Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are two particular stocks, salmon and eel, of particular concern to the Department. Salmon stocks have not performed as expected, anticipated or hoped for following the ban on drift netting in 2007. It was considered there would be an exponential increase in salmon stocks.

While the increase in salmon numbers was very positive in the first year after the ban, they declined suddenly thereafter, much to the disappointment of all involved. The reasons for the decline are multifaceted and we are unable to pinpoint them. The worrying decline in Atlantic salmon numbers may be the result of global warming, a decline in feed resources in the Atlantic or sea lice.

Stock management in rivers is based on the advice of the standing scientific committee which reflects best practice internationally. The committee sets a conservation limit based on fish counters over an average period of five years and then assesses whether the 147 rivers, sections of rivers and estuaries are open or closed for fishing or catch and release. I have asked the Department to initiate a review of the catch and release policy in advance of the 2018 season. Many anglers believe it would be advantageous to have a catch and release policy on all closed rivers. Having more people fishing on these rivers would reduce the level of poaching as anglers would be able to observe poaching and, if one likes, act as guardians of the rivers. When rivers are closed, the only people on them are the poachers. I have asked officials to examine this issue in advance of the 2018 season.

The 2007 Council eel regulation was drafted in response to the endangered status of the European eel. It is probable that any recovery of the Irish eel will take place over a long timeframe because the species is defined as critically endangered. For this reason, eel fishing has effectively been banned. Scientific fishery research is being carried out to glean the best advice on Irish eel stocks. The research was announced in November 2015 and a number of former eel fishermen are involved to further develop national knowledge of the species and its medium to long-term potential for recovery. In the short to medium term the prognosis for the restoration of the eel fishery is not good.