Salmon Watch Ireland

Salmon Watch Ireland Salmon Watch Ireland is a membership organisation dedicated to the restoration of salmon abundance in Ireland.

Salmon Watch Ireland is a company limited by guarantee governed by the Companies Acts. The Memorandum of Association of the company adopted at its 2007 Annual General Meeting sets out the following objectives:

• To do all things necessary to contribute to the conservation and restoration to abundance of the wild Atlantic salmon and in particular to engage in research, training, education, advocacy and campaign programmes directed towards that end.
• To raise awareness among the public of the threat to stocks of wild salmon and the measures needed to restore salmon abundance, of the heritage, environmental, social, economic and recreational importance of achieving that objective and of the particular threat that would be posed to salmon stocks by any restoration of mixed stock fishing for salmon. Salmon Watch Ireland is, therefore, dedicated to salmon conservation and is not a representative organisation for anglers – a role that is filled by the country’s game angling federations. Salmon Watch Ireland is an approved NGO observer at the inter-governmental North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation and is affiliated to the Pure Salmon Campaign.

Alarming but certainly not unexpected. Nitrates derogation and unsustainable agriculture is driving this and cannot be a...
18/09/2026

Alarming but certainly not unexpected. Nitrates derogation and unsustainable agriculture is driving this and cannot be addressed without policy change and enforcement.

The EPA's Early Insights Nitrogen Report for January to June 2026 shows a 4.3% increase in nitrogen levels in Ireland's major rivers, marking a second consecutive year of increase.

Salmon Watch Ireland conference Athlone 14 November 2026 - Mark the date.
16/09/2026

Salmon Watch Ireland conference Athlone 14 November 2026 - Mark the date.

Dear Supporter, We are delighted to invite you to the Salmon Watch Ireland Annual Conference, taking place on Saturday, 14 November 2026 at the Sheraton Athlone Hotel. This year’s conference brings together scientists, fisheries professionals, environmental organisations and those working directly...

09/09/2026

Subject: Newsletter 46 – What Ireland’s Fish Counters Are Telling Us

Dear Supporter,

Please find attached Newsletter 46, in which we take a detailed look at Inland Fisheries Ireland’s latest fish-counter data and what the results tell us about the changing fortunes of Ireland’s wild salmon and sea trout.

The five-year comparison presents a mixed picture. There are encouraging signs on rivers such as the Feale, Eske and Kerry Blackwater, while the exceptionally poor result from the Lackagh and the continuing weakness of salmon returns to the Erriff underline the seriousness of the challenges facing many stocks.

We also look more closely at the Erriff sea-trout population and salmon farming in Killary Harbour. Combining counter results with IFI tagging and telemetry studies and Marine Institute sea-lice monitoring provides important evidence of the relationship between farm conditions, lice pressure and wild sea-trout survival. The increase from 844 sea trout in 2023 to 1,356 in 2024 and 2,089 in 2025 is particularly noteworthy.

The newsletter also highlights the encouraging performance of the Feale, where catch-and-release and the absence of commercial exploitation are allowing more returning salmon the opportunity to reach the spawning grounds.

Finally, we consider the continuing gaps in Ireland’s fish-counter network, particularly at Waterville/Currane, and why reliable long-term monitoring must be central to future salmon conservation.

We hope you find the newsletter informative and, as always, welcome your comments and observations.

Kind regards

John

John Murphy
Director
Salmon Watch Ireland
https://salmonwatchireland.ie
[email protected]
Phone 086 3991074

https://salmonwatchireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Newsletter-Number-46-2025-Consolidated-Fish-Counter-Report.pdf

10/08/2026
This is a shocking but unsurprising item on Prime Time. Intensification of agriculture is out of control. The derogation...
31/07/2026

This is a shocking but unsurprising item on Prime Time. Intensification of agriculture is out of control. The derogation for nitrates and exponential growth of grasslands for milk production is essentially putting rivers into a spiral towards devastation. Added to this is the absence of updated waste water infrastructure.
Personal responsibility also is lacking with unsustainable use of water. It must be remembered that all used water must be treated before discharge.
Intense rainfall events do not help but infrastructure is lacking to safely manage this storm flow.
Can the situation be reversed?
Reduction of dairy farming is required
No nitrate derogation
Mandatory silt traps on all land drainage
Slow flood flow by use of leaky dams
Reintegrate flood plains
Incentivise water harvesting in urban areas.
Mandatory riparian zones on all rivers in catchment.
Upgrade WWT and mandatory management of septic systems
This is an emergency and requires concerted action.
We know there are plans to improve water quality in catchment but without mandatory rules, it will not work.
Activities which impact water quality should never be tolerated. Good farming practise in regard to slurry, yard water and chemical fertiliser are universally ignored without adequate sanction.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EK1rZGDXd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

More rivers in Ireland are deteriorating than improving according to the latest EPA assessment

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