Loughs Agency steps up enforcement as low water levels spur illegal salmon fishing in Ireland

The Loughs Agency is intensifying patrols and seizures to combat a surge in illegal salmon fishing driven by exceptionally low water levels across rivers and loughs in Donegal. Prolonged dry weather has forced Atlantic salmon into shallow pools, making them easy targets for poachers. Forecasts indicate the dry spell could continue into September, keeping the threat to vulnerable stocks high.

Agency Chief Executive Sharon McMahon said, “This is one of the most concerning trends we have witnessed in recent years.” Fishery Officers are now conducting round‑the‑clock patrols backed by advanced surveillance technology, and the agency reports over 130 seizures in the past two years, a number it expects to rise while water levels remain low. Recent operations seized a dinghy, a net and twelve salmon at Teelin Bay, preventing further blockage of salmon migration up the River Glen.

The public is urged to report suspected illegal activity in real time via the Water Watch app, and the agency is recruiting additional Fishery Officers to bolster its enforcement capacity.