update 21 February 25 – Salmon Monitoring Report
The report was published recently by Inland Fisheries Ireland and is a comprehensive analysis of the program carried out in 2023. This program is concerned with catchment wide electro fishing, estimation of smolt to adult return survival rates and a study of life cycle characteristics in several catchments. The report is extensive and complex and is strongly indicative of trends evident in salmon populations countrywide.
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Collapse of Salmon Stocks – An examination of illegal and unregulated fisheries
The focus of this update is to inform you of the recent addition of a scientific paper examining the many impacts on salmon with a particular emphasis on unregulated illegal fisheries at sea. Please click on document below.
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