UNEMPLOYMENT HAS been cited as one of the suspected causes of an increase in salmon poaching in the southwest.
Dr Patrick Buck, assistant chief executive of the South West Regional Fisheries Board, said the amount of illegal poaching activity was up on last year in all areas in the region.
He said that, if necessary, the board would bring in additional protection officers from neighbouring areas. He also attributed the increase to a rise in people out of work and the fact they had more time on their hands.
Draft net fishing of wild Atlantic salmon resumed yesterday at Castlemaine harbour in Dingle Bay, Co Kerry, as part of a scientific study overseen by the local fisheries board. Just over 800 salmon are to be taken between now and the end of August by 11 boats.
Unusually, the project has the blessing of local anglers who say the increase in illegal salmon poaching this year is now a far greater threat to wild salmon stocks than draft netting.
Dr Buck said the study would determine the numbers in the various genetic stocks and see if commercial fishing could resume in years to come.
It would also identify the proportion of salmon entering the harbour from the river Maine, and the river Laune and its tributaries, including the Gaddagh and the river Lee. There would also be additional genetic analysis on the salmon populations in the Behy and Emlagh rivers
Meanwhile, anglers’ representative John Reidy of the river Maine and Brown Flesk Anglers’ Association said anglers who are restricted to catching just seven wild salmon a month have been told they can expect to be allowed fish for 10 a month next year, because of the health of the stocks on the Maine.
Mr Reidy said his organisation now supported the fisheries board project. “Poaching is taking a lot more now than drift nets,” he added.
He said poaching on the Maine and other salmon rivers this year was highly sophisticated and organised, and there were cases of anglers being intimidated.
He had written to Minister of State for Natural Resources Conor Lenihan and requested an emergency response to poaching. Resources in the fisheries board were overstretched and anglers were calling for stricter penalties for poachers, Mr Reidy said.