World Fish Migration Day (WFMD) is a one day global initiative, with local events worldwide, to create awareness on the importance of open rivers and migratory fish. WFMD is held to improve the publics’ understanding of the importance of open rivers and migratory fish and their needs. The event is being marked at 273 locations worldwide on 24th May 2014.
Free migration for fish is crucial to achieve healthy fish stocks. While most fish are migratory to some degree, some species like salmon, sturgeon, trout, dourada, shad, lamprey, giant catfish and eel migrate thousands of kilometers to complete their life cycles. If they can’t migrate, the population will die out. This has happened with many species in different places around the world already.
Many barriers in the rivers and on the coast that it is very hard for migratory fish to reproduce. In the current situation, migratory fish are threatened and fish stocks are declining rapidly around the world. They are particularly threatened by barriers such as weirs, dams and sluices, built for water management, hydro-power and land drainage.
As part of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s, Fisheries Awareness Week and to mark WFMD, we have enlisted the help of Brad Dawn, a salmon who arrived at the mouth of the River Boyne earlier this week in search of his relations. He believed that he could be related to the famed “Bradán Feasa” of the River Boyne which can be found in ancient Irish Folklore. After migrating all the way from Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Brad was unsure of the way to his natal stream and he had to ask for a little help to make sure that he was going the right way. A great way of connecting Fish, Rivers and People.
Migratory fish species support food supply and livelihoods for millions of people, but are now more than ever under great threat. The main causes of this are man-made obstacles. Dams, weirs and sluices built for water management, hydro-power, irrigation and land drainage disrupt the natural flow of rivers and can prevent fish migration.
Many fish need to migrate to reproduce, feed and complete their life cycles. Migratory species make up a crucial link in the food chain and play an important ecological role in productive river systems. Giant catfish, sturgeon, eel and salmon are just some of the famous migratory species under human pressure. Migratory fish found in the River Boyne include Atlantic salmon, sea trout, eels and lamprey. Angling and angling tourism is very important in Ireland and supports small businesses in rural and coastal communities such as accommodation providers, guides, tackle dealers. Migratory angling species such as salmon ans sea trout add to the angling species diversity of the river and complement the resident stock of fish. They also provide great angling opportunities for Irish and overseas anglers. For 2014 the Boyne is designated as a catch and release river under the salmon and sea trout conservation regulations and all salmon caught by rod on line must be released back to the river. The use of worms is prohibited and only single barbless hooks can be used. For More Information on WFMD Please visit http://www.worldfishmigrationday.com/home#.U4EqzXJdWa8
