Bray People

Anglers keep an eye out for pink salmon in rivers

- JIM HURLEY’S

INLAND Fisheries Ireland has issued an appeal to anglers and the public for continued help in identifyin­g and reporting catches of Pink Salmon in Irish rivers. Also known as Humpback Salmon, the Pink Salmon is a non-native fish species that has started to turn up in Irish river systems.

To date, 30 Pink Salmon have been recorded in nine Irish rivers since the first catch was reported on 27th June of this year from the Galway Weir fishery. So far, fish have been reported from counties Galway, Mayo and Donegal only.

Pink Salmon are a migratory species native to river systems in the northern Pacific Ocean and nearby regions of the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. The species also has establishe­d population­s in rivers in northern Norway and in the far northwest of Russia, originatin­g from stocking programmes undertaken in that part of Russia.

In Ireland, this country’s own native salmon species is the Atlantic Salmon. Since there is no licence to farm Pacific Pink Salmon in Ireland, the fish that have turned up recently cannot be escapes implying that these aliens are arriving here naturally and are becoming part of our fish fauna.

So, are they welcome or not? Are they friend or foe? The jury is still out on that one. Inland Fisheries Ireland has expressed concern about possible negative impacts that the appearance of the Pacific species may have on Ireland’s indigenous Atlantic Salmon population­s in the future. However, the potential impact of Pink Salmon is unclear at present.

Interbreed­ing is unlikely as Pink Salmon spawn in late summer whereas Atlantic Salmon spawn in winter. The introducti­on of parasites and pathogens not present in native salmonid fish is a possibilit­y as is competitio­n for food and space in nursery areas between juvenile Pink Salmon and our native Atlantic Salmon.

Pink Salmon die after spawning. Anyone who finds a dead salmon or anglers who catch live Pink Salmon are asked to keep the fish, to take photos and to report the find to Inland Fisheries Ireland 24-hour confidenti­al hotline number 1890 34 74 24 or 1890 FISH 24 without delay.

The distinguis­hing identifica­tion characteri­stics of Pink Salmon that separate it from our own Atlantic Salmon are the large, black, oval spots on the tail, 11-19 rays on the anal fin, very small scales, no dark spots on the gill cover and the upper jaw typically extending beyond the eye.

 ??  ?? Mature male Pacific Pink Salmon captured recently in spawning condition in Co Mayo.
Mature male Pacific Pink Salmon captured recently in spawning condition in Co Mayo.
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