Dr. Cathal Gallagher:

No, we are seeing a continuous decline. Unfortunately, we do not look at salmon numbers according to the overall population, although we could do so. We look at numbers in the Corrib, the Shannon or other rivers. While the trend overall is downwards, we still have some very productive rivers, such as the Moy, whose number is still above what we call the conservation limit. There are enough salmon coming back in to deal with the issue.

On the question relating to barriers, we have partition to account for what happens when the salmon leave the rivers on the way out to sea. Barriers have a big impact. For example, if salmon smolts are going out in a year with low water, with not enough water even to get them over a small barrier, there will be a problem with otters. There will be some natural predators and some invading predators, such as mink, which prey on them at different times. You can partition the mortality, and that work is being done. We have been improving the habitat or the engine for the production of fish to some degree, and that has been the focus, but we are trying to manage only what we can manage. We have no tools to manage the sea aspect.