'Fishing is finished' in Ballina if seals remain on Moy Estuary – O'Hara

SALMON fishing in Ballina will be finished as a tourism product if the seals in the estuary of the River Moy are not removed either by a cull or by another way according to a local councillor.

Last month, Bonniconlon-based councillor John O'Hara caused controversy when he called for a cull of seals living in the estuary of the River Moy who he claims were leading to low stocks of salmon swimming up the river.

In a response to Cllr O'Hara's call for a humane cull, the Ballina Municipal District received correspondence from the office of Minister Malcolm Noonan which outlined that the culling of seals is 'unlikely to be an effective management measure'.

In response to the letter, Cllr O'Hara told the November monthly meeting of Ballina Municipal District that he has nothing against the seals but wants them removed from the estuary.

“I know a person who took off two weeks to go fishing on the Moy this year and he did not get one pull for the two weeks and he said he will never be back,” Cllr O'Hara said.

“I don't mind if they take the seals and put them in some other place but they have to be taken out of the estuary because nothing will get up by them. We are the salmon capital of Ireland but it will be the end of it if fishermen do not come back.

“Our fishing is gone completely and I don't know who is going to tackle it. They don't need to kill the seals, they can bring them to another place but we as a fishing town are finished if something is not done about it. I am asking somebody to address it because fishing is our biggest tourism attraction and it's gone. You can ask anyone in town, there is not a bit of fresh salmon to be got in Ballina and we are the town promoting it. There is something wrong,” he said.

The Fine Gael councillor thanked the council officials for writing to the minister outlining the concerns of the councillors but was disappointed with the response.

The correspondence from Danielle Kelly, Private Secretary to Minister Noonan stated that seals are protected under the Wildlife Acts and the EU Habitats Directive but a licence may be issued to cull individual problem seals.

She stated that three licences have been issued between 2016 and October 2023 for the Moy Estuary and to date the licences have not been used on any occasion. Ms Kelly added that grey seals are known to move between Scotland and north-west France and migrate into Irish waters to feed and 'therefore culling seals in Ireland is unlikely to be an effective management measure'.

The members were informed that the National Parks and Wildlife Service are providing support to a pilot study carried out by University College Cork with a key focus on seal depredation monitoring and mitigation; including research on the application of startle technology to reduce depredation in static fisheries.

Killala-based councillor Jarlath Munnelly said the correspondence did state that licences can be issued for culling and he was of the opinion that while some people may see it as barbaric, the culling of seals in a right way is part of the solution.

Declan Turnbull, Head of the Ballina Municipal District said that the council were looking to invite an expert from Inland Fisheries Ireland to talk to councillors on the issue of seals and salmon stocks on the Moy.