The public and anglers in Donegal have been warned to keep an eye for a rare species of salmon that has returned to Irish waters in ‘unprecedented numbers’ according to Inland Fisheries Ireland.
The state agency, which is responsible for conservation and management of inland fisheries resources, has called on the anglers and members of the public to report sightings of Pacific pink salmon.
Although they were first recorded in Ireland in 1973, they were very rare in Irish waters until 2017, and in the past week have been spotted in more southern parts of Norway, prompting fears they could appear in Irish waters once again.
As they only have a two-year life cycle, numbers of the species have since fallen, but sightings of them returning to Irish rivers have sparked concern that they might negatively impact some of the native Irish species swimming in Irish water.
Head of research and development at IFI, Dr Cathal Gallagher, said: “The potential presence of pink salmon in Irish rivers again is of ongoing concern to Inland Fisheries Ireland, as its presence in large numbers may negatively impact some of Ireland’s native species.
“Despite only very limited information being currently available to assess such threats, the climatic and environmental conditions in Ireland are considered quite amenable to facilitate the establishment of Pacific pink salmon populations in Irish river systems,” he added.
Pacific pink salmon are migratory species of salmon, which are native to river systems in the northern Pacific ocean, and nearby regions of the Bering Sea and Arctic ocean.
The species has also established populations in rivers in the northern-most parts of Norway. and in the far northwest of Russia.
Anglers who catch pink salmon are being asked to take a photograph, tag the fish, do not return the fish to the water, and keep them for the IFI, which will arrange for them to be collected.