The use of barbed hooks & worms banned in Irish rivers

Is this for real. I dont fish for salmon, but come on, do they think salmon stocks are depleted because of anglers using barbed hooks. whats next!

Anglers hoping to cast a worm or use a barbed hook in some of Ireland’s leading fishing rivers will face an on-the-spot fine of €150.

It follows the passing of new bylaws by Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Fergus O’Dowd prohibiting the use of worms and barbed hooks in more than 80 rivers in the State.

The bylaw states: “It is prohibited for a person to use or attempt to use worms as bait or any fish hooks other than single barbless hooks in angling for any kind of fish in waters of a river mentioned.”

Measures to protect salmon

Myles Kelly of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said the measures were introduced to protect salmon stocks in rivers where their numbers were depleted.

While anglers using worms and barbed hooks may not be fishing for salmon, there is a chance they could be caught.

“It’s just to remove any additional unwanted risk to salmon survival in these rivers,” Mr Kelly said.

He said the use of worms often led to salmon becoming “deeply hooked”, lessening the chance of a healthy release. Similar bylaws were introduced last year, he said.

According to Mr Kelly, the bylaw is in effect in a “mix of rivers that are closed to salmon fishing and are open under catch-and-release”.

Popular coarse fishing rivers such as the Shannon were excluded because of the potential negative impact on tourism and fishing.

The bylaws came into effect on February 26th and are due to be reviewed next year. A statutory 30-day consultation period will take place before any rivers are selected.

Among the well-known rivers affected are the Liffey (excluding upstream of Poulaphouca dam and the Dodder), the Slaney in Wexford, the Avoca in Wicklow and the Boyne at Drogheda (the main channel downstream of Leinster Bridge).

It's a good thing. Prior to this loads of "anglers" were worming salmon rivers and claiming they were trout fishing.

i stand corrected so... i dont do this type of fishing normally, but found this very harsh as its the most traditional method for catching a fish in the river.

Alot of salmon or trout caught by worm fishing are often hooked very deep down and it can be hard to get the hook out. Worm fishing is not really possible if there is a catch and release policy been implemented. Alot of my mates that fish the Feale in Kerry are disgusted by the new bye laws but i believe they are correct in so forth as a salmon has a better chance of survival if caught by the fly. spinning im not so sure about.

This is happening in not all but particular rivers that stocks are deemed to be very low. Therefore a fish coming into a river like that is precious. If a fish is caught and deeply hooked by worm etc it has little chance of being released properly and therefore little chance of continuing its journey to spawn. It makes complete sense and hopefully will improve stocks long term.

as far as i know, many of the rivers effected by this ban (such as the slaney) are on a year round catch and release system so this worming ban makes sense. I have hooked small salmon on the worm in the past which i would have liked to return but the hooks can get set very deep. New rules and regulations are never going to go down well with everyone but sometimes there necessary for the sake of the stocks.

Not sure with this one plenty worse things happening seen a programme other night were Scottish trawlers fish near the oil and gas fields in North Sea and with the warm water take in 100 tonnes a pop, a few salmon deeper hooked seems a bit over the top,would love to see trawler fishing banned for five years over hear and only rod fishing allowed,cost of fish would go up might make us appreciate our sea more and benefits be great.done something similar I heard in Iceland.

Looks like there is a surplus of worms now!!

http://www.buyandsell.ie/sports-and-leisure/watersports-equipment/tyrone/dendrobaena-fishing-composting-worms-bulk-25kg

would love to see trawler fishing banned for five years over here and only rod fishing allowed .... done something similar I heard in Iceland.

That's definitely interesting. Where did you hear that? Any links?

there are a lot of by laws been passed day by day at the moment,which should have been passed before the season got underway,the 17th of march,i agree with the principle of barbless hooks,but with ballifs checking for barbless hooks with a little gaget to measure them,i think its a bit much,i have been a salmon angler for nearly 30 years,and the problem with the nore is the nets downstream,where the ballifs are afraid to go,its easy to jump out of a car in the carpark we use,and check for barbless hooks and licences,also catch and release is great,but many fish go belly up and float downstream if not looked after properly,its one rule for one,but not for all,also the farmed salmon have a lot to do with the decline of our salmon stocks,if there was more protection like on the moy all rivers would be a lot better,this area is protected because of the money it generates,no salmon no tourists no money,eddie..........

We all have to do our bit, I suppose. There are two smallish sea trout/salmon rivers either side of me where the ban is now in force, but again the biggest problem is poachers' nets. The perps arent exactly shy about it either, and seem to get more of a kick out of outsmarting the law than catching fish. The baliffs are active enough but they cant be there 24/7, an attitude change is needed to get away from the medieval peasant v landlord mentality that motivates this behavour. Waterways and the fish in them belong to all of us now.