Date: 02/03/2021
Whilst some anglers enjoyed success on the rivers within Foyle and Carlingford in 2020, Loughs Agency continues to take a precautionary approach in line with national and international trends.
The State of the Salmon Report published by the international lead on salmon management, the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), highlights the worrying and continuous decline in the populations of the Atlantic salmon. NASCO states ‘it now takes about double the amount of eggs to produce one adult (compared to 1990’s) that will return to that same river to spawn – an indication of the multiple pressures facing the species throughout its complex life cycle’.
This decline continues to be reflected locally, with rivers such as the Finn in County Donegal, failing to reach its conservation target in 2020 and therefore will continue to operate on a catch and release basis for the 2021 season.
Loughs Agency is calling on anglers to take steps to ensure sustainability of the fisheries of Foyle and Carlingford. It is imperative that we all take a forward thinking approach that balances responsible angling and sustainability.
There are various pressure points, many of which are combined or interconnected during the life cycle of salmonids, with the actions of mankind very much a common thread. Therefore, Loughs Agency is asking anglers to play their part in conserving and protecting these important fish.
Anglers are encouraged to: