Irish wild salmon are on the brink of extinction after their population has “collapsed by such a huge number”, an environmentalist has warned. 

In the past five decades, the fish’s numbers have plummeted by an eyewatering 90% and the species is now included on the ‘Red List’ of threatened fish. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, ecologist Pádraig Fogarty described the wild salmon as “probably one of our most iconic species”, given their centrality in Irish mythology. 

“Salmon are also an indicator of the health of our wild, natural ecosystems,” he explained. 

“If natural ecosystems are in collapse - which is what they are - that’s not good news. 

“Not just for the salmon but for the rest of us; we don’t get to have a comfortable civilisation in the midst of a mass extinction event.” 

Salmon on the old punt currency. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Back in 1971, there were an estimated 1.7 million frolicking in Ireland’s streams and rivers. 

However, by 2022, that figure had dropped to only some 170,000 and many of the surviving fish are genetically isolated. 

“The fact that they have collapsed by such a huge number is indicative of the pressure that they’re being put under at every step of the way,” Mr Fogarty said. 

“We pollute the water, we have put barriers on the river that the salmon can’t pass. 

“When they go out into the estuaries, they run the gauntlet of the salmon farms, which have lice that can attach themselves to the wild salmon. 

“The farmed salmon escape and they interbreed with the wild salmon - reducing their genetic health. 

“Then when they’re in the sea, they run the risk of being hoovered up with these super trawlers.” 

A salmon in a fishing net. Picture by: Alamy.com.

For those concerned about the decline in the salmon’s population, Mr Fogarty said there is “a lot that we could be doing”. 

“I think we could be starting by improving the health of our rivers,” he said. 

“This is also the same water that’s coming out of our taps; so, there’s a direct relationship between the health of our waterways and the salmon. 

“We could be removing barriers; I think there is some good news on that front. 

“Fisheries Ireland have a programme where they’re trying to remove a lot of these obsolete weirs and dams on rivers that have gone in over the last centuries.” 

Eggs benedict with smoked salmon. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Controversially, Mr Fogarty also called for an end to farmed salmon, which is part of the €1.24 billion Irish seafood industry that employs some 8,000 people. 

“I see no need for farmed salmon,” he argued.  

“It’s enormously environmentally damaging; we should be doing it. 

“Then, when it comes to the supertrawlers out at sea; we really shouldn’t be doing that either.” 

Mr Fogarty added that climate change is another significant factor behind the salmon's decline. 

Increased temperatures are thought to have lowered the calorification value of the food salmon rely on, meaning fewer survive into adulthood. 

“That’s obviously an enormous global problem,” he said. 

“But we do need to be eliminating the burning of global greenhouse gases.” 

Globally, an estimated two million species are at risk of extinction.

Main image: A salmon leaping through a weir. Picture by: Alamy.com