International fisheries biologist presents a novel approach to boost wild Atlantic salmon populations in Irish rivers

Wednesday 18th October 2017: As part of the Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) Research Seminar Series, Dr Kyle Young, a Research Associate from the University of Zurich, was recently invited to Ireland to give a presentation on his novel approach to enhance wild Atlantic salmon production in river systems. This concept proposes the translocation of wild fry from abundant to low productivity areas within a catchment.

Dr Paddy Gargan (R&D, IFI) on site with Dr Kyle Young in the upper reaches of the National Salmonid Index Catchment.

Natural survival bottlenecks are experienced by Atlantic salmon through each stage of its lifecycle, from egg to fry, fry to parr, parr to smolt and so on. Under natural conditions, the vast majority of wild salmon fry do not survive to become parr. These so called “doomed majorities” can be present in sections of rivers with an initial abundance of emergent salmon fry whose subsequent population size is constrained density dependent mortality and by the carrying capacity of the habitat. Dr Young proposed that such fry could be translocated from these areas to low or non-productive sections of the same river where suitable habitat is present, in an effort to potentially boost the overall production of native wild salmon populations. This approach may minimise the unintended negative consequences of more conventional salmon stocking programmes where wild salmon broodstock are taken from spawning areas and eggs fertilised in the hatchery. Hatchery-origin fish are also typically less well-adapted to thrive than their wild compatriots and the overall fitness of the wild component of a population may be compromised through lower overall survival, interbreeding and competition for resources with stocked fish.

Dr Kyle Young visits the National Salmonid Index Catchment Research Station. (L-R): Mr Darren Craig (NSIC, IFI); Dr Paddy Gargan (R&D, IFI); Mr Martin McEnroe (Board Member, IFI); Dr Kyle Young (University of Zurich); Mr Padraic O’Malley (NSIC, IFI); and Ms Laura Walsh (NSIC, IFI).

Dr Cathal Gallagher, Head of Research & Development in IFI said, “We were delighted to welcome Dr Young to our headquarters in Citywest to further explore the potential of this novel proposal to boost wild Atlantic salmon populations. This iconic species is of both major conservation and socio-economic importance to Ireland. Although wild salmon are widely distributed in Irish freshwaters, their long-term sustainability remains under continued threat from a variety of factors. These include habitat degradation, issues related to aquaculture, oceanic and climatic change, pollution, illegal fishing and over-fishing.”

IFI Research Seminar (L-R): Dr Michael Millane, Dr Willie Roche, Dr Paddy Gargan (R&D, IFI); Mr Fintan Gorman (Chairman, IFI); Dr Kyle Young (University of Zurich); and Dr Cathal Gallagher (Head of R&D, IFI).

Following the Research Seminar, Dr Young visited the National Salmonid Index Catchment (NSIC) at the River Erriff, the Galway Salmon Fishery and the Cong Hatchery facility to further discuss his theorised approach to salmon stocking with IFI management, field staff and researchers. IFI are discussing the possibility of undertaking experimental trials with this novel approach to boost juvenile salmon production upstream of their trapping facilities in the Erriff catchment, the National Salmonid Index Catchment.

For more information, visit The National Salmonid Index Catchment

ENDS

Contact: Paul O’Mahony, Communications Manager, Inland Fisheries Ireland
Tel: +353 (1) 884 2675
Email: paul.omahony@fisheriesireland.ie Website: www.fisheriesireland.ie

Notes to Editors

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. IFI will promote, support, facilitate and advise the Minister on, the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling and develop and advise the Minister on policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling. For more information visit: www.fisheriesireland.ie.