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New Study on plankton in North Atlantic – Atlantic Salmon Survival
This new study reinforces the belief that Atlantic salmon survival has been compromised substantially by a changing ecosystem in the North Atlantic. We must redouble our efforts to substantially increase wild healthy juveniles going to sea and give them the best chance of survival by protecting water quality and habitat integrity. Mitigation for ecosystem compromise in the ocean is essentially difficult short term but larger healthy wild smolts going to sea will certainly improve survival. New Missing Salmon Alliance paper brings us closer to understanding the decline in marine survival of wild Atlantic salmon
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Please Help Atlantic Salmon in 2024
This year we have seen a continuation of poor returns to Irish rivers. There may be many factors involved in this situation but it is evident that we collectively need to secure as many large spawning fish as possible to bolster compromised spawning escapement. To help in this matter Salmon Watch Ireland is asking all angling stakeholders to minimise their impact on remaining stocks. The angling stakeholders have a choice and can limit their catch. The over generous national limit of an individual harvesting ten salmon should be substantially reduced this year by the voluntary actions of the angling community. We would ask that angling is carried out with a view to releasing fish by using appropriate methods. We also request that salmon of over 65cm be released and no fish should be harvested in September. The choice to do this is voluntary and we will be asking that these over generous rules involving individual harvest by anglers to be substantially reduced going forward. While we have requested that commercial fisheries should be closed going forward and a appropriate scheme to alleviate hardship on fishermen be introduced, we are going to canvass the commercial sector through Inland Fisheries Ireland this year to reduce their effort and limit their uptake of quota. We will request that if fish counter results show a substantial decline on normal (poor) returns by mid July, Inland Fisheries Ireland and Department of Environment , Climate and Communications should consider that exploitation be further controlled by regulation. In the interim it would greatly help the situation if all stakeholders cooperated in this voluntary effort to protect what remains. We in Salmon Watch Ireland are conscious that salmon are under enormous pressure in all countries and we would hope that in future there may be an improvement in stocks which would allow a sustainable harvest by stakeholders but this present situation is alarming given the widespread and accelerating decline. Please limit your catch
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Kenmare Bay – Disregard for Special Area of Conservation
Kenmare Bay is located in the South West of Ireland and is home to two currently operating salmon farms (Deenish and Inishfarnard) owned and operated by MOWI. There are two other farms within the bay which are not currently operating with a further application pending for another site near Inishfarnard. The farm at Deenish was ordered to close in April 2019 but has continued to operate pending the outcome of an appeal which has yet to be determined. This situation is appalling considering that five years have elapsed without any sign of determination. The farm has been allowed to continue to the detriment of the once famous sea trout fishery in Waterville. This fishery had the potential to generate up to three million euro for the local economy but is essentially now derelict with little if any angling tourism in the area. Make no mistake this fishery can be returned to a vibrant fishery with economic prosperity returning if salmon farming is removed from Kenmare Bay. No sea trout fishery has ever survived along side open pen salmon farming and Waterville is no exception. This situation is completely mirrored in the west of Ireland, Scotland and Norway. It is worth noting that when the farms in Kenmare Bay were closed in the period from 2004 to 2009 there was a substantial increase in sea trout numbers and a rebalancing of the population through all age groups. Waterville is home to genetically distinct sea trout and are a national asset which has been effectively destroyed by salmon farming. In 2023 MOWI applied for a renewal of their expired licences for Deenish and Inishfarnard and this is under examination by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and is awaited with interest by all. There were a significant number of objections to these applications so we await determination but we expect this may take some time if previous experience is anything to go on. We would like to draw your attention to our submissions regarding the renewal applications and feel free to extract information to bolster your understanding of the issues surrounding salmon farming in Ireland. Inishfarnard Submission Deenish Submission
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Ballinakill Salmon Farm- Submission
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
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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Seaspiracy
This film is available on Netflix. It is well worth watching and demonstrates the appalling situation regarding fish farming and the unsustainable way we treat our oceans. Film is fully available on Netflix. Seaspiracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q5CXN7soQg
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Salmon Watch Ireland – Consultation on Policy Document
More and Stronger smolts ‘The rational management approach is to redouble efforts to address factors impacting on productivity to ensure that …. salmon rivers…. produce the maximum number of healthy wild salmon smolts’ Background – Salmon stocks are close to crisis point Before reading our Policy Document it might be advisable to review the present state of Atlantic salmon in Ireland. In conjunction with the following paragraphs and the short film you will be able to appreciate the many factors affecting Atlantic salmon and sea trout stocks in Ireland. We would appreciate your views on the Policy document and any ideas you may have to help progress conservation of these iconic fish. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that, in the lifetime of people living today, Ireland’s wild Atlantic salmon could become a curiosity confined, at best, to a small number of rivers. The species may not become totally extinct (although it could) but there may not be sufficient stock for either commercial or recreational exploitation. A species that has huge Irish heritage and folklore significance and which, in the past, has had major social, economic and recreational value could to all intents and purposes be lost. There is an obligation on all of use to do our utmost to prevent that happening in the interests of our own and of future generations. It will not be an easy task. Read More
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