Federation of Irish Salmon & Sea Trout Anglers

19/01/2026

IPBES & Ireland's biodiversity crisis - National Biodiversity Data Centre

Another report published with seriously bad news on biodiversity and our wild salmonid does not escape. It fails to cite the reasons why but we know that already as pollution from salmon farming and water quality degradation from agriculture and uisce Eireann mismanagement of our sewage schemes are Hugh on the list.

Sadly, Three of our iconic fish, the Atlantic salmon, European eel and angel shark have suffered catastrophic population declines, and the freshwater pearl mussel, Ireland’s longest living animal, is facing extinction.

IPBES Global Assessment
The Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES) has published its global assessment on the state of the world’s biodiversity and ecosystem services. In a personal comment piece Dr. Liam Lysaght, Director of the National Biodiversity Data Centre, reflects on how this relates specifically to Ireland.
The findings of the most recent global assessment won’t come as any surprise to those of us working in the field of nature conservation, but could the headlines be any more stark?

* Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’
* Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’
* Current global response insufficient;
* ‘Transformative changes’ needed to restore and protect nature;
* 1,000,000 species threatened with extinction

The Report also stresses that it is not too late to make a difference, but only if we start now at every level from local to global. The report concludes that “Through transformative change, nature can still be conserved, restored and used sustainably – this is also key to meeting most other global goals. By transformative change, the report means a fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values.”
The assessment was compiled by 145 expert authors from 50 countries over the past three years, with inputs from another 310 contributing authors. It is based on the systematic review of about 15,000 scientific and government sources so it has credibility. The findings need to be listened to and, more importantly, acted upon, and acted upon quickly.

We must stop state licensing of aquaculture marine sites usually promoted and applied for by IFA AQUACULTURE.

We are appalled that the Government and Ministers for Agriculture and Environment have not ended the granting of salmon farming licenses after the July 2023 ruling in Dublin High Court by Justice Holland that dismissed an application by Norwegian owned MOWI to produce farmed salmon in cages off Shot Head in Bantry Bay:

TIME FOR THIS UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICE THAT KILLS OUR WILD FISH TO END NOW.

PBES & Ireland's biodiversity crisis - National Biodiversity Data Centre https://biodiversityireland.ie/ipbes-irelands-biodiversity-crisis/

11/01/2026

If you’re not already appreciating the writing of food critic Corina Hardgrave in the Irish Times then take a read of her excellent wish list for 2026. The 5 things she’d like to see more often are:
1. Lobster shacks
I’ve sampled these in Bar Harbor Maine a few times and the only time I got similar in Ireland was at the top of Sliabh a’ Liag thanks to Micheal Mac Fhionnlaigh’s seafood truck who has caught them that morning. No reason why some more brave Donegal take aways don’t add crab and lobsters to their menu. Big price difference, I know but build it fresh and tasty, and they will come like the wild fed fresh haddock and cod.
2. Truly local fish
and she doesn’t mean any pellet fed farmed (pharmed) salmon mush or frozen imported farmed Asian prawns being passed off for wild Atlantic that feed on the wild.

3. Irish dishes -
I’d say she means good wholesome dishes like the best seafood chowder in Donegal that Gary makes in Killybegs Seafood Shack when they have it when Molloys supply the fish from the pier.

4. More Veggie and alcohol free options

5. Support for small farmers.

Sad that she has omitted farmed salmon in things she would like to see less of on local menus. But the article should be copied to your local restaurants who badly need to change.

11/01/2026

Concerned that UK BASED ATLANTIC SALMON TRUST are going to capitalise on the credibility of this journalist lady who has written some excellent articles
In the Irish Times and on RTÉ EAR TO THE GROUND.
AST very lucky to get Ella McSweeney on board as she chaired well her session at the Missing Salmon Alliance Conference in Fishmongers Hall last year. Hopefully, she can influence AST to reject the policy of receiving sponsorship funding from salmon farmers who hi jack and contaminate the various AST research projects.

We're delighted to welcome Irish broadcaster, Ella McSweeney, to the Atlantic Salmon Trust as a Trustee. 🙌

Ella brings with her a deep understanding of wild salmon conservation, wider land management and conservation issues, and expertise from a stellar career in broadcasting and communication. We are thrilled to welcome Ella to the Atlantic Salmon Trust and look forward to harnessing her expertise to help our work, and its importance, reach new audiences.

Read the full news story via the link in the comments section. 👇

09/01/2026

On RTÉ Drivetime this evening Richard O’ Brien farmer told Reporter Una Kelly that it is likely that the Mercusor deal will go through now as the EU have voted in by majority to support the opening up of tariff free new markets. The campaign moves on now so it appears to be to get support from the Irish people not to consume this contaminated meat. So Plan B is now triggered with the next move for to gain the sympathy for Farmers, including West of Ireland sucklers herd owners, through better education of the Irish consumer to the dangers of buying South American beef and poultry as toxic chemicals and pesticides are in danger of competing with Irish high quality meat products.

FISSTA will as always help and support the Irish farmer and welcome this deal if it will put our farming food under greater scrutiny especially if it leads to our farmed salmon to be taken off the shelves by IFA AQUACULTURE due to contamination. If Pesticide free and HIGH quality production in beef be enforced then so too must farmed salmon be given the FSAI Food Safety Authority of Ireland scrutiny and be taken off the shelves for health reasons. A thing that should’ve been happening for years. Thanks and apologies to Martin Turner in the Irish Times today for this gem of a cartoon which sums it up there was a podium of farmed salmon on top of the bags of nitrates the farmer is preaching from.

Martyn Turner is an English-born Irish political cartoonist, caricaturist and writer, working for the Irish Times since 1971. His cartoons appear four times a week in the newspaper, parodying current events.

08/01/2026

President Francie Gorman of The Irish Farmers Association have failed to convince the EU Agricultural Ministers that low quality beef with pesticides will flood the Eu market if the Mercusor deal is signed. This defence fell on deaf ears this week in Italy despite IFA Aquaculture promoting the same pesticide and contamination farmed salmon for years in Ireland and EU. FISSTA HAVE CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THIS PHARMED SALMON PRODUCTION FOR YEARS AND WERE IGNORED BY IFA AND MINISTER HEYDON TD AS LATE AS LAST SEPTEMBER AT THE PLOUGHING SHOW.

Top news item on RTÉ One O Clock News is that An Taoiseach and Tanaiste confirm that Ireland will vote NO against Mercusor despite Italy and majority of EU going to vote YES to pass it through tomorrow.

“You have to be confident that standards that we have set now and the obligations placed on Irish and EU farmers are not undermined by a food production system that don’t have the same stringent standards ……… so acknowledging that safeguards have been made on the pesticide issue and CAP with more work to be done…the government will be voting NO”.

So our Agriculture & Food and Marine Minster Heydon TD heads into another Hague type meeting tomorrow Friday to be outvoted by EU colleagues once again. Having the support of France and Poland is pointless without the Italians to carry the minority block to stop it. It dosent matter how many independent TD meet in Athlone on Saturday the deal will apparently be passed into law without too much hindrance.

It’s sad to see the producer organisations run to ministers Dooley and Heydon with their begging bowls to squeeze as much “failure compensation” not just for the fishers but for the services sector onshore led by Senator Manus Boyle who had always skin in the game and is determined to command a big haul from the political establishment thus time around, to the detriment of the PO’s. So compensation culture enters as the fish and beef campaigns against Mercusor and The Hague principle fails to deliver. In the meantime our wild Atlantic salmon smolts get impeded on their migration at the expense of our government ministers. The picture below is of Minister Dooley, IFA PRESIDENT GORMAN and IFA Aquaculture CEO Teresa Morrisey at the ploughing championship in September where they ignored our lobbying for the wild Atlantic salmon despite minister dooleys conflict of interest to protect our wild yet promote farmed salmon cages.

05/01/2026

Safe voyages and good fishing.

Seeing most of the Killybegs fleet heading out is as nice as a dusting of snow over the town..! Safe trip to all at sea or on shore

31/12/2025

Today we went to Killybegs to engage with Minister of state Dooley who was visiting Donegal but sadly he had only time for the sea fisheries sector who had their compensation item number one on the agenda after the disastrous outcome to negotiations in Brussels. Minister Dooley ignored our lobbying on the salmon regulations which were to be announced today as every minister has done for years prior to the first day of the season.
By midday on the pier on Killybegs where he was filming for RTÉ news Shane O’ Curraghain we demanded his statement and that he engage but nothing was forthcoming from his office. Eventually after one o clock news we received the announcement that 2025 regulations would continue but it was signed by IFI Clonmel which averted the legal injunction FISSTA gave notice of before Xmas. It is disgraceful the way that our angling sector is being treated while the sea fishery sector is being given all the attention of Ministers O Brien and Dooley despite our industry employing more and is a higher value to our economy. But today we will accept our victory over IFI and this government who have yet to understand and manage our wild salmon fisheries first for our nation. We wish all our angling supporters and members a happy and prosperous 2026.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17ZJCSQKi7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

31/12/2025

Finally,the Government accept our advice and returns to 2025 regulations. Minister of state Timmy DooleyTD is in Killybegs now to hear the hardship stories of the seafood alliance but has no time to meet us in the salmon angling sector who are queued up on the pier for him. Not even a statement from him or his BOSS line minister Daire O Brien TD show they are in charge. Instead,IFI Suzanne Campion from Clonmel office issues the 2026 regulations statement we had to threaten an injunction to get. So thankfully, your club and river are on 2025 regulations until they get someone back n charge that understands fisheries by re -appointing or reinstate the previous ceo Francis ‘Donnell. More later as it becomes available. See IFI statement.

24/12/2025

DEAR MINISTER OF STATE DOOLEY,
We wish you and your family a very happy Christmas but don’t take too long out as there are bundles,nay hundreds of wild Atlantic salmon draft regulations submissions waiting on your desk for you to read when you get back. They need a decision before this day week - Wednesday next 31st December.

YOU WOULD HAVE THIUSANDS MORE ONLY Our federation - FISSTA - ADVISED OUR CLUBS NOT TO PARTICIPATE OR TAKE THE CONSULTATION PROCESS SERIOUS. WHY? BECAUSE IFI FAILED TO DO THEIR JOB AND INTERPRET THE SOCIO ECONOMIC IMPACT AS PREVIOUSLY MANAGED BY THE MOST QUALIFIED CEO WHO SADLY IS NOT AVAILABLE TO ADVISE YOU SINCE THE CHAIR’S REMOVAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN JUNE 2025. THIS HAS LEFT A WEAK AND UNQUALIFIED SENIOR MANAGEMENT STAFF TO ADVISE YOU AND LINE MINISTER DAIRE O’ BRIEN TD WHO HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY EMBARRASSED EVERY DAY SINCE JUNE.

IT WOULD INDEED BE PREFERABLE IF MINISTER O BRIEN TD DECIDED AND ANNOUNCED THE NEW REGULATIONS BECAUSE OF YOUR CONFLICT OF INTEREST BRIEF TO PROMOTE FARMED SALMON. THIS IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT AFTER THE OUTCOME OF THE SEA FISHERIES NEGOTIATIONS. RELYING ON IFI FOR ANY ADVICE AFTER THEIR PAC PERFORMANCE WOULD BE FOOLHARDY AS THEY ARE “UNABLE AND UNEQUIPPED” TO REPAIR THEIR SELF INFLICTED DAMAGE AS WE GO FROM ONE CRISIS TO THE NEXT. We, as stakeholders and customers share your fear for the present senior Ifi advice they may give you so the only option open is to press to reboot to return to 2025 proposals while you appoint a new CEO that is qualified to do the job.
We await you decision by next week as the entire angling industry is in turmoil as we await your apology on behalf of Ifi and resolution to repair the damage.

NOLLAG SHONA TIMMY.

From: Noel Carr National Secretary FISSTA - Federation of Irish Salmon and Seatrout Anglers Teelin Rd Carrick Co Donegal Ireland. Email:fissta2017@gmail.com
Tel: 00353(0)749730300
Text Mobile: 00353 (0)872352001

22/12/2025

Monday 22nd December and still silence from the Minister Timmy Dooley TD who can’t find anyone in IFI to explain to the public and angling community whether they are going to withdraw the draft regulations and proposals - at this time of delays and confusion we have all lost confidence in the IfI and minister just like Eoghan Kenny TD.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AT32aJT2P/?mibextid=wwXIfr

20/12/2025

SO TODAY, 20th December IS THE LAST DAY ACCORDING MINISTER DOOLEY FOR DRAFT SALMON REGULATIONS SUBMISSIONS - YET THE BLUE TAGS FOR TO SELL THE ROD LICENSE HAVE BEEN IN SHOPS OVER A WEEK RENDERING PUBLIC CONSULTATION THIS YEAR AGAIN AS MEANINGLESS AND A WASTE OF ANGLERS TIME SINCE HE IS IMPLEMENTING THE DRAFT UNCHANGED REGS AS HE CANNOT HAVE READ ANY SUBMISSIONS THAT COME IN TODAY AND FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS.

FISSTA SHARE THE ANGER AND APPEALS BY OUR CLUBS WHO HAVE INDIVIDUALLY AND IN REGIONAL GROUPS WRITTEN TO THE IFI AND MINISTER WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE OR SATISFACTION APART FROM THE IFI STAFF THAT ATTENDED PUBLIC MEETINGS SINCE DECEMBER 3rd WHO HAD NO TEGOS DETAILS AT THAT TIME.

INLAND FISHERIES IRELAND AND DCEE HAVE FAILED TO DO THEIR JOB THEREFORE WE HAVE INITIATED LEGAL ACTION YESTERDAY TO MINISTER DOOLEY TO WITHDRAW HIS DRAFT REGULATIONS IMMEDIATELY FOR 2026 AND TO RETURN TO 2025 REGULATIONS UNTIL SOMEONE IN IFI SUCH AS A NEW QUALIFIED CEO TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY.

HERE IS A COPY OF THE CORRESPONDENCE AND LEGAL ACTION IN PROCESS.

FISSTA Letter of intent to Minuster Dooley.

Re: Proposed IFI wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme (amendment) regulations 2025 and
conservation measures for the 2026 season.
Our Client: FISSTA - Federation of Irish Salmon and Seatrout Anglers
Dear Minister
I act on behalf of FISSTA – Federation of Irish Salmon and Seatrout Anglers regarding the proposed
IFI wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme (amendment) regulations 2025 and conservation
measures for the 2026 season.
You will be aware that many FISSTA registered angling member clubs protest strongly at the
proposed wild salmon draft regulations published on 21st November as enclosed herein.
The National Executive Council of FISSTA have been contacted this past month to attend meetings
and address the issues and give their guidance on the draft regulations which propose the closure of
123 rivers from taking a fish in 2026 (ie: 76 rivers closed and 47 rivers catch and release) leaving only
20 of our 146 rivers open, while chopping over 5 months off the angling season for future years.
FISSTA have communicated to all of its members at the outset, that while these proposals, so
ridiculous, arbitrary and unmerited as they are, cannot be taken seriously, as a series of obvious
errors have been made in their analysis. FISSTA members reasonably believe that these errors,
which would proof fatal to the successful implementation of the proposal, are as a direct result of
the ongoing crisis within IFI has resulted in a situation where decisions are taken without the proper
consideration of the socio-economic and scientific criteria in relation to the proposals.
As you are aware FISSTA have called upon your goodself and the IFI to issue a redraft of these draft
regulations to recalibrate the socio-economic impact which these rivers contribute to the 145 river
economies of Irish State that were mistakenly omitted.
My client has urgently requested the deputy CEO Mr Barry Fox of IFI to redraft the regulations,
professionally along with the TEGOS report using five-year averages so that the fishery can be
Principal: Brian Harrington, LLB, Solicitor.............................................................
Colette Herlihy, BA, MSc, Solicitor
returned to the status quo to allow angling market to recover from the damage already caused by
the draft regulations.
As you will appreciate if the proposed regulations are allowed to come into law it will result in the
complete closure of 76 rivers, impose catch and release (C&R) on 47 rivers and leave 23 rivers open
to harvest some salmon, with the reduction in blue tags issued to anglers on rivers that remain open
being reduced from 10 tags down to 3. In addition, it will significantly reduce the length of the
angling season for salmon fishing as anglers will only be allowed to fish for salmon between the 1st
of June until the end of august, a reduction of 4 months on the majority of rivers, and 5 months on
rivers that used to open on 01 January. As you will no doubt acknowledge such an impact will have a
devastating and irreversible impact on the annual marking of the benefits of Angling in Ireland.
The Corrib River in Galway city is one of the last cities in Europe that always had wild Atlantic salmon
running thorough the city with anglers fishing on the banks much to the enjoyment of all both
anglers and tourist who could view it. under the new proposals, traditional angling as we knew it,
will be forbidden in future, as downstream of the salmon traps known locally as the high bank c&r is
forbidden on this stretch of river, as any salmon hooked there must be killed and retained. it would
be outrageous if this unique fishing attraction would be lost to the visiting tourists and people of
Galway city and wider angling community. this will cause obvious confrontations to monitor and not
only will the anglers on the high bank be unable to fish anymore, but elderly or infirm anglers who
are no longer able to wade in the river and normally fish the high west bank in the Galway salmon
weir, will not be able to fish as there are no facilities for c&r from the fishery offices (white house)
down to the salmon weir bridge.
It is respectfully submitted that IFI, as the managers of our salmon rivers, have a legal obligation to
ensure that those rivers are maintained in line with the current socio-economic and scientific advice.
The draft regulations clearly demonstrate that the socio-economic and scientific advice have been
entirely dismissed from consideration due in large part, my client suspects, to the current chaotic
senior management that operate within IFI.
Please note that if the draft regulations are either partially or entirely endorsed by the Department
and/or by the Irish Government following the period of public consultation my client has instructed
this office to seek the immediate protection of the High Court, to include injunctive relief were
necessary. Please be advised that if High Court intervention is required this correspondence
together with the views of the members of FISSTA as submitted to the public consultation process
will be relied on in an application fixing your client with the costs of the proceedings.
Finally, I require your written confirmation, by return, of the decision in respect of the draft
regulations now that the public consultation period has closed.
Yours sincerely
Harrington SOLICITORS & Company
__________________