The survival of wild Atlantic salmon depends on government intervention to solve the mystery of increased mortality at sea, according to a report by the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF). Entitled Atlantic Salmon at the Balancing Point - 2006, the report reveals that about 200,000 of the 700,000 migrating North American salmon won't make it back to their home rivers this year. This is more than double the mortality rate of 20 years ago.
Although the total population is now 60 per cent more than it was in 2001 (which was at all-time low of 418,000) there are still too few salmon to seed most North American rivers. "Newfoundland is the only region to meet its conservation limits," ASF president Bill Taylor said.
Other areas are faring worse, and are well below their conservation limits - Labrador (38 per cent), Quebec (70 per cent) and the Gulf of St Lawrence (86 per cent). Southern areas remain at critically low levels, with the Bay of Fundy, eastern Cape Breton and the Atlantic coastal rivers of Nova Scotia, all at 6 per cent below. The US rivers in Maine and New England are just 4 per cent below and Canada has listed 32 rivers in the inner Bay of Fundy as endangered.
Canada and the United States are being urged to provide funding for Salsea, a new international network for ocean research on salmon. This project will provide understanding of the mysterious phenomenon whereby wild salmon leave their native rivers to feed in the North Atlantic, and fail to return.
The Salsea programme requires the commitment of all member countries of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation and an expenditure of about $16 million (€12.5 million) to be shared among Canada, United States, European Union, Norway, Russia and Iceland.
"The expenditure is reasonable considering that ASF, a non-government charitable organisation, has already invested $3 million (€2.4 million) and 10 years research into tracking smolts as they migrate to sea," Taylor said.
This year ASF will monitor migrating salmon from various rivers, such as the Restigouche and Miramichi in New Brunswick. In Quebec, the Grand Cascapedia, St Jean and York will also be closely monitored.
Meanwhile, Enda Cunningham of Cathach Books, the antiquarian booksellers in Dublin, writes regarding my recent reference to salmon dying at sea. "Last year we had an American mountaineer from Washington State in our shop with an interest in Pacific salmon. He told me there was a similar salmon decline on the west coast of America to that of our Atlantic coast.
Cunningham said it might be interesting to contact other fishery experts around the US to see if there is a similar pattern, which, he said, may relate to climate change.
• Last Monday, a long overdue flood entered the Bunowen and Carrowniskey rivers in Louisburgh, Co Mayo, and brought a fine run of salmon and sea trout. Rain over that weekend had brought levels slowly upwards, with a nice flood topping the weir, Bruce Lennie reports.
With further showers forecast, fishing prospects are excellent. For permits contact Bruce at 098-66109 or 086-606 7089.
• At the Galway Weir, 90 salmon were landed over the past two weeks, mostly on the fly. The O'Reilly family from Dublin, with three generations of anglers, had a special day. Dave O'Reilly (Sr) had a nice 2.7 kg grilse, while his sons Dave and Declan also landed grilse. But grandson Aaron O'Reilly caught the best fish of the day, a lovely 2.9 kg salmon.
• A dozen rod-licence dodgers were ordered to pay more than £1,700 (€2,500) in fines and costs at courts in south Wales last week in prosecutions brought by Environment Agency Wales. They had been fishing without a licence. A day licence is £3.25 (€4.78).
• The Irish Ladies Flyfishing Association (ILFA) held a catch-and-release competition on Annagh Lake, Butler's Bridge, Co Cavan, the weekend before last. Annagh is a stocked rainbow lake and popular with the ladies for practice sessions and social outings.
Results: 1, M Kelly (Belfast); 2, M Rooney (Co Dublin); 3, J McGeever (Co Dublin).
The ILFA intends to host a series of introductory courses in each province for women new to flyfishing. The venues are:
Leinster (Aug 19th), Maynooth Fishery, Co Kildare. www.maynoothfisheries.com;
Munster (Sept 9th): Ballyhass Lakes, Co Cork. www.ballyhasslakes.ie;
Connacht (Sept 16th) Ballinlough, Co Mayo. www.northwestfisheries.ie;
Ulster (Sept 23rd): Loughs Agency, Co L/Derry. www.loughs-agency.org.uk.
• Prizes for the juvenile angling day on the Moy Fishery in Ballina were donated by local tackle dealers Garry Piggott, Ridge Pool Tackle Shop and Paddy Bonner, Ballina Angling Centre.