ANGLING NOTES:SALMON Watch Ireland (SWI) has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission about the Irish management system for salmon farms. The complaint contends that farms are responsible for the high levels of sea-lice infestation in juvenile salmon (smolts) migrating from rivers to feeding grounds in the sea.
At the outset it must be stated that SWI is not opposed to properly controlled salmon farms. However, the evidence gathered over many years proves that sea-lice levels are well above those provided for in the protocols under which farms are licensed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
“Although techniques for controlling sea-lice are well known, there is no effort by the Irish authorities to enforce them and the result is the creation of severe, but avoidable, strains on the survival chances of juvenile salmon,” says SWI chairman Niall Greene. Research in Ireland, Norway and Scotland has established that the mortality of smolts is significantly affected by sea-lice infestation.
The complaint to the EU is based on Article Six of the Habitats Directive, which is the same provision used to bring an end to mixed stock (drift-netting) fishing for salmon in Irish waters in 2007. It contends that Irish authorities are failing to take a precautionary approach to the management of wild salmon smolts as they move from special areas of conservation to the sea.
“We have the EU to require the Irish authorities to adopt a precautionary approach to the siting of salmon farms. This would mean that no farm would be sited closer than 20km from the mouth of a salmon-bearing river,” Greene says. Further information is available from Niall Greene at 086-8269222 or Simon Ashe at 087-9962424.
** The annual media fly-fishing competition took place last Friday week at Annamoe Fishery in Co Wicklow. Organised by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board (ERFB), the event, now in its sixth year, continues to attract top angling media from Ireland and the UK.
Anglers from a variety of broadcast and print media enjoyed a day's fishing on the scenic fly-fishing lake at Annamoe Fishery, including Derek Davis from 4FM, Dick Warner from the Irish Examiner, Paddy O'Flaherty from BBC Radio Ulster and Julie Gerry from Trout Fisherman.
A glorious sunny day boded well for the competitors, although a hard frost the night before lowered water temperatures, making fish hard to tempt. With the fishery split into four zones, the competition was based on nine teams of two fishing an hour in each zone. In total, 12 rainbow trout were caught, recorded and released.
In the last half-hour, Mike Shanks hit a purple patch, connecting with four fish and landing two on a damsel nymph fished deep and slow. This brought his tally to three, sufficient to win first prize for the Irish Anglermagazine team, along with his team partner, David Dinsmore.
The winning team was presented with Waterford crystal sponsored by Fáilte Ireland and top-quality Daiwa rods sponsored by Truetackle.
At the prize-giving ceremony, ERFB assistant chief executive William Walsh said: “I would like to thank the media for their support and valuable contribution throughout the year in spreading the message from fisheries”.
Brian Nally, of Annamoe Trout Fishery, thanked the sponsors, particularly ERFB, Fáilte Ireland, Truetackle, Irish Game Fairs Ltd, Glendalough Hotel and Irish Fly Craft.
Celine Moorken of Truetackle made a special donation to the Dublin Angling Initiative (DAI), comprising fishing rods, reels and landing nets.
Des Chew, of DAI, thanked Moorken for her support and said this would make a real difference in introducing young people to angling.
** The first salmon of the season on the Galway Fishery was landed last Friday week on shrimp in the top pool beside the fishery office and tipped the scales at 4kg.
And for the third year running, the fish was landed by the same angler, Kerryman David Lenihan, now resident in Galway.
The early arrival of salmon bodes well for the coming season, and following last year’s bumper run in the Corrib, local anglers and regular visitors will be hoping for more of the same this year.