Eighty-three rivers open for salmon angling in 2015

Joe McHugh T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, has approved a suite of regulations and bye-laws that will govern the wild salmon and sea trout fisheries in 2015. These came into effect on Thursday 1 January.

 The Maam River – one of Lough Corrib’s head streams                                                Photo Gillian Mills

“Fifty-five rivers will be fully open and will provide opportunities for all to share this important natural resource on a sustainable basis. A further 28 will be open for angling on a ‘catch & release” basis’, he said.

In 2012, the cost of fishing licences was reduced in the prevailing economic climate and the price cut in maintained for 2015.

“I believe that lower costs will encourage sales of annual licences and continue to incentivise angling tourists to avail of the Ireland’s first-class angling product,” Minister McHugh added.

Inland Fishieries Ireland provided management advice in relation to 145 genetically individual wild salmon stocks in Ireland. This advice was based on the scientific assessment of the current status of all stocks carried out by the independent Standing Scientific Committee on Salmon. This committee comprises scientists from IFI, BIM, the Marine Institute, the Loughs Agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI- Northern Ireland), other State bodies and third level institutions.

At a glance

• 55 rivers are open as a surplus of fish has been identified in these rivers

• 28 rivers are classified as open for ‘catch and release’ angling; and

• 62 rivers are closed as they have no surplus of fish available for harvest