Local anglers fear River Moy could be closed to salmon fishing

Anglers in Ballina believe the river Moy may be closed to salmon fishing if the methodology used to calculate fish stocks is not updated.

Members of the Moy Action Group (MAG) gave a presentation to Ballina Municipal District last week outlining their opposition to draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Regulations published last November, which had proposed introducing a brown tag system on the Moy.

Had the plan gone ahead, it would have seen fishermen require a brown tag, distributed by a lottery system, to fish for salmon on the Moy.

While new draft proposals have since been published removing the brown tag proposal, MAG member Martin Parker said anglers in the area are fully in favour of conservation methods but have a problem with the methodology being used that resulted in brown tags being considered on the Moy.

Currently, stocks are calculated using anglers’ logbooks returned at the end of the harvest season. However, Mr Parker explained that less than half of the logbooks are being returned and it is not acceptable the Minister would sign off on regulations using logbooks as a basis for fish stock calculations.

“In 2024, only 48% of logbooks were returned and it was still under 50% in 2025. These percentages are far too low to make an accurate judgement,” he said. “There is a fine of €150 for failing to return your logbook but we asked Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) about this and they said they have never fined anyone.”

Mr Parker said the only solution would be to install fish counters as used in Canada, Alaska and Scotland to great effect.

“If they rely on logbooks again, there will be less data returned meaning a lesser count of salmon and there is a chance the Moy would close.

“If they put in counters and the end result was closure, we would be more willing to accept that."

MAG member Simon Leonard said over 4,000 salmon were reported to have been caught in the Moy in 2024 but this figure was “a complete guess”.

“The reported catch was 4,152 in the Moy, which is about 25% of the overall national catch. This is a complete guess. IFI said counters were not considered and this was based off logbook figures,” he said.

“IFI said the counters in place on the Moy operate for intermittent periods and were not used in their data.”

Frustrations were also raised about the lack of enforcement towards those engaging in sea-fishing without a permit with MAG members describing District Court fines of €500 or €600 as “no deterrent” to this activity.

They said they have tried to meet with the minister responsible for the regulations, Timmy Dooley, but to date he has not met them.

Councillors were unanimous in their support for the group and called for them to make their presentation before the full county council as fishing stocks are a county-wide issue.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.