MARINE EXPLOITATION OF ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO-SALAR L) FROM THE RIVER BUSH, NORTHERN-IRELAND

A quantitative analysis of marine exploitation of River Bush Atlantic salmon in high seas and homewater fisheries during the period 1984-1991 has been carried out, based on 128 150 microtagged smolt releases and 7003 adult recaptures. Exploitation rates were low in high seas fisheries and high in Irish coastal (i.e. homewater) fisheries, between 62.2 and 89.0% of returning wild grilse being taken in the latter. Homewater exploitation rates on returning two sea-winter (2SW) fish were lower at 36.5-60.0%. Comparative assessments of exploitation of wild and hatchery-reared fish demonstrated generally higher exploitation rates on reared groups, within which there were further differences related to smolt age. Between 25.0 and 36.2% of wild grilse and 0.26-0.53% of 2SW fish returned to homewaters prior to exploitation. These represent the first estimates of survival to homewater return of microtagged wild salmon in the British Isles.