The number of salmon recorded migrating up the River Finn dropped by 48 per cent last year prompting the Loughs Agency to restrict angling to catch-and-release only for the forthcoming season.

The Loughs Agency has as normal suspended commercial netting on the River Foyle, Lough Foyle and seaward of Lough Foyle in order to conserve the species.

Sharon McMahon, Chief Executive Officer of the Loughs Agency, in a public notice, has stated that the agency is ‘satisfied that the number of salmon which have migrated upstream of the River Finn Fish Counter during each of the previous five years has not exceeded 5,410, stipulated by the Foyle Area (Control of Fishing) Regulations 2010’.

According to the Loughs Agency the counter registered only 536 salmon last year. This was down substantially from 1,025 in 2024.

The Loughs Agency has imposed restrictions on anglers in the River Finn due to low numbers of migrating salmon.

placeholder image — The Loughs Agency has imposed restrictions on anglers in the River Finn due to low numbers of migrating salmon.

There has been a worrying decline over the past five years from 2,409 in 2021, to 1,194 to 2022, to 1,750 in 2023, to 1,025 in 2024, to 536 last year.

That’s only 6,914 over five years, very far short of the target of 5,410 migrating salmon per year specified in the legislation.

The suspension of netting in the Foyle and the restriction of angling to catch-and-release in the Finn applies until September 15.

Under the legislation restrictions must be put in place to conserve Atlantic salmon if the number of migrating fish counted going upstream in the Rivers Mourne, Faughan, Roe and Finn are below stock level targets.

The targets for the various rivers within the Foyle system are as follows: Mourne – Sion Mills (8,000), Finn (5,410), Roe (1,833) and Faughan (800).