The Sea Trout Salmo trutta Linnaeus also known as the white trout in Ireland is an anadromous form of brown trout which means it migrates to sea and returns to freshwater to spawn. It inhabits shallow sea-water adjoining coasts and open ocean.
juvenile sea trout are indistinguishable from juvenile brown trout, but juvenile sea trout migrate to sea as silvered smolts between April and June after spending two or, less frequently,three winters in freshwater; they do not travel as far into the marine environment as Atlantic Salmon, usually remaining in coastal waters; they return to freshwater to spawn either the summer after migration (known as finnock, harvesters, whitling or juniors) or one year or more later (known as maidens); adult sea trout return to sea after a winter in freshwater; they may return to freshwater many times to spawn which means that there can be significant variation in the recorded life history of sea trout. Formerly high angling value; stock collapse in recent years due to sea-lice infestations but are making a comeback.
A salmon and sea trout rod licence is required in Ireland and is strictly enforced.
Management of the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout 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.
