Waterville Sea Trout in Trouble!

For the third year in a row the there has been a very poor run of sea trout into the catchment this year. For the first time in recent memory, just one ‘specimen’ sea trout has been caught to date whereas in a ’normal’ year  a good number of these early running fish would have shown up in the catches on Lough Currane. These are now worrying times for us all and in particular the fishermen and those local businesses which depend on them.

 

Sea lice infestation of post smolt sea trout caught in the Butler Pool in Waterville in 2017.
Sea lice infestation of post smolt sea trout caught in the Butler Pool in Waterville in 2017.

 

The Trustees have, since the inception of the Trust in January 2017, been busy lobbying the Fishery Agencies, Government Ministers, and local politicians to encourage them to take action to prevent the potential complete collapse of our famous sea trout stocks. So far with little success. Inland Fisheries Ireland are proposing to carry out even more research to ascertain the prime causes of the collapse in the stocks but they report that Government funding for this study has not yet been made available, despite the urgency of the situation.

 

Typical tiny stream used by spawning sea trout.
Typical tiny stream used by spawning sea trout.

 

Of course the problems now facing Waterville are obvious. Other migratory fisheries, throughout the West Coast of Ireland and Scotland have suffered from a proliferation of sea lice from offshore salmon farms, which have decimated outward migrating salmon and sea trout smolts. Probably the the most famous of these sea trout fisheries, once of equal standing to Waterville, was Loch Maree in Wester Ross in Scotland, which was also famous for its large ‘Specimen’ sea trout. It was similarly decimated twenty five years ago. Twenty five years on Lough Maree has yet to recover. A lesson we must take note of for Waterville. Clearly time is of the essence if we are not to share a similar fate.

Without Government help, so far lacking, little can be done to tackle the problems at sea but the Trustees are determined to do whatever they can to enable those sea trout, which do make a spawning run into Lough Currane this year, to spawn successfully in suitable habitat. Currently they are seeking grant aid, from several sources, to carry out small stream habitat improvements including replacing spawning gravels lost in the recent flooding events. It is not generally appreciated how small the streams are which attract a spawning run of sea trout. Often these tiny streams, which are little more than spawning channels, attract some of the largest sea trout.  In the past the local community would have joined together to carry out this essential work. Nowadays any ‘in stream’ work needs ‘Environmental Impact Studies’ and ‘Appropriate Assessments’ for each stream, to be agreed with Inland Fisheries Ireland, before any work can begin.

Regardless, the Trustees are determined to forge forward with this work and come August will need all the volunteer effort they can muster to complete it before the first sea trout spawning runs of the Autumn and Winter. We will be putting out a call to all concerned volunteers, to help us with this work, should we succeed with our grant applications. Watch this space!

Rod Robinson
Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust

Waterville Lakes and Rivers Trust
The Waterville Lakes & Rivers Trust, formed by concerned volunteers in 2016, is one of the new Rivers Trusts to be set up in Ireland and is currently aspiring to Charitable Status. Its remit is to protect the fresh and coastal waters of the Iveragh Peninsula.
Find out more and how you can contribute at
www.watervillelakes.org

Find out more about Lough Currane…
The rivers and lakes of Waterville drain a large catchment and are regarded by many as the foremost Salmon and Sea-Trout fishery in the country. The lake system is well developed with access to boats and guides being readily available to the tourist angler. The Sea-Trout caught here are renowned for their size and quantity. For more details see
Waterville lakes and rivers system

Source: www.fishinginireland.info.

1 comment on Waterville Sea Trout in Trouble!

  1. Cannot understand why the minister of the marine is allowing these iconic fish to be wiped out by fish farm lice.
    All the jobs associated with angling in Waterville are being lost.
    This minister reminds me of the Brazilian president allowing the Amazon to be burnt down.
    David Lalor.

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