Ministers visit salmon research station in Bushmills

Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Nelson McCausland and Environment Minister Edwin Poots today visited the annual River Bush Salmon Station Open Day.

The Open Day, which was attended by over 500 members of the public, was designed to promote the research work undertaken at the Station into the dynamics of a wild salmon population.

Speaking during his visit the Minister McCausland said: “The Salmon Station carries out very valuable work on the status of salmon stock in the River Bush. Data gathered here informs Departmental policy on salmon and it also contributes to the assessment of salmon stocks at international level.

“The Station also records accurate counts of upstream migrating adult salmon, as well as counts of juvenile salmon migrating downstream which provides information on stock levels.”

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency attended the open day this year for the first time. They outlined their roles and responsibilities and how their role links into the work undertaken by DCAL fisheries staff.

Environment Minister Edwin Poots said: “My visit to the River Bush Salmon Open Day has given me the opportunity to see the very important work carried out on salmon stocks. The tour of the Station is not only interesting but also very informative about the life cycle of salmon and I would encourage people to attend the Open Day in future years to see this facility in the beautiful setting of the north coast.

"I think it’s vitally important that both Departments continue to work together to protect our rivers and the salmon stocks they support."

Notes to editors:

1. The River Bush Salmon Station has held an open day for the last three years and this year proved very popular with not only anglers but the general public at large.
2. Visitors were given a guided tour and experienced a hatchery operating on a large scale where they see salmon at various stages of development.
3. Media enquiries should be addressed to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Press Office Tel (028) 90 515 047 or email DCAL Press Office Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.