Madam, - I would agree with all points made by Peter Mantle (April 16th) and pose a question: When is the Irish Government going to accept the irrefutable evidence that there is a direct correlation between the rise in salmon production in cages and the decline in sea-trout? Salmon farms are responsible for large infestations of sea lice on sea trout among other environmental disasters and any further expansion of this industry must be reviewed at once. - Yours, etc.,
SIMON W. CRONIN, Secretary, Friends of Clew Bay, Westport, Co Mayo.
Madam - In reply to Peter Mantle's sharp letter about my recent review of The Great Salmon and Sea Trout Loughs of Ireland, I would like to clarify a couple of points.
Firstly, as one who wrote the foreword for the book, Mr Mantle should be familiar with its content and perhaps aware of a clear reference by the author on page nine to a "remarkable renaissance" in sea-trout stocks.
Secondly, I am very aware of the sea trout collapse in the late 1980s and support their total recovery in every regard - the "SOS" sticker on my car is one example! However, we should also respect the viewpoint of the tourist angler and writer who found good sea-trout fishing in the autumn of 2001 while researching his book. - Yours, etc.,
DEREK EVANS, Swords, Co Dublin.