Anglers from Kerry clubs protested in Killarney yesterday on the opening day of the salmon fishing season, amid claims that salmon numbers were at an all-time low due to commercial drift net fishing at sea.
The anglers, who distributed "stop drift netting" stickers said theirs was part of a nationwide move to get outstanding issues addressed.
Mr John Lyne, chairman of Killarney Salmon and Trout Anglers, said ridiculous rules "a child wouldn't think up" were ruining the sport. "First of all we can't sell our salmon. Then we were placed under quota. Now that quota is being reduced from 20 to 15 salmon a season. "The limit is one salmon a day. At the same time the season is defined as being from now until September. It simply does not add up," Mr Lyne said.
The numbers of salmon in rivers had gone down over the years, and every time an angler managed to catch a salmon he had to tag the fish then take out a pen and log book and enter in details of where when and so on of the catching of that one fish.
There seemed to be no coherent policy and anglers worried that they were being pushed off rivers and lakes. Promises had been consistently broken. Angling clubs in Donegal had found themselves brushed aside in favour of tourist anglers, he said. "We don't mind tourists being on the lake, but not instead of us," Mr Lyne said.
Anglers were agreed that money from salmon licences should be ring-fenced for the buy-out of the drift net sector, Mr Lyne added.
A number of promises had been made by different marine ministers about guarantees of leases from fishery boards, but these had not been fulfilled, said Mr Richard Behal, president of the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers.
The opening day of the salmon angling season was "normally one of great hope and excitement", but yesterday was being used to express their grave concerns, he said.
Three clubs in Killarney had been assured in April 2002 that their traditional leases of rivers would be protected following a meeting with ministers. "However, to date no renewal of leases has taken place, despite continuous representation from the clubs to have the agreement honoured," Mr Behal said.
Anglers are being forced into enduring the pain so that commercial drift netters, who are decimating the stocks, can gain, Mr Behal added.
Meanwhile, at a Kerry County Council meeting a majority of councillors narrowly passed a motion calling on the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Dempsey, to implement the buyout of drift net licences.
Mr Ted Fitzgerald (FF) said the preservation of salmon fishing was vital in the interests of tourism. However, there were bitter divisions as councillors representing coastal area warned that commercial fishing had never been more difficult.
"It would be an outrage to go and take their livelihood from these people in small villages. The reality for the Minister to proceed in this way would be to make life much more difficult for these people in coastal areas," Mr Paul O'Donoghue (FF) said.