The controversial salmon traps on the river Moy in Ballina in north Mayo are to be suspended. The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has confirmed that he is reviewing their operation, and that they will not be used during the 1999 season.
Run by the Central Fisheries Board, the traps upstream of Ballina's Ridge Pool have aroused both local and national opposition. "Slaughter chambers" is how the first edition of a new newsletter produced by the Save the Wild Atlantic Salmon Committee in Co Mayo describes them.
The newsletter, which is due to be published today, calls for a complete ban on the traps. "Increasing numbers of visiting anglers to the Moy, lured here by one State agency, Bord Failte, are personally witnessing thousands of salmon being slaughtered by these traps operated by another State agency, the Central Fisheries Board," the newsletter states.
The use of the traps after 1999 "will be reassessed as part of an overall review of the development of the Moy fishery," the Minister said, and he had instructed the Central and Regional fisheries boards to carry this out.
The decision to suspend the use of the traps will also apply to the Corrib. Dr Woods refers to a report from the North-Western board which shows a disappointing run of spring salmon, and a significant reduction in rod catches of spring salmon, in common with a number of other rivers.
The initiative is bound to be welcomed, if somewhat cautiously, by local anglers. However, the Minister's approach to salmon management generally is causing some concern, given the conflicting signals he has been delivering on the salmon issue.
At least of one the board's members is unhappy with the manner in which the Minister has sought agreement on new conservation measures for spring salmon, with only 24 hours being given for agreement on proposals drawn up at a seminar in Dublin in September.
On the salmon issue generally, and the consensus achieved in the 1996 Salmon Management Task Force report, the Minister has been congratulated for introducing quota and tagging measures - one of the report's key recommendations. However, his full commitment to the report has been called into question again. An allocation of £200,000 in the Budget for pilot programmes to phase out drift-netting has caused some confusion.
Mr Declan Turnbull, chairman of the Save the Wild Atlantic Salmon Committee in Co Mayo, believes the Minister is "cherry picking" from the report. His committee's newsletter can be obtained by contacting (094) 31621.