Brown Tags Regulations: Waterville Catchment in Kerry

‘Brown Tags’ conservation regulations to come into force for Salmon Anglers in Kerry

To boost conservation efforts, anglers who wish to catch and keep wild salmon from the Waterville catchment in 2022, are being advised that ‘brown tag’ regulations are coming into force from Monday, January 17th 2022.

The measures are included in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations, recently signed into law by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, T.D.

Under brown tag regulations, an angler who wishes to ‘harvest’ a wild salmon and keep it, must attach a brown tag as well as a standard blue tag to the fish. To help conserve stocks of wild salmon within the Waterville catchment, a total of 64 brown tags will be available for the season and will be distributed to anglers with a 2022 rod licence through a lottery system.

Three draws are set to take place in 2022 and these will be held on January 10th (to allocate 24 brown tags), February 28th (to allocate 20 brown tags) and finally on March 28th (to allocate the remaining 20 brown tags). Anglers with a 2022 rod licence who are not allocated a brown tag are only permitted to fish for salmon on a ‘catch and release’ basis in the Waterville catchment, where the salmon is returned safely to the same waterbody.

Any anglers that are interested in entering the January draw are being asked to email their request to us at watervillebrowntag2022@fisheriesireland.ie between January 1st and January 7th 2022, providing their contact details and quoting their 2022 Salmon Licence number.

Further details are available by phoning our Macroom office on (026) 41221.

The brown tag regulations come into force on the Waterville catchment from January 17th and will remain in place until midnight on May 12th 2022.

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FULL TEXT OF NOTICE

Salmon Anglers – Waterville Catchment in Kerry for 2022

****Brown Tags Required****

Salmon anglers are advised that from 17th January 2022 to midnight of 12th May 2022, Brown Tag regulations will be in force on the Waterville Catchment.

64 Brown Tags are available for the season. Inland Fisheries Ireland hereby gives notice that distribution of brown tags will be by lottery.

Inland Fisheries Ireland will therefore select 24 anglers to receive a brown tag on 10 January 2021.

Any angler requesting a brown tag must be in possession of a valid 2022 Salmon Licence and must apply by email only to:  Watervillebrowntag2022@fisheriesireland.ie from 01 January 2022 until  midnight on Friday, 07th January 2022.

Anglers must provide in their email entry:

1. Name
2. Contact Address
3. Telephone Number
4. 2022 Salmon Licence number – including licence letter prefix

This is the only method to apply for a brown tag.  Anglers may only fish one brown tag over the full season. Multiple applications will disqualify. Salmon Licences are available to buy online at: https://store.fishinginireland.info

Further lotteries will take place on 28/02/22 for 20 Brown tags. Applications for this draw may be made from 14/02/22 to 25/02/22.

And 28/03/22 for 20 Brown tags. Applications for this draw may be made from 14/03/22 to 25/03/22.

Salmon anglers not in possession of a Brown Tag must fish using Catch and Release methods i.e., single or double barbless hooks. Use of worms is not permitted. A Salmon cannot be taken unless the angler is in possession of a Brown Tag. If a Salmon is taken (‘harvested’), both a Blue and Brown Tag must be affixed to the fish. Failure to do so may result in penalties.

Inland Fisheries Ireland will send all applicants an entry number for the lottery by email before the draw which will take place on Monday 10th January 2022. No personal information will be shared and five reserve licence numbers will be drawn in case the initial offer of a brown tag is not taken up. Tags will be issued to successful applicants by an IFI representative or by post.

Application may be made for the first draw between Saturday 01st January 2022 and Friday 07th January to: Watervillebrowntag2022@fisheriesireland.ie.  And other draws during allocated dates.

Please note that late or early applications will be excluded.

For further information, please telephone the Inland Fisheries Ireland office in Macroom on (026) 41221.

Information about angling quotas

Quotas for how many fish an angler can catch and keep (harvested) are set by Fisheries Managers every year, on the basis of scientific advice.

These quotas reflect the ‘exploitable surplus’ in any river, as follows:

1. In cases where the exploitable surplus cannot sustain angling, that particular fishery is closed for the season.

2. Where it can sustain angling, but not exploitation (harvesting the fish for consumption), the river is opened on a ‘catch and release only’ basis where the fish is returned safely to the same waterbody.

3. Where there is a modest harvestable surplus with a risk of over exploitation, a brown gill tag system is introduced where it is considered necessary in the interests of conserving stocks to closely monitor the angling quotas. This is to ensure that river-based quotas are not exceeded.  Where these restrictions apply, you must be in possession of a brown tag specific to that river to harvest salmon, to be used in conjunction with a blue tag.  Similar to blue tags, brown tags issued contain a unique serial number specific to that licence holder and are not transferable between licence holders.   

4. And finally, where there is an adequate exploitable surplus, the river is opened with the standard 10 tag allocation issued in lots of 3 or 4.