1 June 2010
Draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2010
The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD, has given statutory notice of his proposal to restate the regulations relating to the management, development and conservation of the wild salmon and sea trout fishery for the remainder of the 2010 season. The restatement of the regulations is required consequential to the enactment of the Inland Fisheries Act, 2010. These regulations are currently provided for under the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2009 (SI No. 557, 2009) which the Minister also proposes to revoke.
Amendments to the draft regulations are minor in nature and have been made, in the main, to provide for the management of the wild salmon and sea trout fishery by Inland Fisheries Ireland (these functions are currently performed by the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards). The quota (TAC) for each river outlined in Schedule 2 of the Regulations remain unchanged from the TAC’s allocated in the 2009 regulations.
The draft regulations are open for public inspection and any person may submit objections at any time during the period of 30 days commencing on 1 June 2010 either in writing, addressed to the Inland Fisheries Division, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, 29 – 31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2 or by e-mail to inland.fisheries@dcenr.gov.ie
Inland Fisheries Division
Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources
____________________________________________________________________
14 November 2009
The Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Conor Lenihan T.D., has given statutory notice of his proposal to revise the regulations for the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 
for the 2010 season.
The Minister proposes to revoke the existing tagging scheme regulations and to make revised regulations to provide for revised commercial and angling total allowable catch on an individual river basis.
The draft regulations are open for public inspection any person may submit objections to the draft regulations at any time during the period of 30 days commencing on 14th November 2009 either in writing, addressed to:
Inland Fisheries Division,
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources,
29 – 31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2
or by e-mail to inland.fisheries@dcenr.gov.ie
Scientific Advice for 2009 Season
The Standing Scientific Committee has conducted a scientific analysis on current Irish salmon stock levels and has provided preliminary precautionary catch advice, on a river by river basis, for 2010.
As anticipated following the closure of the mixed stock fishery in 2006, virtually all indices (including counters) of salmon stock size increased in 2007 (by about 50% although the figure varied from river to river). This would roughly equate to the reduction in exploitation by the closure of the mixed stock fishery. However since 2007, and with the exception of a number of systems (notably the Moy, Ballysadare and Nore), nearly all indices in 2008 and 2009 while still higher than the period when the mixed stock fishery operated, were reduced with many of the 2009 indices being less than those in 2008. This reflects the persistent downward trend in marine survival which is pervasive throughout all the North Atlantic stock complexes and is as reported by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES 2009). Worryingly, Irish marine survival indices are at their lowest since records began in the 1980s and appear to be declining further.
Management Advice for 2010 season
The draft Tagging Regulations for the 2010 season are broadly similar to the regulations which were introduced in 2009. The National Fisheries Managers Executive (NFME) has recommended no change to the management regime in place during the 2009 season. The NFME has recommended a number of minor technical changes to the draft regulations, particularly the log book, which are designed to deliver better compliance and control within the scheme.
Conservation measures for the 2010 angling season
The same suite of conservation measures will be provided for in bye-laws during 2010 as applied in 2009 (e.g. annual bag limit, specified rivers in which angling is permitted on a catch and release basis only, prohibition on angling for salmon and sea trout in specified rivers that are below their conservation limits).
The NFME have proposed a number of local conservation measures and these will also be introduced by way of bye-laws in advance of the angling season.
Inland Fisheries Division
Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources