Wild pink salmon. (Photo: Barry Kovish)
Pacific salmon found in Irish rivers cause bewilderment
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Tuesday, August 15, 2017, 08:20 (GMT + 9)
The finding of 30 pink salmon in nine rivers of the West Of Ireland since last June has caused concern among Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) authorities, since this is a native species to the Pacific Ocean.
IFI officials explained that the fear arises from the potential introduction of parasites and pathogens not present in native salmonid fish and another is competition for food and space for juveniles, The Irish Mirror reported.
Pink salmon is native to river systems in the northern Pacific Ocean and nearby regions of the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean.
IFI stressed that the salmon that is native to Ireland is the Atlantic salmon, and that the Government does not grant a licence in Ireland to farm Pacific pink salmon.
A similar issue has been reported on some fisheries in Scotland and there is no definitive explanation. However, it has been suggested that some of the Pacific species have made their way south after “straying” from rivers in northern Norway or Russia.
IFI scientists consider interbreeding with Atlantic salmon is unlikely as pink salmon spawn in late summer whereas Atlantic salmon spawn in winter.
Fisheries authorities request all pink salmon findings to be reported and that detailed information on date and location of capture, length and weight of the fish and a photograph to be sent.
They also want the fish tagged and kept so they can run further tests to determine maturity stage and genetic origin.
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