23/11/13 News Flash, from Salmon Watch Ireland

(24 November 2013) - Salmon Watch Ireland welcomes the decision of the European Commission to re-open its file on complaints submitted to it in 2009 about the impact of salmon farm generated sea lice on migrating juvenile wild salmon.  The complaints had been lodged by Salmon Watch Ireland (‘SWIRL’) and Friends of the Irish Environment (‘FIE’).  The re-opening of the file has resulted from FIE drawing the attention of the Commission to the fact that an analysis of data about the impact of sea lice on juvenile wild salmons by the Marine Institute has been strongly contested by an eminent group of international scientists.
In addition to the re-opening of the Commission file, the Irish Ombudsman is conducting an inquiry into allegations that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine withheld from the Commission’s investigation of the SWIRL/FIE complaints a report from Inland Fisheries Ireland which gave a very different picture about the impact of sea lice and Irish efforts to control it, than that put forward by the Department;  the Department has responsibility for both the development and the regulation of salmon farming.  The Ombudsman has recently extended his investigation to include the actions of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the matter.
The Commission has re-opened its file on the sea lice issue as a result of its’ attention being drawn to a paper in the Journal of Fish Diseases in August 2013 which seriously questioned the analysis of sea lice data by a number of scientists from the Marine Institute (‘MI’) published in the same journal earlier in 2013.  The Marine Institute analysis (in a version published in papers in 2011) was relied on by Bord Iascaigh Mhara in the compilation of its’ Environmental Impact Statement for the Galway Bay super-salmon-farm project.  The authors of the August 2013 paper, led by Professor M Krkosek of the University of Toronto, concluded that were ‘fundamental methodological errors’ in the MI analysis and that rather than sea-lice having a 1% impact on survival rates of salmon at sea, the true rate is of the order of 34%.
Despite undertakings to do so, the MI have to date failed to respond to the Krkosek paper’s criticisms.
Commenting on these developments, the chair of the board of Salmon Watch Ireland, Niall Greene, said:  ‘The decision of the EU Commission to reopen its file on the 2009 complaints of Salmon Watch Ireland and Friends of the Irish Environment, about the impact of salmon farm generated concentrations of sea lice on wild salmon, is a very significant development.  Taken together with the Irish Ombudsman’s investigation into allegations that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine failed to transmit critical information relevant to the Commission’s investigations of the complaints, this means that the behaviour of the Department, of BIM and of the Marine Institute on salmon farming issues is once again now under close scrutiny’ .

6/11/13

News and Events October 2013
News from the hatchery!
13,500 fry have now been released into the upper catchment!
Tom O'Shea has produced 20,000 fish from the hatchery this year,
a massive increase from the same number of broodstock salmon.
A total of 15 hen fish and 9 cock fish, caught up on the Cummeragh
River last December have produced this amazing result. This week the fish
were graded for size and the smaller fry released. The grown on parr are to
be finclipped towards the end of November and a proportion released into
the system. As reported earlier, 5 fin clipped grilse were caught this last
season from the stocking in 2011, a very good result from the 4500 total
of fish stocked.

The Waterville Fisheries will be represented this coming weekend at the
Fly Fair in Galway! Tadhg O'Sullivan, chairman of our local steering committee
and Secretary, Kevin O'Sullivan will represent us a t this poular fair and hopefully
generate new business for the Wateville Community!

12/10/13

 The Waterville Fishery ended on a high note in the fly department and the boozing and partying department. So on that note we will head out onto Lough Currane and the C&R hired out boat department of www.lakelandshouse.com Mr. DJ Riordan and his good friend, caught 26 Sea Trout to their boat. Also in good form in Franks hired out department was Mr. John McKinsey. who Caught 6 Sea Trout. Staying in the hired out boat department, Mr. Boot and party caught 7 Sea Trout. Now we cut across the Lake to the North Side and the Bungalow, Italian angler Mr. Enrico Fantasia fishing with his Gillie Mr. Neil O’Shea of www.oshealoughcurrane.com caught 8 Sea Trout, ranging from Juniors up to 2 ½ lbs. and all returned. Staying with the Bungalow, Mr. Niall Sayers and Mr. Richard Amy caught a fine Salmon and 12 Sea trout in the Junior Class and in the afternoon Niall’s Dad, Jim, teamed up with them and caught 8 Juniors to his rod and they also caught a fine Brown Trout in the 1 lbs class. Now we go down the North shore, Mr. Phil Staniforth, while fishing with his Gillie Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com caught 12 Sea Trout, ranging from Juniors up to 2 lbs. Now we head upstream and to the upper lakes and Lough Namona Mr. Jeremy O’Connor fishing with his Gillie Mr. Tom O’Shea of www.flyfishingatloughcurrane.com caught and released a fine Sea Trout in the 2 lbs class. Now to the end of season W.F.D.G. 2000 Euro draw, which was held in the Lobster and was won by Mr. Liam Boland of Cork and his winning ticket was pulled out of the Box by Avril of the Lobster Bar. Now we head up to the Waterville Inn and to the giving out of the Waterville Inn’s Salmon and Sea Trout Cups and the in the Salmon Department, Local and renowned Gillie Mr. Mike Dwyer won the Paddy Carey Cup for catching the first Salmon in 2013 and the jolly Swagman Sea trout Cup was won by Mr. Paul Lawton of Cork for catching and releasing a massive Sea Trout in the 14 lbs class and of course not forgetting Paul’s Gillie Mr. Liam Ellis of Waterville, and a big thanks to their video man Mr. Peter Muldoon of Cork for catching it all on video and staying with Paul playing his Sea Trout, I would like to thank Technology Kerry of www.techkerry.com for editing the video all into one film it was first class and every one in the Waterville Inn were impressed and last but not least on behalf of all the anglers I would like to thank the Landlord Mr. Damien Duff and his good wife Sally and all their staff for a great end of season party. I would also like to say thank you to all the team at the Inland fisheries Ireland and of www.fisheriesireland.ie  for all their help this past season as they always do. On a personal note I would like to thank you all the readers and anglers for sending your photos and for sending your own notes in, all I can say please keep it up because this site is your site and I look forward to reporting to you all in 2014 just one bit of news I will be keeping you updated with the hatchery and all the news in the closed season so keep watching this space.                                    
   

Avril takes out the winning ticket  

Kevin O'Sullivan, Avril and the Chairmen Mr. Michael Roden of the W.F.D.G. with the winning ticket 

Damian presents the Paddy Carey Cup to Mike Dwyer 

Damian  gives the Jolly Swagmen Sea Trout Cup to Paul Lawton

Mr. Enrico Fantasia of Italy, caught 6 Sea Trout while fishing with his Gillie Mr. Neil O’Shea of www.oshealoughcurrane.com and just for the record their Sea Trout were all returned. Now to the hired out boat department of Waterville Boats and at Watervilleboats@gmail.com Mr. Michael O’Sullivan was telling me that one of his boats caught 3 Juniors. Now we head up stream to the upper lakes and Lough Derriana. Mr. Jeremy O’Connor, fishing with his Gillie Mr. Tom O’Shea of www.flyfishingatloughcurrane.com caught 2 Juniors. Wind NE light with bright sunshine.              
     

10/10/13

There was some reasonable fishing on Lough Currane, and here are the Sea Trout results for the Waterville fishery. We will go straight to the Franks Hired out boat department and of www.lakelandshouse.com Mr. John Holsters caught 9 Sea Trout up to 1 ½ lbs to his rod also in good form was Mr. Phil Cronin caught 6 Sea Trout in the Junior class and yesterday 9/10/13 Phil also caught 6 Juniors. Staying in Franks hired out boats, John and Vivian McKeckney, caught 2 Juniors to their boat. Now we cut across the the Lake to the north side and the Gillie Department, Phil and Tara Staniforth, fishing with their Gillie Mr. Dominic McGillicuddy of www.fishingwithdom.com   caught 4 Sea Trout up to 2 lbs. Now we go upstream to the upper Lakes and Lough Namona, Mr. Ray Burns, while fishing with his Gillie Mr. Neil O’Shea of www.oshealoughcurrane.com caught 2 Trout.          
     

9/10/13

C&R 5 lbs Sea Trout caught by Mr. Paul Hyland

The same results as yesterday. So we will head for the backdate Sea Trout department of the 6/10/13 and in the words of Mr. Paul Hyland, Vincent, apologies for late picture and report. Picture is not great either. Choppy lake and in a tight spot!
Dropped phone in sump of boat. Been doing odd things ever since. Got the attached fish on Sunday late in the evening - i think it's a good 5lb. Did well enough over four days prior to that. Best fishing all year.    

8/10/13 Updated

All quiet on the SW front. Wind NW light with reasonable cloud cover.