S.I. No. 672/2023 - Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2023

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 22nd December, 2023.

I, Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 69 of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 (No. 10 of 2010) (as adapted by the Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 ( S.I. No. 373 of 2020 )), after consultation with Inland Fisheries Ireland, hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 January 2024.

2. In these Regulations, “Principal Regulations” means the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2018 ( S.I. No. 585 of 2018 ).

3. Regulation 2 of the Principal Regulations is amended -

(a) by the substitution of the following definition for the definition of “distributor”:

“distributor” means IFI or an authorised agent;”, and

(b) in the definition of “gill tag” by the substitution of “Regulation 3 (3)” for “Regulations 3(3) and 3(4)”.

4. Regulation 3 of the Principal Regulations is amended -

(a) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (3):

“(3) A gill tag to be attached to a wild salmon or sea trout under this Regulation shall -

(a) be in a form approved by IFI,

(b) be issued by IFI or an authorised agent,

(c) bear a locking or sealing device,

(d) be -

(i) a blue tag, where the fish is caught by rod and line,

(ii) a green tag, where the fish is caught by draft net,

(iii) a white tag, where the fish is caught by snap net, and

(iv) an orange tag where the fish is caught by any other lawful fishing engine,

(e) bear the correct code, in accordance with Schedule 1, identifying the year code, the security code and number and, other than where the fish is caught by rod and line, the fishery district mentioned in Schedule 1 in which the fish is caught,

(f) be correctly identified in the log book to which the tag relates by the entry therein of the information referred to in subparagraph (e), and

(g) be in a condition that it is capable of being read.”,

and

(b) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (5):

“(5) A gill tag shall, on landing a fish -

(a) be securely fastened or sealed to the fish by attaching it through the gill opening and mouth of the fish,

(b) where the tag is designed to be locked it shall be locked, and where the tag is designed to be double locked it shall be double locked, and

(c) be attached to the fish so that -

(i) the tag code and number referred to in paragraph (3)(e) face outwards, and

(ii) the tag cannot be removed from the fish without -

(I) tampering with any lock or seal on the tag,

(II) breaking or cutting the tag, or

(III) cutting or tearing any part of the fish.”.

5. Regulation 5 of the Principal Regulations is amended -

(a) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (2):

“(2) A brown tag to be attached to a wild salmon or sea trout under this Regulation shall -

(a) be in a form approved by IFI,

(b) be issued by IFI or an authorised agent,

(c) bear a locking or sealing device,

(d) bear the inscription “Inland Fisheries Ireland” or “IFI”,

(e) bear the correct identifying letter and number and serial number in accordance with Schedule 3,

(f) bear the designated code specified in column (3), opposite mention of a fishery district in column (1) of Schedule 4 for the river concerned, and

(g) be in a condition that it is capable of being read.”,

(b) by the deletion of paragraph (3), and

(c) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (4);

“(4) A brown tag shall on landing a fish -

(a) be securely fastened or sealed to the fish by attaching it through the gill opening and mouth of the fish,

(b) where the tag is designed to be locked it shall be locked, and where the tag is designed to be double locked it shall be double locked, and

(c) be attached to the fish so that -

(i) the identifying letter and number and serial number referred to in paragraph (2)(d) face outwards, and

(ii) the tag cannot be removed from the fish without -

(I) tampering with any lock or seal on the tag,

(II) breaking or cutting the tag, or

(III) cutting or tearing any part of the fish.”.

6. The Principal Regulations are amended by the substitution of the following Regulation for Regulation 14:

“Salmon and sea trout angler’s logbook

14. (1) A distributor shall issue a salmon and sea trout angler’s logbook, which may be in electronic form, to the holder of a salmon rod ordinary licence.

(2) The holder of a salmon rod ordinary licence shall, in relation to a fish captured by him or her enter the following information, specified in Part 2 of Schedule 5, on the fishing and catch part of his or her salmon and sea trout angler’s logbook and, by post, delivery or communication by electronic means, furnish the information to IFI at one of its offices mentioned in Schedule 6:

(a) the date of capture of the fish;

(b) the river or lake where the fish was captured;

(c) the beat on the river or lake (if applicable);

(d) the County where the fish was captured;

(e) if the fish is salmon or sea trout;

(f) the weight of each fish captured;

(g) the lure used to capture each fish;

(h) the tag code and number used on each fish killed, or, R if the fish was released;

(i) his or her rod licence number.

(3) IFI may require a holder of a salmon rod ordinary licence fishing in a fishery district to provide the details referred to in paragraph (2) by telephone, facsimile, electronic mail or other electronic means to such number, address, email address, website, online service or other electronic means of communication including via electronic application, as the case may be, provided by or on behalf of IFI to the holder in accordance with paragraph (5).

(4) The holder of a salmon rod ordinary licence shall comply with a requirement made of him or her under paragraph (3).

(5) Details of the telephone number, address, email address, website, online service or other electronic means of communication including via electronic application referred to in paragraph (3), together with the information required to be provided under paragraph (2), shall be set out in a notice to the licence holder, prominently displayed in the fishery district concerned or published in a newspaper circulating in the fishery district concerned.”.

7. Regulation 15 of the Principal Regulations is amended -

(a) in paragraph (1), by the insertion of “which may be in electronic form” after “logbook”,

(b) by the deletion of paragraph (2), and

(c) in paragraph (4), by the substitution of “holder of a logbook referred to in paragraph (1) or Regulation 14(1) shall” for “holder of a logbook shall”.

8. The Principal Regulations are amended by the substitution of the following Schedule for Schedule 2:

“Schedule 2

Rivers

Total Allowable Catch

“

9. The Principal Regulations are amended by the substitution of the following Schedule for Schedule 4:

“Schedule 4

Fishery districts and rivers to which brown tags apply

* Brown tag from 12_th May”.

10. Schedule 5 of the Principal Regulations are amended by the substitution of the following Part for Part 2:

“Schedule 5 Part 2

Fishing and Catch

Please record lure using the following codes: Fly (F), Spinner (S), Worm (W), Prawn/Shrimp (P), Other (O)

Certified Correct: _____________________Licence No: _________________

Licence Holder’s Signature

TOTAL DAYS FISHED (INCLUDING THOSE WHEN NO FISH WERE CAUGHT)

* A Kelt is a salmon that has recently spawned and is usually in poor condition. A Baggot is a female salmon which is full of mature eggs.

A Kelt / Baggot whilst recorded in the logbook will not be counted as part of the run for the current year as it relates to the previous year salmon returns.”

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

20 December, 2023.

EAMON RYAN,

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

1 In the event that draft net fishing takes place in the Common Estuary Castlemaine, the combined total allowable catch of the rivers Caragh, Laune and Maine contributing to the fishery is reduced to reflect the higher risk associated with meeting the individual river conservation limits simultaneously

2 In the event that draft net fishing takes place in the Common Estuary Killary, the combined total allowable catch of the rivers Erriff and Bundorragha contributing to the fishery is reducedto reflect the higher risk associated with meeting the individual river conservation limits simultaneously.

3 In the event that draft net fishing takes place in the Common Estuary Owenmore, the combined total allowable catch of the Owenmore and Carrowmore contributing to the fishery is reduced to reflect the higher risk associated with meeting the individual river conservation limits simultaneously.