Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 98: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide this Deputy with the outline graph of the electro fishing audit of the tributarys rivers of the River Barrow downstream of Carlow Town. [32958/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has carried out four catchment-wide electric fishing (CWEF) surveys of the River Barrow. With the exception of 2008 the Barrow survey has been carried out annually since 2007. The following results for 2011 are the data requested by the Deputy:

A catchment wide survey of the Barrow catchment was carried out in August and September 2011. The survey comprised 84 sites of which 79 were included in the analysis. Salmon fry were present at 60 sites. For the Deputies information I attach a copy map showing the sites sampled in 2011. The maximum fry catch was 86 salmon at site 102. A catch of zero fry was recorded at 24 sites. The mean catch of sites included in the analysis was 24.75 salmon fry/5min. Other fish species recorded included Eel, Stickleback, Minnow and Stoneloach.

Conservation limits and catchment wide electric fishing averages for the River Barrow catchment 2007 - 2011

The Barrow had a mean catch of 24.75 salfry/5min in 2011 resulting in a cumulative average of 15.35 salmon fry/5min to date which is below the threshold level of 17 salmon fry/5min. In catchments where the threshold of 17 salmon fry is equalled or exceeded, fishery managers have opened catchments for catch and release salmon angling. The Barrow electro-fishing results suggest that the salmon population was below its conservation limit in 2011.