Central and Regional Fisheries Boards
Wild Salmon Carcass Tagging and Logbook Scheme
Information for the General Public and persons engaged in catering and the retail of fish
Introduction
The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources for the Republic of Ireland has introduced a Carcass Tagging and Logbook Scheme for commercial and recreational salmon catches. This scheme is to be administered by the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards.
This leaflet provides information on the tagging scheme for the General Public and for persons engaged in catering.
From January 1st 2001 all salmon fishing licence holders (Anglers and Commercial) must affix a gill tag to:
- all salmon
- sea trout over 40 cm
they catch and retain. These tags will identify salmon and sea trout (over 40 cm), which have been caught legally, and will therefore allow for an enumeration of the catch.
From February 1st 2001 all untagged wild salmon and sea trout (over 40 cm) held in storage by salmon dealer must be tagged with a tail tag.
Gill Tags
The gill tag is a coloured plastic slef-locking device.
Each tag is embossed with a code indentifying the region, district and fish number
Tags are colour coded by fishing method as follows.
Red Drift net
Green Draft net
White Snap net
Orange Other engines (traps, loop net, pole net, bag nets etc)
Blue Rod and line
Tail tags
Yellow Tail Tags will be used to mark wild salmon and sea trout (over 40 cm) imported by fish dealers or any untagged wild salmon or sea trout (over 40 cm) held in storage by a fish dealer on 1st February 2001.
Untagged Wild Salmon
A person shall not sell, offer to sell, display or import, export any wild salmon or sea trout which has not a tag affixed to it in accordance with the tagging regulations.
A person shall not have in his or her possession any untagged wild salmon or sea trout which should have a tag affixed to it in accordance with the tagging regulations.
Removal of Gill and tail tags
A person shall not have in his or her possession any untagged wild salmon or sea trout which should have a tag affixed to it in accordance with the tagging regulations, except at the time the salmon or sea trout is processed. For the purposes of this scheme processing includes: smoking, marinating or cooking the fish, gutting and freezing the fish or cutting any steaks, cutlets or portions of the fish.
Records of Removal of Gill and Tail Tags
This section does not apply to any wild salmon or sea trout which is purchased bona fide by or on behalf of a person for use by the person in his or her own home.
A person other than a licensed salmon dealer and those mentioned above, who removes a tag in accordance with the tagging regulations that is affixed to a wild salmon or sea trout which he or she lawfully purchased shall retain:
The Tag
A record of the date of purchase of the fish
A record of the date of the removal of the tag
If applicable the statement of the fisherman form whom the fish were purchased
For a period of three months from the date of tag removal and surrender the details and tag to an Authorised Officer of a Regional Fisheries Board if requested.