38 ‘brown tags’ for the Lower River Lee will be issued on Monday, 13^th June 2022 and the deadline to enter online draw is 5pm on Thursday, 10^th of June 2022.

Background

To boost conservation efforts, anglers who wish to catch and keep wild salmon from the Lower River Lee in Cork this year, are being reminded by Inland Fisheries Ireland that ‘brown tag’ regulations are in force until the season closes on 30^th September 2022.

The measures are included in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations, signed into law by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, T.D.

Under brown tag regulations, an angler who wishes to ‘harvest’ a wild salmon i.e., take or keep it, must attach a brown tag as well as a standard blue tag to the fish. To help conserve stocks of wild salmon within the Lower River Lee, No. 5 or Cork District, a total of 152 brown tags will be available for the season and will be distributed to anglers with a valid 2022 rod licence through a series of four online draws.

Up to a quarter of the available number of brown tags can be issued at one time, under the Wild Salmon and Seatrout Tagging Scheme Regulations. In the first online draw which took place in January this year, 38 brown tags were issued to anglers and in the second draw that took place in April 38 tags were also issued. On Monday 13^th, June 2022 a further 38 tags will be issued.

How to apply

Any anglers that are interested in entering the draw are being asked to fill out the form online through the following link: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/2022-online-3rd-draw-for-brown-tags-on-lower-river-lee-in-cork between Thursday, May 26^th 2022 and 5pm Thursday, June 10^th 2022 only.

Only one entry to the draw is permitted per licence holder and the only method of entering the draw is through the online form; email entries will not be accepted.

Anglers who received a tag in either of the previous draws may only enter this draw if they have used that tag. Anglers must be able to provide evidence of using the tag by supplying a photo of the double tagged salmon and the relevant entry in their angler’s logbook.

Anglers with a 2022 rod licence who are not allocated a brown tag are only permitted to fish for salmon on a ‘catch and release’ basis on the Lower River Lee. Other conditions also apply, please see https://fishinginireland.info/salmon/southwest/lee/ for further information.

Further details are available from the Inland Fisheries Ireland’s website at www.fisheriesireland.ie  ; by phoning the Macroom office on (026) 41221or by email to 2022corkleebrowntag@fisheriesireland.ie.

Full Notice

Salmon Anglers – Lower River Lee, No. 5 or Cork District: Brown Tags Required

Salmon anglers are reminded that from 1^st February 2022 to midnight of 30^th September 2022, Brown Tag regulations will be in force on the Lower River Lee.

152 Brown Tags are available for the season and distribution of these brown tags will be by four electronic draws throughout the 2022 angling season.

The Wild Salmon and Seatrout Tagging Scheme Regulations permit a maximum of 25% of the available tags to be issued at one time. IFI will therefore select 38 anglers to receive a brown tag in the third draw of the season on that will take place on Monday 13^th June, 2022.

Any angler requesting a brown tag must be in possession of a valid 2022 Salmon Licence and must apply through the online entry form only through the following link: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/2022-online-3rd-draw-for-brown-tags-on-lower-river-lee-in-cork by 5pm on Thursday, 10^th June 2022.

This is the only method to apply for a brown tag.  Anglers may only fish one brown tag over the full season. Multiple applications will disqualify. Salmon Licences are available online at: https://store.fishinginireland.info

Salmon anglers not in possession of a Brown Tag must fish using Catch and Release methods i.e., single or double barbless hooks. Use of worms is not permitted. A Salmon cannot be taken unless the angler is in possession of a Brown Tag. If a Salmon is taken both a Blue and Brown Tag must be affixed to the fish. Failure to do so may result in penalties.  Catch details must be recorded on the Anglers Logbook promptly.

IFI will send all applicants an entry number for the draw by email during the course of Friday, 11^th June, 2022, before the draw which will take place on Monday, 13^th June, 2022. No personal information will be shared.  5 reserve licence numbers will be drawn in case the initial offer of a brown tag is not taken up. Tags will be issued to successful applicants by post.  Successful drawn numbers will be available on IFI social media by 11am Monday June 13^th, 2022

Application may be made between Thursday, May 26^th, 2022 and 5pm Thursday, June 10^th, 2022 only through the following link: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/2022-online-3rd-draw-for-brown-tags-on-lower-river-lee-in-cork  Entries will not be accepted through email.

For further information contact Inland Fisheries Ireland, Macroom on 026 41221 or email 2022corkleebrowntag@fisheriesireland.ie. 

Information about angling quotas

Quotas for how many fish an angler can catch and keep (harvested) are set by Fisheries Managers every year, on the basis of scientific advice.

These quotas reflect the ‘exploitable surplus’ in any river, as follows:

1. In cases where the exploitable surplus cannot sustain angling, that particular fishery is closed for the season.

1. Where it can sustain angling, but not exploitation (harvesting the fish for consumption), the river is opened on a ‘catch and release only’ basis where the fish is returned safely to the same waterbody.

1. Where there is a modest harvestable surplus with a risk of over exploitation, a brown gill tag system is introduced where it is considered necessary in the interests of conserving stocks to closely monitor the angling quotas. This is to ensure that river-based quotas are not exceeded.  Where these restrictions apply, you must be in possession of a brown tag specific to that river to harvest salmon, to be used in conjunction with a blue tag.  Similar to blue tags, brown tags issued contain a unique serial number specific to that licence holder and are not transferable between licence holders.

1. And finally, where there is an adequate exploitable surplus, the river is opened with the standard 10 tag allocation issued in lots of 3 or 4