Restocking programmes for salmon (Salmo salar L.) in Ireland – how successful have they been ? ICES CM 2008/N:13

Name(s) of authors: Niall Ó Maoiléidigh, Philip McGinnity, Denis Doherty, and Jonathon White, Denis McLaughlin, Anne Cullen, Tom McDermott, Nigel Bond. Restocking is a widely used tool in Ireland to mitigate against the loss of salmon populations caused by creation of hydropower dams, river drainage and pollution. Strategies have included restocking with all stages in-river supplemented with substantial releases of hatchery-reared smolts. The efficacy of restocking with regard to establishing self-sustaining stocks is examined in light of ongoing problems in fresh water and poor and declining marine survival with reference to returns from coded wire tagged salmon and recoveries in broodstocks at rearing stations. 1 Marine Institute, Newport, Co. Mayo, Ireland [Tel: +353(98) 42300; email:niall.omaoileidigh@marine.ie] 2 University College Cork, Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland, email: p.mcginnity@ucc.ie] 3 Electricity Supply Board, Fisheries Conservation, ESB Salmon Hatchery, Knather Road, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal. [Tel: +353 (71) 9851712, email: denis.doherty@esb.ie] 4 Marine Institute, Rinvlle, Oranmore, Co. Galway, Ireland [Tel: +353(91)387200, email: Jonathon.white@marine.ie]