Inland Fisheries Ireland appealing to anglers and fish managers to 'voluntarily cease salmon angling' due to drought conditions
By Kim O'Leary
Inland Fisheries Ireland is appealing to anglers and fishery managers to voluntarily cease salmon angling on catch and release rivers with immediate effect due to high water temperatures and the current drought conditions. The agency also advises for conservation purposes on open rivers, anglers should cease angling once their daily bag limit is reached.
With regard to keep nets on coarse fisheries, the agency advises that this practise should be suspended at this time.
Inland Fisheries Ireland will monitor the situation and issue updates as appropriate. Should the current weather conditions continue, Inland Fisheries Ireland may consider the introduction of emergency conservation legislation.
With the heatwave continuing to bring temperatures as high as 28-32C degrees Celsius this weekend, concern has also been raised for fish in Co Kildare during the warm weather.
Inland Fisheries Ireland is asking anglers and the general public to report any sightings of distressed fish which may be caused by high water temperatures and low water levels. Inland Fisheries Ireland is also asking anglers to voluntarily cease using ‘keep nets’ during this period to avoid causing unintentional distress to fish kept for long periods.
The public is invited to make reports of fish in distress to Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 24 Hour Hotline on 1890 34 74 24 or 1890 FISH 24. Inland Fisheries Ireland staff will continue to monitor water bodies for any signs of distressed fish in shallow water, but will be able to react more quickly to timely reports received.
Dr Ciaran Byrne, CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland, said: “Low water levels and high water temperatures may lead to fish kills. The temperatures are dangerously hot at the moment and fish kills may be unavoidable. In some instances, moving fish may prove too stressful. We would ask anglers practising catch and release fishing during this hot spell to consider taking a break from fishing entirely until conditions are more favourable.”
Inland Fisheries Ireland is also reminding landowners, industry and farmers that as these low water levels and warm water temperatures put additional pressures on Ireland’s watercourses, there is a reduced amount of oxygen in water. As a result, poor quality discharges to rivers and lakes, such as silage effluent or sewage discharges can put additional demands on the oxygen levels, resulting in pollution incidents and fish kills.
Landowners are reminded that abstraction of water from rivers and lakes should be carried out in a sustainable manner to ensure sufficient levels are available for other water users and to protect the aquatic habitat.