Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 March 2025
149. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications under the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout (Bag Limits) Bye-Law No. 1013 of 2024, the number of salmon licences, either local or national, that a recreational angler may be in possession of in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14888/25]
View answerThe Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout (Bag Limits) Bye-law No. 1013 of 2024 regulates the number of salmon or sea trout that a person shall take in 2025. Under this Bye-law, "a person shall not take by rod and line more than 10 fish in 2025, ‘’fish’’ meaning salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) or both’’.
The classes of fisheries licences are governed by the Inland Fisheries Acts 1959 to 2017. Section 66 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 sets out the classes of fisheries licences, and Section 67(5) provides that ‘A separate ordinary fishing licence shall be issued for each separate fishing engine’. The expression “salmon rod ordinary licence” means an ordinary fishing licence to fish with rod and line for salmon.
Whilst the Inland Fisheries Acts make no reference to the number of salmon fishing licences that a recreational angler may take out, each angler must have a separate ordinary fishing licence for each fishing engine in use and shall not take more than 10 fish in any year irrespective of the number of ordinary fishing licences taken out for that year.
