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The Skerries and Causeway, Co Antrim, Draft Special Area of Conservation (SAC) 5-4-11 Ulster Angling Federation Comment on Proposal Skerries and Causeway, Co Antrim, Proposal to Designate as Draft Special Area of Conservation SAC 057 05/04/2011 Index 1 2 3 4 5 6 Background The Resource of Angling Salmon Populations Priority Species SAC Proposals Summary Appendix 1 Dublin Sunday Independent article 3-4-11 Appendix 2 Marine survival of R. Bush salmon Appendix 3 Graph of Foyle Area adult salmon total populations Abbreviations used in the text: ICES NASCO NIEA SAC International Council for the Exploration of the Sea North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation Northern Ireland Environment Agency Special area of Conservation Page 1 of 4 The Skerries and Causeway, Co Antrim, Draft Special Area of Conservation (SAC) 5-4-11 1 Background The Ulster Angling Federation is the representative body for game angling associations in Northern Ireland. We have a membership of some 60 associations with a total individual membership of some 7,000 anglers. The Federation represents anglers in discussions with Public Bodies, Government and other NGO’s and has been in existence since 1930. We are represented on a wide range of committees to ensure the concerns of anglers are heard. Our member Angling Associations are very concerned about the considerable increase in seal populations along the coast, and the damage being done to migratory salmonid fish populations as a result. It is important that the natural integrity of salmonid populations is protected to allow continuation of their natural ecology, not presently possible in light of the increase in seal numbers. The following comments are made in that light. 2 The Resource of Angling Local Angling Associations have worked extremely hard for many years to conserve, protect, and enhance not only the fishery on rivers but also the entire river environment, for the benefit of local people and increasingly, visitors. Countless (voluntary) man-hours and hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent to improve rivers and associated fisheries: these Associations continue to provide a self-financing and voluntary communitybased effort to look after the rivers. A huge effort is now underway to protect and conserve the trout and salmon – many sea nets have been retired and strict limits on rod catches have been brought in. The Pricewaterhouse Coopers Report of July 2007 for DCAL on the social and economic value of angling in NI, states that all forms of angling in NI support some 780 full time equivalent jobs, and are worth some £40m p.a. to the NI economy, mostly from game angling. If this jobs/economic benefit is to maintained and enhanced, the provision of good water habitat is absolutely vital for our fisheries. The DCAL study highlighted the impressive record of angling in promoting a healthy, outdoor activity with an almost unmatched record in eliminating sectarian influences. Angling Associations are now responsible for selling large numbers of day tickets to visiting anglers and are generating considerable interest in NI among anglers from outside the area. 3 Salmon Populations 3.1 Overall Situation in the North Atlantic The status of salmon in the north Atlantic is that numbers are very poor and falling. Stocks generally are at a historic low point, although there are some pockets of salmon which are escaping the trend e.g. Iceland, Kola (Russia). Fish numbers are in widespread decline and ever more restrictive regulations are being introduced to preserve what is left of the stock. Page 2 of 4 The Skerries and Causeway, Co Antrim, Draft Special Area of Conservation (SAC) 5-4-11 There are a number of reasons for this, associated with habitat loss, and predation e.g. by seals and cormorants. According to NASCO, recent trends indicate that salmon numbers will remain very low for the foreseeable future. This effect has been clearly shown in the marine survival of salmon as recorded at the river Bush (NASCO/ICES Index River) as shown in Appendix 2. Survival of salmon at sea is now in the range 4/6 % compared to 30 % previously. We are convinced seals have had some effect on this. The outcome of this analysis is that in the last decade salmon numbers generally in the north Atlantic have plummeted and will not recover in the foreseeable future. 3.2 Local Salmon Populations The fisheries context in which this proposal is made needs to be examined in light of recent events. Historically, the salmon fishery of the Foyle system has been extremely rich, with the reported commercial net catch peaking at 150,000 fish in 1964. This contrasts with the present very poor state of the stock - the UAF is presently estimating the total run into the entire Foyle/Roe/Faughan systems collectively at around a historic low point of 25,000/30,000 fish. Adult returns information is set out in Appendix 3. The figures represent an estimate of total returns giving a qualitative indication of the overall position before 2000 (some limits on counter returns in this period), and a quantitative indication after 2000. There is a risk to salmon numbers, particularly from predation. The protection of the remainder of the salmon is paramount. It can be seen from the graph in Appendix 3 that there is a very substantial drop in adult returns of salmon to the Loughs Agency area from then to the present. Partial counts only are available in certain years, however even when allowances are made for this shortfall in information, there remains a clear overall downward trend. Substantial reductions in exploitation by nets were introduced by the Loughs Agency in 2007; there is no evidence of benefit in terms of additional salmon entering the rivers as a result. In 2009 the commercial net catch in the LA area was approximately 1,900 salmon, a historic low. The situation in the Bann/ Lough Neagh system, and other coastal rivers in NI, is broadly the same - the stock is in sharp decline and is in need of protection. 3.3 Discussion The precipitous decline in the returning adult salmon stock in Northern Ireland is of great concern. There are three areas of action which can be taken to protect the stock; .1 .2 .3 Address problems in the marine phase Reduce exploitation Address problems in the freshwater phase Page 3 of 4 The Skerries and Causeway, Co Antrim, Draft Special Area of Conservation (SAC) 5-4-11 Considerable efforts have been made to reduce the exploitation of the stock: to date the reductions have not even made up for the continued losses elsewhere in the life-cycle. Juvenile stocks are generally mixed: diminishing adult runs will struggle to redress that situation. Therefore there is a clear imperative to ensure that all aspects of the salmon environment are maintained at optimum beneficial level to nurture juvenile socks, and have the maximum number of fish spawning. It is necessary therefore to ensure that maximum effort is made to have all aspects of the salmon environment in a natural condition, including the control of predation by seals and cormorants. 4 Priority Species A review of the UK priority species was undertaken in 2005. This was a thorough and inclusive process. These proposals were agreed by Governments of all four UK administrations in August 2007. As a direct follow-on to this UK review, a review of Northern Ireland Priority Species has recently been completed by the Northern Ireland Species Delivery Group as part of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy. The new Northern Ireland priority species list includes salmon. 5 SAC Proposals Under the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy, the new Northern Ireland priority species list includes salmon but not Grey seals. The salmon is under ever increasing pressure and we request that salmon are included as a secondary interest feature for this draft SAC in order to protect their juvenile (smolt), and returning adult, life stages in the marine environment. These islands are located directly on the most important salmon migration routes in the north of Ireland; in summer and autumn in periods of low rainfall, it is common for salmon to spend many weeks at sea waiting for the rivers to come into flood to facilitate upstream migration. 6 Summary We request that salmon are included as a secondary interest feature for this draft SAC in order to protect their juvenile (smolt), and returning adult, life stages in the marine environment. Robbie Marshall Development Officer Ulster Angling Federation 05/04/2011 Page 4 of 4