Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
310. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to reverse the decision to ban salmon draft net fishing in 2026 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75312/25]
View answerNo decision has been made yet on measures for the 2026 season. Submissions received following public consultation on the proposals are currently being considered
The scientific advice informing management measures for 2026 is provided by the Technical Group on Salmon (TEGOS), in its Status of Irish Salmon Stocks in 2026 with Catch Advice for 2026, published at www.fisheriesireland.ie/publications. River-by-river assessments are set out in Appendix IV of that report.
Overall, the classification of rivers as open, catch-and-release only, or closed is based on probability-based scientific assessment carried out by TEGOS. Closure is proposed where the assessment indicates a high probability that stocks will fail to meet their conservation limit, even in the absence of fishing. A river closure is a temporary, stock-based conservation measure applied equally across all fishing methods and should not be conflated with a ban on fishing or on any particular method such as draft netting.
