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Joint Oireachtas Committee – Salmon Conservation – Newsletter Number 37
Across all submissions to the Committee, one message is clear: Atlantic salmon are in crisis. Despite some gaps in the data, the overall trend is unmistakable—stocks are in sustained decline. Now is the time to act decisively to halt and reverse that decline. In this newsletter, we outline the key evidence presented, reflect on the discussion at Committee level, and set out why current pressures on salmon—both in freshwater and at sea—require a far more precautionary and coordinated response. We also highlight a number of critical concerns, including: The continued exploitation of vulnerable stocks in certain river systems The need for a precautionary approach where even moderate surpluses are protected The importance of stronger alignment between policy and scientific advice The role all stakeholders, including recreational fishers, must play in conservation Alongside the newsletter, we have submitted a number of supporting materials, including our opening statement, a policy document, and additional evidence presented to the Committee. Links to video recordings of the session are also available. A full transcript will be shared once published. This is a pivotal moment. The decisions taken now will determine whether wild Atlantic salmon recover—or continue their path toward collapse. We encourage you to read and share the newsletter, and to continue supporting efforts to protect and restore this iconic species. Thank you for your continued support. Salmon Watch Ireland Newsletter Number 37
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Newsletter Number 36 – 10 April- Response to New Salmon Regulations
Please find the response of Salmon Watch Ireland to salmon regulations as signed into law in early April. Some positives but overall a disappointing outcome with little concrete advances to protect wild salmon. We ask that all anglers abide by the code of conduct as laid out in the newsletter. We hope for a better outcome for salmon into the future. While the weather presently is not conducive to angling, it is certainly a help in protecting adults returning and smolts will have an abundance of water to safely avoid serious predation pressures. Hopefully these conditions prevail until May. Newsletter Number 36 10 April 2026
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Newsletter Number 35 – 31 March 2026 -Pollution Portal Salmon Watch Ireland
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new Ireland Water Pollution Reporting Portal, designed to make it quicker and easier for the public to report suspected pollution incidents and help protect our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Recent events, including the devastating fish kill on the Blackwater and other serious pollution incidents across the country, have highlighted just how vulnerable our waterways are—and how important timely reporting can be. Early intervention can make a real difference in preventing long-term environmental damage. This portal brings together key reporting information in one place, helping you to: Identify pollution incidents Contact the correct authority quickly Follow a clear, standard reporting procedure Provide useful details (including photos and location) that support investigation and enforcement We strongly encourage anyone who spends time near water—anglers, farmers, walkers, and local communities—to make use of this resource. The resource is available on our website and can be downloaded to your phone if required. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Newsletter Number 35 - 31 March 2026
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A changing ecosystem – The decline of Atlantic salmon
In this issue, we introduce recent peer-reviewed scientific research that provides important insight into the continuing decline of Atlantic salmon at sea. While much attention has focused on rivers, the evidence increasingly shows that the greatest losses are occurring in the marine environment — particularly in the critical early weeks after young salmon enter the ocean. Three recent studies point to a major ecosystem shift in the Northeast Atlantic around 2005, with long-term declines in plankton productivity and marine energy availability. The findings suggest that reduced food availability — rather than simple temperature “shock” — is now a key driver of lower growth and survival. The implications are significant. If marine productivity remains depressed, recovery to historic salmon abundance will be extremely difficult without addressing every avoidable human pressure, both at sea and in coastal waters. This newsletter summarises the headline findings and provides links to the three scientific papers. We hope you find it informative and, as always, we welcome your feedback and continued support. Newsletter Number 31 - 10 Feb 2026
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Newsletter Number 30 – 07Feb 2025
Salmon Watch Ireland response to updated draft tagging regulations Salmon Watch Ireland acknowledges that the updated draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2026 include measures that continue to provide important protection for spring salmon, particularly through the retention of strict controls outside the main summer harvest period. The organisation recognises the importance of safeguarding early running fish, which remain under pressure in many river systems. However, Salmon Watch Ireland is concerned by several elements of the revised draft, particularly where changes represent a reduction in precaution compared with the previous draft regulations. 2026
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Newsletter Number 27 – 16 December 2025 Salmon Watch Ireland
We are writing to share our latest newsletter, which focuses on the urgent need to curtail salmon exploitation and the importance of the tagging measures announced by Inland Fisheries Ireland. The newsletter outlines the biological necessity of maximising the number of salmon reaching the spawning grounds in light of the continued and severe decline in salmon stocks. It highlights why maintaining adequate spawning escapement is fundamental to stock recovery, genetic integrity, and long-term resilience, and why precautionary management measures are essential at this time. We also emphasise that exploitation controls alone are not sufficient. A proactive and coordinated response is required both nationally and internationally to address the many pressures affecting salmon throughout their life cycle. We therefore ask all stakeholders to support the exploitation and tagging measures introduced by Inland Fisheries Ireland as part of a wider effort to safeguard this species. We would like to thank all those who continue to engage constructively and support these necessary actions. Your cooperation is vital to ensuring that enough spawners remain to protect and restore Atlantic salmon populations for the future.
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Conference Proceedings – Salmon Watch Ireland, Athlone 11 October 2025
This special conference edition — “Protecting Wild Salmon: Science, Stewardship, and Accountability” — captures the key discussions and outcomes from our 2025 Athlone Conference. Inside you’ll find: Science and Survival: Dr. Elvira de Eyto on seven decades of data from Burrishoole, and Dr. Paddy Gargan confirming the clear link between sea lice and salmon mortality. Grassroots Action: Maura Brennan’s Nore Vision project showing the power of community-led stewardship. Policy and Law: Emma Armshaw (SWAN) on the incompatibility of open-net salmon farming with EU clean-water directives. A Call to Action: From pollution reporting to citizen science — discover how you can make a difference. Thank you for your continued support in protecting Ireland’s wild salmon. Newsletter Number 22 Final
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Fish Counter Report and Update Blackwater
This issue contains a brief outline of the fish counter report for 2024 issued by Inland Fisheries Ireland as well as an update on Blackwater fish kill. We have strongly suggested that certain issues come to the forefront in regard to WWTP and Industrial discharges in all catchments and that climate resilience should be built into any existing discharge licenses. We have also highlighted the astonishing number of cattle in County Cork, with a considerable portion in the Blackwater valley. All these factors must be addressed before the long term future of the Blackwater can be put on a sound footing.
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Unprecedented Fish Kill – Munster Blackwater
The recent fish kill on the Munster Blackwater highlights just how fragile the habitats of salmon and trout truly are. These weakened ecosystems are highly vulnerable, and without decisive action, further incidents are inevitable. Although the exact cause has not yet been identified, the deteriorating condition of many rivers—particularly in regions of intensive agriculture and, most notably, dairy farming—has long been a matter of serious concern. This devastating event serves as yet another reminder that urgent steps must be taken to reduce human impact on our waterways. While the possibility of an acute pollution incident cannot be ruled out, it is vital that every potential source is thoroughly investigated, including industrial and municipal discharges. Moreover, the terms under which discharges to surface waters are permitted must be reconsidered in light of changing climatic conditions. In particular, the ability of rivers to assimilate pollutants during periods of low flow and warmer temperatures needs to be carefully assessed. Issue Number 19
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Munster Blackwater – Fish Kill
Press Release Salmon Watch Ireland Expresses Deep Concern Over Major Fish Kill on the River Blackwater Salmon Watch Ireland is alarmed at the scale and extent of the recent fish kill on the River Blackwater. This tragic event highlights the ongoing pressures on the catchment, which continues to suffer from excessive nutrient inputs linked to agricultural intensification and inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure. In addition, several licensed discharge points associated with dairy processing and other industries contribute further stress to the river system. While such licences may be deemed acceptable under normal conditions, the reality of increasingly frequent low rainfall and higher water temperatures significantly reduces the river’s capacity to assimilate these discharges. Current conditions have already resulted in extensive algal growth on the riverbed. The subsequent die-off of this algae can rapidly deplete dissolved oxygen, causing major mortality among fish and the invertebrate species that sustain the ecosystem. Elevated water temperatures compound this oxygen loss. Fish weakened under such stressful conditions are also far more vulnerable to secondary impacts such as fungal infections, further accelerating mortality and undermining the long-term resilience of populations. Salmon Watch Ireland believes this incident underscores the urgent need to address the Nitrates Derogation within the catchment and to review the licensing terms for discharges to surface waters. A comprehensive, catchment-wide remediation strategy is required, with full involvement of all stakeholders, if the ecological integrity of the Blackwater is to be restored. We await the outcome of tests being carried out by the relevant state agencies and call for full clarity on the causes of this ecological disaster.
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