Brown Tag Scheme rejected by Donegal's Buncrana Anglers' Association

An angling organisation in Donegal has decided not to operate a scheme allowing a limited amount of salmon fishing on an Inishowen River.

Buncrana Anglers' Association has decided against taking up an Inland Fisheries Ireland offer to operate the Brown Tag System during the fishing season (March 1 to September 30).

The proposal to allow a limited amount of salmon fishing on the Crana River was contained in the document: “Consultation on Draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2019” produced by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Speaking to Donegal Live, Pat Kane, local angler and member of Buncrana Anglers' Association explained the Crana river had been on 'catch and release' status since 2016, which effectively meant it was closed.

Pat added: “The Buncrana Anglers' Association Committee has decided not to take up the offer from Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to operate the Brown Tag system on the Crana River this season.

“The Association was offered 99 brown tags, which would have meant 99 salmon could have been taken from the river or 'harvested' as the IFI would term it.”

The IFI is the agency responsible for the conservation, protection, management, marketing, development and improvement of our inland fisheries and sea angling resources.

Pat Kane described the Buncrana Anglers' Association decision as “not taken lightly.”

He added: “The decision not to operate the Brown Tag System was not taken lightly by Buncrana Anglers' Association. At the meeting itself, all of the members put forward their points of view. We had a long discussion, during which all members gave their opinions for and against the brown tags.

“However, it was obvious the vast majority were in favour of another year of conservation, in order to see if the salmon levels in the Crana will increase. The decision will be reviewed at the end of next year.

“This will be based on the number of salmon caught during the coming season, along with electrical fishing, which confirms the number of juvenile salmon in the river. This survey is carried out around June time by the IFI. It will also take into the count the number of salmon redds (nests), which occur at this time of year.

“It is my understanding this is the first time any club has refused the offer of brown tags from IFI. This will out the onus back on IFI to see if it holds the Crana on a brown tag basis or reverses its decision and returns the river back to a 'catch and release' status,” said Pat Kane.

Pat also revealed that Buncrana Anglers' Association has future plans to “improve the habitat of fish life in the Crana.

He said: “Buncrana Anglers' Association has plans going forward to see if it can improve the habitat of fish life along the river, which in turn will improve the habitat of all forms of wildlife including, birds and otters.

“However, this is not a one group show. We need Donegal County Council; Inland Fisheries Ireland; Office of Public Works; and local groups, including the Inishowen Rivers' Trust and, most important, all of the local landowners who are 'number one,' said Pat Kane.