The Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, is a fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic.Most Atlantic salmon follow a fish migration pattern, in that they undergo their greatest feeding and growth in salt water; however, adults return to spawn in native freshwater streams where the eggs hatch and juveniles grow through several distinct stages. Atlantic salmon do not require salt water. Examples of fully freshwater (i.e., "landlocked") populations of the species exist in Ireland. At sea, the species is found mainly in the waters off Greenland and in migrations to and from its natal streams, along the northern eastern and western Atlantic coasts. Wild salmon disappeared from many rivers during the twentieth century due to overfishing and habitat change. By 2000 the numbers of Atlantic salmon had dropped to critically low levels. Ireland is one of the last few places left in Europe where
anglers can catch wild Atlantic salmon. Spawning occurs in well-oxygenated, fast-flowing rivers and streams; juveniles (fry and parr) feed and grow in the freshwater environment for up to three years before migrating to sea; the rich feeding grounds off the coast of Norway and Greenland are the destination of adult Atlantic salmon until they choose to return to freshwater to spawn, between 1 and 4 years later. Unlike the various Pacific salmon species which die after spawning (semelparous), the Atlantic salmon is iteroparous, which means the fish may recondition themselves and return to the sea to repeat the migration and spawning pattern several times, although most spawn only once or twice. Migration and spawning exact an enormous physiological toll on individuals, such that repeat spawners are the exception rather than the norm.But those that do return more than once are normally those specimen fish over 10kg (20lbs) , which Irish anglers report numerous fish this size and better annually. This is what keeps anglers coming back to Ireland year after year is the chance to catch a bar of wild silver of substantial size.
Commercial and rod harvest of salmon are permitted where stocks are in surplus (exceeding a system-specific Conservation Limit) and the fisheries are very strictly controlled; approximately one third of Irish salmon and sea trout fisheries are open for harvest, with the remainder being open for catch-and release angling or closed to angling; fisheries where harvesting is permitted are regulated by closed seasons, bag limits, individual angler quotas .
Management of the Wild Salmon Fishery 2013
The Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme regulates salmon and sea trout fishing in Ireland and is administered by Inland Fisheries Ireland. Please note that the regulations and bye-laws are subject to change. Contact your local Inland Fisheries Ireland office for information on individual rivers.
All salmon rod licence holders must affix a gill tag to all retained salmon (any size), or sea trout (over 40 cm).
1. BAG LIMITS
There is an angling bag limit of 10 salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40 cm) on rivers where you may catch and retain salmon (Table 1). The bag limits are subject to any quota allocated to a river and its tributaries.
Subject to the maximum annual bag limit of ten fish an angler may take:
A total of one salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day for the period beginning January 1st to May 11th (three fish in total may be retained for this period),
Daily Bag Limit: Three salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day from May 12th to August 31st (except where a salmon rod (one-day) ordinary licence is held, 1 fish),
Daily Bag Limit: One salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day from 1st September to the close of the season,There is an angling bag limit of three sea trout (under 40cm) per angler per day (bye-law no. 887, 2011).
Please note that it is an offence to kill any sea trout in the Galway, Connemara or Ballinakill Fisheries Districts including at sea from Hags Head in County Clare to Clew Bay (and in any waters flowing into Clew Bay) in the Bangor Fishery District south of a line drawn due east and west through Achill Head.
After the daily bag limit has been taken, anglers are permitted to fish catch and release, using single, barbless hooks and anglers may not use worms. The killing and possession of foul hooked fish is prohibited.
On rivers where catch and release is permitted:
anglers may not use worms,
anglers must use single, barbless hooks,
the fish must be handled carefully and should not be removed from the water prior to release.
On all other rivers angling for salmon (any size) and sea trout (over 40cm) is prohibited.
The River Avoca prohibits the taking of any sea trout (under 40cm) as well as prohibiting the use of worms as bait and any fish hooks other than single barbless hooks in angling for sea trout (under 40cm) (bye-law no. 890, 2011).
The River Slaney provides for catch and release from 17th March to 16th Sept. Anglers may only use single barbless hooks with artificial fly only upstream of the old bridge, Enniscorthy and prohibits the use of worms, downstream of the old bridge, Enniscorthy (pending bye-law).
The River Munster Blackwater season is extended from 1st - 12th October on a catch and release basis using artificial fly only (pending bye-law).
The River Suir provides for catch and release up to 11th May and is open for angling from 12th May with a bag limit of 1 fish per angler per day and no more than 5 fish for the season (pending bye-law).
The River Feale provides for catch and release up to 11th May and is open for angling from 12th May with a bag limit of 1 fish per angler per day and no more than 3 fish for the season (pending bye-law).
The River Tor and its tributaries are closed for angling for all species of fish (bye-law no. 311, 2011).
2. OBTAINING A LICENCE
Anglers can obtain their licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland, any rod licence distributor or online at www.salmonlicences.ie. On payment of the rod licence fee, the angler will be given:
The relevant rod licence.
A logbook.
3 gill tags where a salmon rod (annual) ordinary, juvenile, district or 21-day ordinary licence is issued up until 11th May and a further 7 gill tags (issued in lots of 3 or 4) from the period 12th May to 30th Sept up to a maximum of 10 gill tags in total.
