Draft net fishermen in Donegal, on Loughros Mór estuary are paying a much higher licence fee of €545 for a three-week period, compared to the rest of the draft net fishermen around Ireland who fish for eleven weeks and pay a licence fee of €398.
The fishermen who fish for wild Atlantic salmon in Loughros Mór estuary to the west of Ardara are calling on Minister Timmy Dooley to reconsider his decision not to reduce their licence fee ahead of the 2026 season, as outlined in a reply to a parliamentary question by Deputy Pearse Doherty.
At present, fishermen on Loughros Mór are paying a special local draft net licence fee of €545.
In 2022, following a recommendation from Inland Fisheries Ireland, the special local draft net licence fee for the Loughros Mór fishery was increased by 36% to €545, while other licence duties rose by approximately 10%. Since then, the Loughros Mór Draft Net Fishers’ Group has consistently urged for the fee to be reduced, arguing that the increase was unfair and disproportionate, especially given the much shorter season on the estuary. And tides mean that some fishing has to be done in the middle of the night.
In October last, licence holders wrote directly to Minister Timmy Dooley seeking a reduction in the licence duty before the 2026 season. That submission received support from Donegal TDs and Senators, and the matter has also been raised in both Dáil Éireann by Deputy Charles Ward and by Senator Manus Boyle in Seanad Éireann.
A spokesperson for the Group said: “Our members are deeply disappointed and feel that our concerns have once again been overlooked. While we recognise that special local licences have always carried different conditions, it is simply unreasonable that licence holders on Loughros Mór are being asked to pay €147 more than holders of ordinary draft net licences (€398), particularly given the limited scale and shorter season of our fishery.
We are calling on Minister Dooley to look again at this decision and to take proper account of the unique circumstances of Loughros Mór and the strong case that has already been made for a fairer and more balanced approach.” We have already lost so much of our coastal communities’ way of life and this is not just about the economics.
For generations, draft net fishing at Loughros Mór has been part of the social, historical, cultural and economic fabric of the area. The fishery is not just a source of income; it is a way of life that connects families and the wider community to the estuary, to local heritage, and to a long-standing tradition of seasonal fishing.
The Group said it remains ready to engage constructively in pursuit of a fair solution that respects the long-standing cultural traditions of Loughros Mór.
