Moy salmon decline crisis raised in Seanad by Mayo senator

Concerns over the declining salmon population in the River Moy were brought to the floor of the Seanad today (Thursday, March 19), as Senator Mark Duffy called for urgent action to assess the impact of cormorants on the Mayo waterway.

The Mayo senator urged the Government to carry out a breeding cormorant survey across the Moy catchment area, including Lough Conn and Lough Cullin, amid growing fears about falling salmon numbers.

Describing the river as the “jewel in the crown” of the region, Senator Duffy highlighted its international reputation for salmon fishing and its importance to tourism and local livelihoods in Mayo.

“Over the past number of years, there’s been a marked decline in the number of salmon being caught,” he said. “The area relies heavily on tourism, and there is a strong generational tradition of fishing on the River Moy.”

The senator said the proposed survey, requested on behalf of the Moy Action Group, would help determine the extent to which cormorants are contributing to the decline, particularly during key migration periods.

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He pointed to a similar initiative in Galway, where targeted measures following a survey led to a significant increase in salmon numbers.

While acknowledging that the issue is complex, Senator Duffy stressed that better data — including improved fish counters — is essential to understanding and addressing the decline.

Responding on behalf of the Government, Minister Kieran O’Donnell said the National Parks and Wildlife Service oversees monitoring of seabird populations, including cormorants, and noted that current data suggests a broadly stable population nationally.

However, he confirmed that most recorded cormorant colonies in Mayo and Sligo are located along coastal areas rather than directly within the Moy catchment.

The Minister also pointed to wider challenges affecting salmon stocks, including water quality, habitat degradation and broader environmental pressures. He noted that wild Atlantic salmon numbers in Ireland have fallen dramatically in recent decades, from over one million returning fish in the 1970s to around 200,000 in recent years.

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Despite the response, Senator Duffy expressed frustration, saying the reply lacked clarity and urgency.

“As a public representative on the floor of the Seanad this morning for this survey, and this on behalf of people in my community who are working constructively and proactively to better understand and better react and respond to the decline of the salmon population,” he said.

“And I think that they deserve a better and more considered approach and answer.”

He called for stronger engagement from Government departments and agencies, warning that without targeted intervention, the future of salmon fishing on the River Moy — a cornerstone of Mayo’s tourism and heritage — could be at risk.

The issue is expected to remain on the political agenda as pressure grows for concrete measures to protect and restore salmon stocks in one of Ireland’s most important fisheries.