Sir, - While the debate about drift-netting wild salmon continues and Minister for State Gallagher procrastinates, perhaps the public could intervene to help save the species.
While everyone agrees that drift-net fisherman should be compensated most generously for their loss of livelihood and tradition, a ban on drift-netting is unlikely to be acceptable to all fishermen or agreed for some time.
In the interim perhaps we, the public, could discourage restaurateurs and fishmongers from trade in wild salmon by refusing to buy or eat it and the Government could discourage its export. After all, no one would endorse buying breast of corncrake, eating oran-utang steak or exporting rhino horn, would they? - Yours, etc,
RONAN COLLINS, Oaktree Drive, Castleknock, Dublin 15.