Salmon Fishing Blog
Management of the Wild Salmon Fishery 2012
The Salmon Standing Scientific Committee of IFI assessed 141 rivers and the managers preliminary advice is that:
- 43 rivers are open (a surplus of fish has been identified over and above the conservation limits in these rivers) which is 7 less than in 2011
- 34 rivers have been classified as open for angling on a Catch and Release only basis, i.e. 6 more than in 2011
- 64 rivers are closed (no surplus of fish available for harvest), compared to 63 in 2011.
Otherwise the Tagging Scheme regime for 2012 is, in essence, unchanged from the Regulations which currently apply. This is also the case with regard to the conservation bye-laws.
New conservation initiatives.
The Minister has introduced additional conservation measures for the further protection of sea trout (by the introduction of a bag limit) and salmon in closed rivers by restricting the type of angling for other fish species.
Seasonality
As part of an ongoing review and on an experimental basis, the salmon angling season in the River Blackwater in Co Waterford and Co Cork will be extended on a catch and release basis until 12 October 2012.
Second Salmon of the Season is caught on Blackwater Lodge Salmon Fishery
Tony O'Keeffe from Mallow was fishing at Kilmurry with his father Dan and caught this 6.6lb. fish on Flying C on the Island Stream on Lower Kilmurry. Sea-lice can be seen in the picture - two on the top of the tail and one below the adipose. There were more on the back & the head of the fish. They also caught a few kelts. There was a couple of rods out on Friday that also caught a few kelts, but also saw a fresh springer show that they estimated at 15-20lb. - also on Lower Kilmurry.
The level is currently too high for good flyfishing, needing to be below about 0.6m to be able to wade and fish comfortably. The weather forecast now looks as if we can expect a dry spell of at least a week. This should ensure that the level will come down to fly order. When it will be very interesting to see how the upper beats from Ballyhooly to Mallow will fish. For all the latest info see the Blackwater Lodge website.
Irish Fly Fair Galway
The Irish Fly Fair will take place at the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill over the 13th and 14th of November 2010. The fair will run from 10-6pm on Saturday and from 10-5pm on Sunday.
The show will feature a range of exhibitors from the angling world, but at its heart will be some of the world's greatest fly tiers who will come to Galway to display their unique skill and craft. There will also be fly casting demonstrations by top professional casters, seminars, as well as a host of tackle suppliers.
The casting demonstrators include, Glenda Powell, Paddy McDonnell, Pat Hughes, Stevie Munn, Hywel Morgan and Charles Jardine.
There will be various talks such as, David Wolsoncroft - Dodds on Pike "Big wild fish from big wild waters", Willie Holmes and Stevie Munn, Fishing British Columbia, Canada, Dr Ken Whelan on Sea Trout, The Wild Trout Trust on conservation, and Jon Sigurdsson on Fishing in Iceland
Find out more on the Irish Fly Fair website.
Dreaded Asian Clam Expands its Range in Irish Rivers
One of the world's most notorious freshwater invasive species, the Asian clam, has expanded its hold in Ireland's rivers. Discovered in the River Barrow in April this year, Dr Brian Hayden of Queen's University Belfast identified an Asian clam shell below the main bridge in Carrick-on-Shannon. A subsequent survey by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) scientists revealed the presence of live clams in this section of the River Shannon.
The Asian clam, which causes an estimated €1 billion of damages in US annually, has the capacity to outcompete all of our native invertebrates, to impact on our native fishes and to significantly alter river habitats. The accumulation of vast quantities of shell material on the river bed, up to 10,000 per square metre, can lead to shallowing, with resultant implications for flood control. The invasive success of the clam relies on its rapid growth, high fecundity and efficient dispersal capacity. The location of the most recent discovery on the upper Shannon is a serious cause for concern because of the ease with which the clam will be able to disperse in a downstream direction. The Asian calm can be easily spread by man, wildfowl and river currents.
Read the full article at Inland Fisheries Ireland
Restructuring Of Inland Fisheries
The establishment of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to replace the seventeen bodies - including the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards, the National Salmon Commission and the Fisheries Co-operative Societies - previously involved in the management of inland fisheries is the long-awaited signal that government is serious about protecting, conserving and developing this key resource.
Its CEO, Dr Ciaran Byrne, with his youthful energy, determination and vision - combined with a rare career skill set - is an assurance too that the revamped organisation is in capable hands and off to a good start. .....
What are the core functions of Inland Fisheries Ireland? These are set out in Section 7 of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 which gives IFI its authority. They are not significantly different from the core functions of the Central (CFB) and Regional Fisheries Boards (RFBs) - namely to promote, support, facilitate, and advise the Minister on the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. .....
What about illegal fishing? This is a problem. Like many other criminal activities it appears to be more prevalent during recessionary times as people, for primarily economic reasons, are more likely to "give it a go". Unfortunately, society does appear to have become more violent, and fisheries offences are often seen as "soft offences" which do not really hurt anyone especially when one compares them to the litany of offences that come before our district courts. We consider illegal fishing as an environmental crime and will not be tolerated.
Read the full article by Gerry Flynn at Inshore Ireland.
An Epic Migration (Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust)
At the Trust's Salmon and Trout Research Centre on the River Frome, near Wareham in Dorset, every spring, scientists catch and tag young salmon (smolts) as they swim down river and go out to sea through Poole Harbour.
For the first time we now have a record of a Frome fish on its epic migratory journey to the North Atlantic. On 6 October 2009 one of our fish was recorded at a Fish Market in Sisimuit on the west coast of Greenland. The fish was picked up during a sampling programme organised by the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO). The fish was 67.9 cm in length and weighed 4.2 kg (about 9lb).
Read the rest of this article at the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. It makes for an interesting read and is new evidence of UK fish feeding off the coast of Greenland.
Fishing On The Blackwater Takes Off
The Blackwater Lodge beats revved up on the 13th of July with the best day of the season so far, plus the best catch from one beat in a Day. The river dropped to a lovely height with the morning at 0.23m and going down to 0.20m by nightfall.
There was an excellent run of fish coming through the entire system right through to the top beats. A total of 20 fish were caught for 11 rod days for the day. Beat 3 (1 mile up from the Lodge): 4 caught. 1 on fly. Best 9.7 & 11lb. Beat 7 (5 miles up from the Lodge): 4 caught. All on fly. Best 6.5lb. Beat 8 (15 miles up from the Lodge): 1 caught. 4lb. Beat 9 (20 miles up from the Lodge): 8 caught. 6 on fly & all released. Best 6lb. Beat 16 (26 miles up from the Lodge): 3 caught. 1 on fly. Best 6lb.
Two rods caught eight fish at Bridgetown Abbey, mostly grilse around the 3lb. mark. Six were caught on fly & two on spinner. All eight fish were released alive. Mick Kennedy caught 5 (best 6lb.) and Billy Jewitt caught three.
Prospects looking very good with fresh fish being taken right through to the top of the fishery. For all the very latest information please see the Blackwater Lodge Fishing Report.
Ireland is already home to over 100 alien animal and plants ??? and with the number rising, there is still no legislation to control their importation which will be a major threat to biodiversity if they escape into the Irish environment.
To most people these alien species often look relatively innocent, but their environmental and economic impact can be enormous. Once settled and reproducing, alien species are said to be 'invasive' species. Worldwide, the estimated cost per year of attempted eradication is $1.4 trillion. That figure equates to 5% of the entire global economy!
Fifty cruise liners are expected into Cork harbour this year, signaling a steady growth in this sector. Huge damage is already being done to Ireland's inland waterways by the likes of the Curly leaved waterweed (Lagarosiphon) and the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena). Parts of Lough Corrib are now so choked by densely growing Lagarosiphon that they have become 'no-go areas' for boats.....
Read the story in full at Inshore Ireland.
