Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
330. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which the decision was reached for fishing on the Blackwater making it catch & release for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74461/25]
View answer331. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department will be able to compensate a club (details supplied) for the losses they will incur by making fishing on the Blackwater catch & release for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74462/25]
View answer333. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment regarding the published electro fishing numbers for fry, if he will confirm whether this is based on five year statistics. [74464/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 330, 331 and 333 together.
No 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 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. Catch and release is proposed where adult forecast returns are at or are close to conservation limits and where the probability-based analysis indicates that allowing a harvest would reduce the likelihood of meeting those limits. The proposed classifications for the Blackwater arise from the application of this probability-based methodology to their respective stock assessments, as set out in Appendix IV of the TEGOS Report.
I recognise that the introduction of catch and release measures on a river can have implications for local angling clubs and communities. These measures are applied to protect vulnerable salmon stocks and support long-term sustainability and, while I acknowledge the concerns raised, there is no statutory provision for compensation arising from fisheries conservation measures.
I can confirm, as per the methodology set out in the TEGOS report, electro-fishing data for fry is interpreted using multi-year datasets. This is primarily based on the mean of the five most recent surveys available for a catchment. If fewer than five surveys are available, a minimum of three surveys is typically required to calculate the mean.
