Three men have been hit with cumulative fines of €1,275 concerning the possession of one unlawfully captured 60cm-long “fine salmon” in waters at the River Shannon in June of last year.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Valerie Corcoran imposed the fines on the three accused arising from a night-time surveillance operation carried out by officers at Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) at the River Shannon at Cahercon, Co Clare on June 17th last.
In court, Corcoran queried why the three had caught only one salmon with a 60-metre long net they had placed in the water, and in response, IFI fisheries officer Bill Keane told the court “you are doing well to catch one these days”.
Keane said that catching salmon on the River Shannon is completely outlawed due to the conservation status of the species.
Keane said every salmon that is unlawfully taken “is potentially wiping out thousands of future salmon. Every salmon is important.”
The Corofin-based IFI officer said the fish caught by the net was “a fine salmon”, measuring 60cm.
Keane said that on the night, after the salmon was caught, he heard one of the men comment, “this is a good one”.
Keane said that if there had been plenty of salmon in the river, they would have been caught by the net the men had put in place.
All three, with Co Clare addresses – John Beirne of Maigh Dara, Quin; Kevin Murphy of The Square, Kildysart and Gary Walsh of King’s Road, Kildysart, pleaded guilty to having in their possession an unlawfully captured single salmon on June 17th last at Cahercon, contrary to Section 182 of the Fisheries Consolidation Act.
A photo of the salmon was handed into court for Corcoran to view. Corcoran imposed a €400 fine on each and an additional €25 each for the salmon.
Corcoran said that taking into account that only one salmon was caught, “I don’t think these men were bred for fishing”. She said what occurred “was a serious issue and needs to be taken seriously” due to declining salmon numbers.
The height of the prosecution case was that the three were chancing their arm, Corcoran said.
The judge said the three “were not particularly industrious” in their actions on the night, and that she was taking into account the early pleas of guilty. She said the three are middle-aged men “and it looks like they will never make a stupid mistake like this again”.
Solicitor Daragh Hassett, for the three, said all three are working and have family and obligations.
Hassett said they had been working in the area at the Cahercon Old Convent estate, and “had time on their hands, and put the net into water”.