Statistics for salmon and inland fisheries

These statistics give an overview of the DAERA fisheries sector in Northern Ireland.

The latest available data have been drawn together from a number of published and unpublished sources.

Key statistics from the report are summarised below:

There were 26,264 angling licences and 17,713 DAERA permits sold in 2015.

1,916 rod licences and 1,885 permits were checked in the DAERA public angling estate in 2016/17.

125,556 takeable sized trout were stocked from Movanagher fish farm for recreational angling in 2016, 123,050 of which were stocked to the DAERA Public Angling Estate.

There were approximately 160,000 salmon fry stocked from Bushmills Hatchery to rivers in Northern Ireland in 2016.

The number of salmon on the River Lagan counted at Stranmillis fish pass in 2016 was 94, the largest number recorded since 2002.

The estimated return of wild adult salmon to the River Bush in 2016 was 2,171 and was above the previous ten year average (2006-2015) of 1,233.

1.3 million elvers were naturally recruited to Lough Neagh in 2016, more than the average for the previous 10 year period (2006 - 2015) of 0.82 million.

2.7 million elvers were transported upstream in the Lough Erne system in 2016, the largest number transported since 2000.

Further information can be found in the Fisheries Digest report published on the DAERA website: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/angling-and-inland-waterway-statistics