Large salmon escape reported in western Ireland

Authorities are investigating reports of the escape of a large number of salmon from a farm on the west coast of Ireland.

The incident happened at Killary Harbour in Galway, following the discovery of a tear in one of the nets.

The escape is thought to have been caused by a fish farm boat colliding with a salmon cage, leading to the release of several thousand salmon.

The site is operated by the Mannin Bay Salmon Company which has confirmed the incident but has yet to comment further. The fish are around 1.5kg to 2kg in weight.

The Irish Department of Agriculture Food and Marine (DAFM) said: “The licensee has advised that the damaged cage has been repaired. The department’s marine engineering division is currently preparing a report on the incident.”

Mannin Bay Salmon Company

Compared to Scotland and the likes of Iceland, salmon farming in Ireland is relatively modest but it makes up an important part of the country’s overall seafood output – and as in neighbouring countries it has its critics.

According to the Irish Times, the organisation Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages (GBASC) said it was informed by a source connected to the salmon farming industry in Connemara that “there was a large escape of farmed salmon” on Sunday, 11 August, which has been estimated at between 10,000 and 30,000 fish.

“This major escape will have a devastating impact on the Erriff and Delphi rivers flowing into Killary Harbour and other nearby rivers such as Kylemore river, Clifden river, Culfin river and Ballynahinch river if these escapees are not recaptured,” said GBASC spokesman Billy Smyth.

Salmon Watch Ireland added: “We regard the removal of open cage technologies as a priority to protect wild salmon and are calling on DAFM to reconsider siting these farms at sea. In the interim, it is of the utmost importance that the maximum number of escapees are captured to reduce risks to local wild salmon populations.”

The Mannin Bay Salmon Company is an independent company farming organic salmon.

Organic label for Mannin Bay salmon