Sea trout and their exploitation by draft net from the Feale and Munster Blackwater Rivers, southern Ireland

Abstract

Biological characteristics of sea trout exploited in the rivers Bride (Co. Waterford) by angling and Feale (Co. Kerry) by draft net are described from small collections of scales and life data. Both stocks are short lived, poorly conditioned and have smolts whose fork lengths range between 19 and 26cm. Draft net fishing for these trout is conducted with relatively large meshed nets (4.45cm knot to knot). In the Feale highest catches are made in June and July and fish aged two sea summers constitute the majority of captures. A draft net mesh size smaller than the ordinary statutory minimum is required to retain large numbers of post-smoIt. A bunt mesh of 2.5cm knot to knot is effective in doing so.