Sir, - There is no doubt that 1998 should be an excellent year for sea trout. The continuously wet weather has been ideal for fish to return to freshwater in substantial numbers. However, Mr Richard Flynn (August 14th), in his blinkered view from the comfort of an office in Dublin, is completely out of touch with reality.
Sea trout fisheries in the north of the fisheries region have shown some signs of recovery; these are in an area where the nearby salmon farms have kept lice under control. The Costello fishery, in the south of the region, has also seen a return of sea trout "finnock". There is just one fish farm in the nearby bay and this site was fallow (no farmed salmon present whatsoever) in the early part of 1998. Throughout the remainder of Connemara sea trout fisheries are virtually devoid of sea trout. The rivers and lakes worst affected are all, without exception, in an area pickled with salmon farms.
Some simple facts are as follows. The Gowla and Invermore fisheries are the only two rivers in Connemara with complete trapping facilities; all fish are counted both upstream and downstream. In 1998, 3,415 sea trout smolts went to sea from the Invermore fishery and to date just 55 have returned giving a survival rate of 1.6 per cent. The Gowla fishery has performed even worse. Out of a sea trout smolt run of 4,727 fish just 37 sea trout have returned representing an abysmal 0.78 per cent. The normal range for survival is 15-30 per cent! Clearly, any claim of a sea trout recovery in Kilkerrin and Bertraghboy Bays is neither founded on fact or science. It is just a figment of Mr Flynn's imagination.
It's time for the finfish farming industry to face the music and clear up its act. - Yours, etc., Gregory Forde,
Ph.D., Assistant Manager,
The Western Regional Fisheries Board,
Earl's Island,
Galway.