• Request for Atlantic salmon conservation initiatives in month of September

    Posted by John Murphy on August 18, 2023

      Salmon Watch Ireland is asking the angling community to help preserve Atlantic salmon stocks by returning all salmon during the month of September. The background to this request is that the Atlantic salmon has faced a devastating downward spiral over the last number of decades but the past number of years have demonstrated an accelerated decline. While Salmon Watch Ireland has consistently supported the scientific process involved in managing Ireland's salmon stocks on an individual catchment basis, it is time to consider whether exploitation can continue in September this year, given the perilously poor catches experienced in Ireland and indeed throughout UK and further afield. While forecasting returns of salmon can be difficult there must always be scope to manage stocks on a real time basis and accordingly we will be suggesting major changes to the present way harvesting of salmon is managed. The advice for 2023 from the Technical Expert Group on Salmon in regard to rivers where surpluses were forecast, appears not to have materialised, and thus we as a conservation body are strongly advising the angling community to think of the next generations of salmon and return fish on a voluntary basis during September. These fish in September are more readily caught by rod and line as they exhibit heightened aggression so releasing fish is your way of demonstrating that you are playing your part in support of wild salmon. While we cannot influence individual attitudes it is hoped that such an initiative may help to get more salmon spawning this coming winter. The following graphs are taken from TEGOS advice and illustrate that 2022 was the lowest count of grilse on record which will almost certainly be much lower in 2023. The spring was exceptionally poor in 2023 which demonstrates an apparent link to survival at sea during the salmon's first year at sea.


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  • AGM Remarks by Chair John Murphy

    Posted by John Murphy on July 3, 2023

    Remarks by John Murphy,  chair of the board of Salmon Watch Ireland CLG, to the company’s annual general meeting on Monday 19th June 2023.   Welcome to Salmon Watch Ireland’s AGM for 2022 being conducted by Zoom. This meeting is primarily held to conform with our obligations under the Companies Act. 2022 was a year primarily dominated by our impending Judicial Review on the decision to award an aquaculture licence to MOWI in Bantry Bay. Having taken the decision to enter into this legal process it was necessary to devote a considerable amount of time to research our main avenues of approach to the legal process. I would like to thank all our directors and indeed our members and supporters who helped to prepare and support us both financially and with advice which enabled us to pursue this case. The Judicial Review took place over four weeks in April /May 2023,  and we expect an outcome in the near future. The 2022 salmon run in Ireland was extremely poor with regard to grilse, but spring salmon runs appeared to be on an upward turn although from a low stock level. The low level of grilse last year did  manifest as a very poor reported spring salmon stock this year with anecdotal evidence suggesting a collapse in the majority of fisheries both here and the United Kingdom. Generally speaking, this may be related to the abnormally low river levels which greeted the adult stocks here and UK in 2018. This was also mentioned by the ICES working group on North Atlantic salmon and seems to be a recurring theme with the summer of 2022 experiencing very low water levels. Again, there is no need to mention this year as the trend continues. On a more positive note, the early spring this year did favour a more positive environment for smolt migration. These fish are the progeny of the 2020 run of adults which showed a very welcome upturn in stocks. The IFI fish counter data is indicative of an increased run of spring fish in 2022 but a large decline in grilse stocks and is probably at an all-time low when looked at over an extended period. It is evident that climate is causing a very poor environment for Atlantic salmon and these periods of low flow in conjunction with high water temperatures cause a cascade of effects with predation and biological factors having a significant negative effect on juvenile and adult survival. In conjunction with the pressures at sea it is evident that the future is far from secure. While most of these factors may be out of our control, we must continue to endeavour to maximise the amount of wild healthy smolts going to sea. It is interesting to note that a recent study in the UK noted that larger smolts survived to return at three times the rate of smaller smolts. Again, with a warming climate, can we expect larger wild smolts, I would suggest not. The publication of the state of Irish waters by the EPA for 2022 notes little improvement in regard to nitrate levels in Irelands rivers and lakes and is a major concern for salmon survival. It is evident that the farming community are engaged in a political agenda with little concern for climate or indeed the wider environment. Unfortunately, the vote on the recent legislative change at EU level in regard to protecting degraded land was postponed for one month which is disappointing but demonstrates that there is a considerable opposition to protecting nature which is all too evident within this country. With changing weather patterns, we are seeing a very substantial reduction in rainfall during critical periods for salmonid migration which only exacerbates an already precarious situation.   In early 2022 we sought through FOI correspondence between Minister Eamon Ryan and Minister Charlie Mc Conalogue regarding sea lice and their impact on wild salmonids. This was further illuminated by the Irish Times in August and a special segment on Prime Time followed in October. It is very significant in that a government department was willing to take on DAFM regarding their rather benign interpretation of the impact that salmon farming has on wild salmonid stocks. IFI were very robust on the Prime-Time program which is a welcome departure from previous pronouncements on the subject. This was further demonstrated with their participation in the Judicial Review. There appears to be a more proactive approach from IFI and there is further evidence that they are ramping up pressure with the recent job advertisement looking for a project manager to investigate nationwide introgression from farm escapees. These developments may have a bearing on future JR procedures. Mark Boyden from the Coomhola Salmon Trust was the recipient of our Salmon Hero Award in 2022. Mark has been at the forefront of educating Irelands school children on salmon matters for the best part of 30 years. He was most appreciative of our efforts to conserve Atlantic salmon. We did not hold a conference in 2022 but hope to hold one in 2023. Our focus has somewhat been overwhelmed by the judicial review process but we would hope to concentrate more on other issues going forward. The issue of commercial exploitation of salmon is causing a serious amount of controversy and our policy to effectively finish this practice must be revitalised. It is not an attempt to change the location where salmon are harvested as we also would like to limit exploitation by recreational anglers. The ability to harvest ten salmon by anglers is certainly not sustainable from a moral point of view and should be reduced significantly. It would be our intention to seek a redesign of the management of our salmon stocks with a review of conservation limits and surplus determination. It may be time now to increase the statistical probability of 75% of reaching a conservation limit to a higher number thus taking a more precautionary approach in these volatile times for salmon survival. On the aquaculture front we will continue to oppose open cage farming and intend to design a template for publication which will allow all to oppose licences in a concerted, legal and scientific manner. With stocks in such a precarious situation it may be time to examine rebuilding strategies. It is obvious that certain rivers have radically insufficient stocks to repopulate rivers. In these rivers we must use the best available strategies to rebuild stocks ENDS:


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  • Ballinakill Salmon Farm- Submission

    Posted by John Murphy on December 18, 2021

    Application for licence for an open cage salmon farm at Ballinakill Bay, Co Galway   Dear Minister, The documentation submitted by Comhlucht Iascaireachta Fanad Teoranta, (CIFT), trading as MOWI Ireland, seeking a licence for an open cage salmon farm to be sited in Ballinakill Bay, County Galway, falls far short of what is required pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive. Nor can there be reliance on Article 6 (4) thereof, as there are no stated ‘imperative reasons of overriding public interest’, (IROPI), which could justify locating a salmon farm at this sensitive location. The proposed site is within close proximity to the Dawros river mouth. This river forms part of the ‘Twelve Pins Garraun Complex,’ Special Area of Conservation, (Site Code 002031). In this river Wild Atlantic Salmon are a ‘Qualifying Interest.’   Juvenile salmonids, which are already susceptible to mortality from parasitic sea lice from the existing salmon farm in Ballinakill Bay, would be also subject to the cumulative impact of the additional sea lice loading from the proposed MOWI/Marine Harvest salmon farm. No appropriate assessment has ever been conducted in relation to the adverse impact of the existing salmon farm, which is there already. It is suggested that Appropriate Assessment must be conducted on the cumulative effect of both salmon farms before any decision may be reached. Read More - Full Submission


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  • Management of Tagging System – Submission

    Posted by John Murphy on December 15, 2021

    The submission from Salmon Watch Ireland in regard to the management of the Salmon and Sea Trout tagging system seeks to offer more protection to spring salmon. To this end SWIRL have suggested some targeted solutions which will effectively conserve salmon. It is essential that commercial salmon fisheries do not exploit spring salmon and that recreational anglers reduce exploitation on these ecological valuable fish.  A general tightening of the tagging system is warranted and we have suggested a number of administrative changes to help and streamline the system. It is imperative that we move to a real time online system to guage how stocks are performing.  The issue of recreational and commercial exploitation must reflect on how the magnitude of the surplus is related to the conservation limit. It is imperative that the traceability of wild commercially caught salmon is improved to tighten quota compliance. Our policy would also support a moratorium on commercial exploitation especially on rivers with a relatively low surplus. In the longer term with continued fluctuation in survival indices it may be pertinent to examine the issue of commercial exploitation and indeed recreational exploitation with a view to reducing exploitation. There would appear to be a very limited scope going forward to allow the continuation of a commercial fishery and Salmon Watch Ireland is supportive of a scheme to alleviate losses to the commercial sector. Read the full submission here


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  • The Status of Irish Salmon Stocks in 2020 with Catch Advice for 2021

    Posted by John Murphy on January 29, 2021

    Salmon Watch Ireland would like draw your attention to the recently published document from the Technical Expert Group on Salmon. We will answer any questions that you may have or request clarification from TEGOS on aspects that you are concerned with. The links to the reports are listed here: Catch Advice 2021 River Specific Advice The Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS) advises that in 2021:  48 rivers have an advised harvestable surplus as they are exceeding their conservation limits (CLs).  A further 32 rivers, may be opened on a catch and release only basis, subject to IFI management criteria based on having a high probability of achieving 50% of their conservation limit (CL) or exceeding the management qualifying fry threshold of ≥15 fry (0+) per 5 minute electrofishing (multiple site catchment average).  In addition 64 rivers are (a) failing to meet 50% of their CL or (b) recent data to determine their CL attainment status are lacking. Where there is a lack of data, or where catchment-wide electro-fishing surveys indicate juvenile abundance below the fry threshold, the TEGOS assumes that these rivers are failing to meet CL. There are 16 rivers for which there are significant fisheries on the MSW (spring salmon) component of the stock and a separate assessment is made. Of these:  11 have an advised harvestable surplus as they are exceeding their CL.  5 rivers may be opened on a catch and release-only basis subject to IFI management criteria as they have a high probability of achieving 50% of their CL or exceed the minimum mean fry threshold (≥15 fry) in catchment-wide electro-fishing. There are currently 40 rivers or river tributaries of the 144 salmon rivers assessed in Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) where salmon have a qualifying interest under the EU Habitats Directive. Of these, only 20 are above their CL.


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