Angling bye-law suspends fishing on Ballisodare River system as IFI investigates cause of ongoing salmon mortalities
- Bye-law applies to lakes, rivers, streams and estuaries connected to the Ballysadare System
Inland Fisheries Ireland(IFI) and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications have suspended all fishing on the Ballysadare System in Co. Sligo due to concerns about more than 900 unexplained salmon mortalities found in the Ballisodare River.
Minister Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications with responsibility for Inland Fisheries, introduced the ‘Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Ballysadare (Closed Rivers), Bye-law No. C.S. 336, 2024’ into operation on Wednesday, July 17th, 2024.
IFI is currently investigating the salmon mortalities and conducting a full environmental analysis of the catchment. IFI awaits postmortem analysis of a number of salmon in order to determine the cause or causes of the deaths.
Both commercial and recreational fishing is prohibited on all waterways in the Ballysadare System, which begins east of Derkmore Point on Sligo Bay and includes Ballisodare River, Templehouse Lough, Ballygawley Lough, and Arrow Lough, as per this map.
The bye-law applies to all fish, shellfish, crabs and crustaceans on the Ballysadare System.
Map of the Ballysadare System. A PDF is available below.
Commenting on IFI’s investigation, Dr Cathal Gallagher, Deputy Chief Executive of IFI, said: “IFI is continuing to find unexplained wild Atlantic salmon mortalities in the Ballysadare system, with 900 fish fatalities now recorded.
“These ongoing fish fatalities are highly concerning.
“IFI is awaiting the results of a catchment environmental analysis along with postmortem analysis of affected salmon, in seeking to understand the cause of these deaths.
“Currently, it is unknown whether or how the cause of these salmon deaths could be impacting other species of fish.
“The scale of these salmon deaths means we must take every precaution.”
The Ballisodare River, part of the Ballysadare river system (file photo).
Ongoing IFI investigations, alongside advice from partners and other environmental experts, will inform the length of time the bye-law prohibiting fishing is in effect.
The bye-law can be viewed and downloaded at the Inland Fisheries Ireland website.
A map of the Ballysadare System waterways can be viewed and downloaded here.
IFI - the State agency responsible for the protection and conservation of freshwater fish and habitats - continues to urge the public to report instances of fish kills, water pollution, habitat destruction, or illegal fishing to our confidential 24/7 number, 0818 34 74 24.
