72 Rivers open for Salmon Angling in 2026

Conservation and sustainability are vital to addressing the continued decline in salmon stocks

The Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Timmy Dooley, has signed the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations, setting out the rivers on which salmon and sea trout angling may take place for the 2026 season. This legislation came into effect on Friday, 3 April 2026.

Announcing the Regulations, Minister Dooley said:

A total of 72 rivers will be open for salmon angling in 2026, in line with scientific advice provided by the Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS), on the status of individual stocks. The TEGOS Report for 2026 shows that wild Atlantic salmon stocks continue to experience a significant and sustained decline, with many rivers below their conservation limits. The development of the Regulations was also informed by two public consultations.

The Regulations include a range of conservation management measures including seasonal controls, catch limits, tagging requirements and a prohibition of harvesting salmon in rivers which do not meet their conservation limits. These measures are designed to balance conservation with angling opportunities where possible, while protecting vulnerable fish populations.

The Minister also said:

In February 2026, the Minister wrote to Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), asking them to review the existing approach to salmon management and to consider what options are available for the protection and recovery of stocks. This work, backed by scientific advice, will inform future policy decisions in this area. IFI are expected to report back to the Minister by late summer.

ENDS

Ireland operates within a tightly regulated salmon management system and the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations are made annually.

Each of our 144 rivers is assessed independently each year against its conservation limit, which determines the status of that river for the coming season. This river-by-river approach reflects a precautionary and science-led framework as mandated by EU and international obligations.

Rivers are classed as open, catch and release or closed, based on the scientific advice provided by the Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS):

• Open (with tagging limits) where a river is estimated to be over its conservation limit
• Catch and release where a river is estimated to be at or close to its conservation limit, or
• Closed where a river is estimated not to meet its conservation limit.

The conservation limit is the maximum number of spawning salmon required to ensure sustainable stock replacement. Conservation limits are river specific because each river is different in terms of size, habitat and spawning areas, and so on.

Independent advice is received from the Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS), which assesses which rivers are likely to meet their conservation limits using probability thresholds.

The Minister of State Timmy Dooley, at the Department of the Climate, Energy and the Environment has made the following Regulation and Bye-laws:

1. S.I. No. 129 of 2026 Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026

These regulations provide for the quotas of fish that can be harvested by commercial fishing engines and rod and line from those rivers identified in Schedule 2 of the Regulations. The Regulations also provide for the use of brown tags in specified rivers which are identified in Schedule 4.

2. Angling Bye-law No. 1022, 2026

This Bye-law prohibits the use of any fishhooks, other than single or double barbless hooks and also prohibits the use of worms as bait in angling for all species of fish in the waters specified in the Bye-law.

3. Conservation of Salmon and Sea trout (Bag Limits) Bye-law No. 1023, 2026

This Bye-Law provides for an annual bag limit of 7 fish being either salmon or sea trout (over 40 cm) per angler and provides for a season bag limit of 1 fish in the period 3 April to 31 May and a daily bag limit of 3 fish from 1 June to 31 August. No fish shall be taken from 1 September to the end of the season other than by catch and release. The Bye-law also provides for the use of single or double barbless hooks and prohibits the use of worms as bait once the specified numbers of fish have been caught in the specified periods.

4. Conservation of Salmon and Sea trout (Catch and Release) Bye-law No. 1024, 2026

This Bye-law provides for catch and release in respect of salmon and sea trout (over 40 cm) in rivers as mentioned in the Bye-law. The Bye-law also provides for the use of single or double barbless hooks and prohibits the use of worms as bait in angling for salmon and sea trout over 40 cm.

5. Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout (Closed Rivers) Bye-law No. C.S. 339, 2026

This Bye-law prohibits the taking or attempting to take by rod and line salmon and sea trout (over 40 cm) in the rivers specified in the Bye-law.

6. Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout (River Suir) Bye-law No. 1025, 2026.

This Bye-law provides for catch and release in angling for salmon (any size) and sea trout (over 40 cm) in the River Suir (including the waters of the Rivers Clodiagh, Lingaun and Blackwater) and also prohibits the use of worms, prawn, shrimp or any other crustacean, or artificial forms thereof, as bait and any fish hooks other than single or double barbless hooks during the period 3rd April to 30 September.

7. Conservation of Sea Trout Bye-law No. 1026, 2026

This Bye-law provides for a daily bag limit of 3 sea trout (less than 40 cm in length) and provides for the use of single or double barbless hooks and prohibits the use of worms as bait once the specified number of sea trout has been caught.

FOOTNOTE

Section 57 (7) of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 provides that any person aggrieved by these bye-laws may within 28 days after publication in the Iris Oifigiúil, appeal against same to the High Court.