5 days ago
Anglers urged to report sightings of Pacific pink salmon in Irish rivers
Anglers have been urged to report any sightings of Pacific pink salmon in Irish rivers this summer, with experts saying they pose a threat to the survival of the native Atlantic salmon and sea trout.
The migratory salmon species have appeared in unprecedented numbers in the country's river systems in recent years, especially in the south west, west and north west.
They are described as being blue/green to steel blue on the back, with silver sides and a white underbelly.
They also have number of distinguishing features, including large black oval spots on the tail.
"The potential presence of large numbers of this non-native species pose a competitive and disruptive threat to the survival of native Atlantic salmon and sea trout," said Dr Michael Millane of the Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).
"They pose a threat to estuarine and coastal marine fish species and the ecosystems they depend on.
"We are appealing to anglers and other water users to quickly contact us regarding any encounters they have with pink salmon.
"As these fish die after spawning, some dead specimens could also be seen along our rivers".
The salmon are a migratory species native to river systems in the northern Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean.
There are established populations in northern Norway and in northwest Russia, originating from stocking programmes undertaken in this part of Russia between the 1950s and 2001.
