Two significant cases of illegal salmon netting identified in Donegal

Inland Fisheries Ireland has seized 26 untagged salmon in The Glenties area in Donegal and 1,100 yards of illegal salmon drift nets off Inishbeg Island.
The seizures were secured last week by Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Fisheries Officers who are based in Donegal.
The first seizure took place following covert surveillance by Fisheries Officers which resulted in 26 untagged salmon being identified.
The second occurred at Inisbeg Island later the same day while Fisheries Officers were conducting sea patrols along the North West coast of Donegal.
Two drift nets, measuring 600 yards and 500 yards respectively, were located drifting east of Inishbeg Island and were seized together with two salmon.
The Fisheries Officers were utilising the first of a new fleet of 7.8 Delta RIB boats recently commissioned by Inland Fisheries Ireland and officially launched by the Minister of State for Inland Fisheries, Sean Kyne and Joe McHugh TD, Minister with responsibility for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands in Rathmullan, Co. Donegal last month.
Dr Milton Matthews, Inland Fisheries Ireland Director of the North West River Basin said: “Both incidents highlight the importance of ongoing Inland Fisheries Ireland offshore and coastal patrols to protect migrating salmon and sea trout stocks against illegal fishing activity at a time when salmon stocks are under severe pressure from high temperatures, very low water levels and a long term decline in survival rates at sea.