Under the new salmon fishing regulations eventually published after Easter the Slaney is closed for salmon fishing until 1 June when it reopens for the months of June, July and August on a strictly fly only catch and release basis. Further details of the regulations can be seen our Fishing Regulations for 2026 page.
While the Slaney River Trust strongly supports the implementation of catch and release angling to help protect Ireland’s dwindling salmon populations, we are concerned that closing the Slaney River until June is counterproductive to the conservation of our native salmon population.
Research conducted by IFI ( https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165783614002495 ) indicates that catch and release fly fishing with barbless hooks results in minimal mortality for salmon, while the presence of law-abiding anglers on the riverbank acts as a crucial deterrent to potential poachers and plays an important role in the identification and reporting of environmental issues. Without legal angling, the Slaney River and its fish lose this essential protection.
The Slaney River Trust made two submissions relating to the 2026 draft regulations during the public consultation period, emphasising the importance of maintaining legal anglers’ presence on the Slaney throughout the traditional angling season to protect salmon, the Slaney, and its unique angling heritage. While these submissions failed to achieve the retention of the spring fishing period in the 2026 season, we will seek the restoration of the traditional angling season for 2027.
