Wildlife Conservation

Tuesday, 1 October 2024

Ceisteanna (37)

Mairéad Farrell

Ceist:

37. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason Lough Arrow special area of conservation (SAC) was closed to angling under the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Ballysadare (Closed Rivers), Bye-law No. C.S. 336, 2024 due to multiple unexplained Atlantic salmon mortalities in the Ballysadare/Ballisodare River, considering that Atlantic salmon do not naturally occur in Lough Arrow and are not listed as a ‘qualifying interest’ for the said SAC by the National Parks and Wildlife Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38668/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

All fishing on the Ballysadare system in Co Sligo was suspended on the introduction of the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Ballysadare (Closed Rivers), Bye-law No. C.S. 336, 2024 on 17 July 2024 following concerns about more than 900 unexplained salmon mortalities found in the Ballysadare river.

At that time IFI and partners at the Marine Institute and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine were investigating the salmon mortalities found in the Ballysadare river and in this context had to consider potential disease spread risks to other fish species in the wider catchment. Results of post-mortem analysis to determine the cause or causes of the deaths and associated environmental analyses were not yet available at the time of introduction of the bye-law. Given the absence of results and information and the scale of the salmon fatalities, it was important this byelaw was made as a precautionary measure against any potential disease spread that could occur in the catchment.

The catchment was reopened on 22 August 2024 on the making of the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Ballysadare (Catch and Release) Bye-law No. 1012, 2024.