Ronan's page - Salmon farming in Ireland

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:57 pm

Hey guys should we set up a petition for this? It seemed to work for Matt.

Cheers, Paul

Will · Post by **Will** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:24 pm

I'll sign. Great FP Ronan.

W.

PS can we have a permanent link to Ronan's FP (when it's archived) on this thread - so that people who miss it can easily read it?

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:30 pm

Good idea - Ronan's FP.

LINK TO THE PETITION!

petevicar · Post by **petevicar** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:55 pm

I agree it is a great front page.

I "fished" or should I say I angled at Ballynahinch in 2003. There were very few salmon around but I caught a black fish that turned out to be a sea trout that was completely covered in sea lice. It was disgusting.
I know a lot of people have put a lot of work and money into the SOS (save our seatrout) campaign on the west coast of Ireland, particularly Peter Mantle at Delphi Lodge.
It would be a tragedy if this all came to nothing.

The West Coast of Ireland, when it is not raining, is one of the most beautiful places I know.

NZneil · Post by **NZneil** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:20 pm

"The West Coast of Ireland, when it is not raining, is one of the most beautiful places I know. "

Im with you on that one Pete.
Ive also fished the West Coast, it seems such a shame that ignorance reigns agains.

How many other rivers are affected by similar schemes?

flyfishfairwx · Post by **flyfishfairwx** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:38 pm

I am with you all on this one, Sea lice infestation from fish farming, is a global problem... lets beat it....

Solwarra · Post by **Solwarra** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:04 am

It was a good front page Ronan. Doubtless the cash that repeatedly funds this folly comes from the EU.

I don't know what the situation is in Ireland but in Australia you can email the relevant Government Minister directly and then it's a matter of public record. I think this goes one better than just putting your name and address on a petition because not only does it allows you to outline why you oppose or support a certain policy but it's aimed directly at the guy responsible.

Is there no local protest group already in existance for this?

Matt

rrw35 · Post by **rrw35** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:36 pm

minister@agriculture.gov.ie

Here is the e mail link to the Irish minister for agriculture.

Don't be expecting them to actually listen, after their years of procrastination over the salmon netting issue. :glare:

Sent them an e mail, highlighting the financial implications for tourism, due to diminishing fish runs as a result.

Money is the only language politicians understand.

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:49 pm

OK let's try the petition. Someone want to have a go at wording it?

KiKi · Post by **KiKi** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:28 pm

This is a disgrace I fished at Ballynahinch last season and there was a real sense of hope as there were good numbers fish returning as a result of the absence of salmon farming in the estuary. The Irish Government are a joke and they couldnt care less about our fisheries.
Keith

ACW · Post by **ACW** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:36 pm

Already had a email to the above adress , the more we do this here and elsewhere eventually we can change the politicians minds .
wont happen quickly but the more we agitate and keep the news that fish farms and their product is not helping the natural balances in the general publics eye the better.
Working in catering I am constantly nagging my chefs re serving farmed salmon,some dont even know that salmon are farmed they think smoked salmon comes from wild fish ,then I show them price lists for some of the rare smoked wild salmon they get the point !
Sorry rambling a bit but I hate the salmon farms ,was a time that I thought it was the salvation of wild fish .Now i know differently thanks in no small way to Bruce Sandison and his great work of a few years ago !

irishjohn · Post by **irishjohn** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:33 pm

Its shocking to hear that a licence has been granted for these salmon farms in this area...

I am from Clifden, Connemara and have fished the Ballynahinch system in the past couple of years. The fish catch reports from the system have been so encouraging over the past few years and all the hard work of the fishery staff has clearly paid off...

It's incredible that 20 years after the fish farms brought about the descimation of fish stocks in this very system the farms were granted a licence to wipe out the stocks again...
An email has been sent to the minister....

John O'Malley.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:12 pm

E-mail sent to the address given.

W.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:48 pm

Paul Arden wrote:OK let's try the petition. Someone want to have a go at wording it?

Paul

How about this. Strangely like Ronan's FP! Dunno if this is what's needed? I think the petition should be posted and started by Ronan, as I think it'll have more weight if it's kicked off by the locals:

We the undersigned protest about the resumption of salmon farming in the estuary at Ballynahinch.

Until the late 1980’s the Ballynahinch System in Connemara, Ireland was regarded as the best sea trout fishery in Ireland with up to 5,500 sea trout and 500 salmon being caught annually.

The introduction of salmon farming in the estuary at Ballynahinch in 1988 destroyed the stocks of both salmon and sea trout. Annual sea trout rod catches collapsed from 5,500 to 100 whilst the salmon catch fell from 500 to 50. The sea lice emanating from these salmon farms have been proven to be the cause of this utter decimation of the wild stock of salmonids. The population of these tiny creatures, which naturally occur in the wild, exploded due to the massive increase in available hosts (ie over one million salmon in up to 30 open pens in the estuary). The migrating salmon and trout were attacked by sea lice as soon as they went into the seawater and died as a direct result of the infection or from secondary skin infections due to the breakdown of their immune barrier.

Over the period 1988-2004, the salmon farm went bankrupt 3 times incurring huge financial losses, despite massive government grants. In 2004 the salmon operation ceased and a cod farming operation commenced in the Ballynahinch estuary with a 3 year trial licence. Cod aquaculture does not propagate the harmful salmon louse that has proved so detrimental to the wild stocks at Ballynahinch and other parts of Ireland. From 2004 until 2008, the sea trout rod catches at Ballynahinch improved from 100 to 1,500 and the salmon catches have increased from 50 to 270.

Without doubt the resurgence in the wild salmon and sea trout seen over the past four years will be wiped out when the fish migrate from Ballynahinch to the estuary in the spring of 2009.

This situation cannot be allowed to continue. The Irish Government cannot sit back and watch as another environmental disaster unfolds. This impending catastrophe can be stopped if the Irish Government stops the resumption of salmon farming in the estuary. The value of a wild fishery in terms of recreational angling and related tourism income far outweighs the unviable, fundamentally flawed industry that is salmon farming in the Ballynahinch estuary.

We ask that the Irish Government takes immediate steps to outlaw salmon farming in this estuary.

Ronan · Post by **Ronan** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:17 am

great to hear such a positive response, i'll start the petition.. not sure exactly how to but i like wills post. i just found out my fp was up today so i have not had a chance to reply til now. tomorrow i'll read all posts again and reply to all the questions. thanks guys. Ronan..

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