Minister O’Dowd launches Celtic Sea Trout Project’s findings

Press Release, 18/09/13

Minister Fergus O’Dowd, anglers, environmentalists and fisheries scientists, gathered last night in the Westcourt Hotel in Drogheda to hear some of the key findings of the Celtic Sea Trout Project, which was funded mainly by the EU under the INTERREG 4A Ireland-Wales Programme.

The enigmatic sea trout is a highly prized angling species and to many anglers it is regarded as a fish which offers better sport than the salmon. Sea trout support and sustain important and valuable fisheries throughout the study area of the Celtic Sea Trout Project; the full extent of the Irish Sea and its contributing rivers and selected systems along the south coast of Ireland.

Dr Cathal Gallagher, Head of Research and Development, IFI, Minister Fergus O'Dowd and Brendan O'Mahony, Chairman IFI at the launch of the key findings from the Celtic Sea Trout Project

Ireland is well endowed with sea trout fisheries but other angling treasures, although well known locally, have emerged over the course of the project. Individually, these sea trout fisheries on both our major and lesser rivers have the potential to generate small but important social and economic benefits within local communities. Collectively, their importance and value at a regional and national level may be far greater than generally realised.
In addition to its angling value, the sea trout is a unique and potentially valuable indicator of environmental change and the quality of the aquatic environment and this potential was fully investigated during the project where the marine ecology of sea trout was a key focus.

The CSTP is a unique project in which the scientists worked closely with anglers, fishery owners and inshore and offshore marine fishermen throughout the entire region bordering the Irish Sea and provided the required feedback to keep all informed about the project and the collective sea trout populations within the study area.

Congratulating all those who contributed to the Celtic Sea Trout Project Minister O’Dowd stated “From the outset it was clear that the Celtic Sea Trout Project represented a major step forward to achieving our ultimate goal of maintaining healthy fish stocks that support biodiversity, sustainable fisheries and provide optimum benefits for the general community as a whole”.

From sea trout scales provided by anglers and others a broad pattern of life histories emerged. This was of faster growth and higher survival (more multiple spawners) in southern Wales rivers; high survival, but somewhat slower growth in the northwest England rivers and lower survival off the Irish coast, where finnock (fish returning in the same year that they smolted) dominated the runs in most rivers. The Currane system in Kerry, was a notable exception with a high proportion of long-lived adult sea trout.

The comprehensive genetic study found nine principal regional groups within the data set and clear differences in the areas that these groups occupied during their marine feeding migration, although there were also examples of substantial exchange rates between them. This was demonstrated by some migrants which were recorded up to 300 km from their river of origin.

…ENDS…

Media Enquiries

Suzanne Campion,
Head of Business Development,
Inland Fisheries Ireland,
Anglesea Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Tel: 052 6180055 Fax: 052 6123971
Email: suzanne.campion@fisheriesireland.ie Website: www.fisheriesireland.ie

Notes for the editor

The CSTP’s primary aims are to:

further the conservation of trout biodiversity and to enable better management of sea trout stocks in their freshwater and marine environments so as to strengthen their social, economic and cultural benefits to local and regional communities
to promote cooperative working, the effective dissemination of knowledge and a wider general awareness of management needs and options for the conservation and sustainable management of sea trout stocks.

The CSTP is also significant in two other important but less obvious contexts:

The CSTP is significant because it required a high level of communication and engagement with the all sectors of the fishing community at a local level in order to obtain the biological samples needed to support the science-based studies that form the core of the project. Therefore it was essential to work closely with anglers, fishery owners and inshore and offshore marine fishermen throughout the entire region bordering the Irish Sea and provide the required feedback to keep all informed about the project and our collective sea trout populations. This evening presents another opportunity to thank all of these people for contributing to the CSTP.
The CSTP provides a useful foundation for forging stronger working links within and between Government Agencies, Academic Institutions, NGOs and individual stakeholder sector interests throughout the 6 administrative regions bordering the Irish Sea. This can only lead to better communication, awareness and understanding which in turn should lead to better management of our shared fishery resources. Indeed, where better to pioneer and pilot this process than the relatively small and enclosed unit of the Irish Sea. For more information see http://celticseatrout.com/