Plans to address impact of decline in salmon fishing on Mayo's River Moy taking shape

A Mayo Oireachtas member has welcomed plans for a breeding cormorant survey on the Moy catchment area, including Lough Conn and Lough Cullin, to assess their impact on the decline of salmon in the River Moy.

Senator Mark Duffy said the move comes with the backdrop of a decrease in the number of salmon being caught on the River Moy, which is the jewel in the crown and is recognised internationally for the abundance of salmon in it, its special ecological status and the biodiversity along it.

"Unfortunately, in recent years, for a multitude of different reasons, there has been a marked decline in the number of salmon being caught.

"The area relies heavily on tourism and benefits a lot from it. There is a real tradition and generational enjoyment of fishing on the river in a sensitive way.

"I have recently raised the need and potential for a LIFE project along the River Moy, which could help to identify positive, ecologically sensitive interventions that could be made to protect the spawning salmon and the sea trout that are further out in the estuary.

"As I learned during a meeting with the Moy Action Group, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to improve the stock.

"One of the approaches is to use more accurate fish counters so we have better data to understand how many fish are moving through the river at each moment in time.

"Such an initiative was carried out in Galway, where smolt shepherding allows for better protection of smolts as they move through the river. It helped to increase the number of salmon by one third.

"There was a marked improvement because of smolt shepherding on that river. It was a much easier area in which to do it than the River Moy, however.

I would welcome the commencement of a breeding cormorant survey on the River Moy to understand what can be done to improve outcomes for salmon on the river. This is one small element of a much broader picture of challenges that salmon fishing on the River Moy, which is in decline, faces. I would welcome the Minister of State's contribution on the matter.