Sir, - Irish catches of wild salmon in the 1990s were well below half those of the 1970s. The steep downward trend is ominous: it foreshadows the virtual disappearance of this unique resource within the next 15 years.
Too many fish are being killed before they can reach their spawning grounds in Irish rivers. Four out of every five fish caught are taken by commercial fishermen - by drift nets, draft nets and other devices. Anglers take the remaining one-fifth.
Last year, after years of consideration and consultation, a tagging system was introduced as a basis for better management of salmon stocks. This year was to see quotas being set to restrict catches in the interests of conservation and regeneration.
The hopes raised by this development have faded. The cut of 40 per cent recommended by the Minister's scientific advisers, having first been whittled down to less than 7 per cent, has now, amazingly, turned into a proposal to allow a commercial catch in excess of the average for the last five years! Concessions which would allow increased fishing effort, rather than reduce it significantly, undermine the substance and intent of conservation initiatives.
The tagging/quota regime is elaborate and costly and can be justified only if it is effective in ensuring the survival of the wild salmon.
It would be tragic if, at this critical point in the descent of the wild salmon to extinction, the "safety" measures taken were illusory rather than substantial. - Yours, etc.,
T.K.WHITAKER, Stillorgan Road, Dublin 4