Environment

Salmon Spawning Areas

The below map shows the salmon spawning areas on the river Shannon. Spawning happens between October and January and these areas should be avoided at these times.

• Get On and Get Off Marked in Green
• Play spots marked in blue
• Spawning areas in red
• Larger map click here

A description of the areas which affect normal paddling on Castleconnell run.

• River right after Castle Oaks Hotel
• River left above last wave before get out ( near metal spike before wave that runs towards the wall)

General guidelines: River paddlers should be aware of fish spawning; in particular what it is, where and when it happens and how we can avoid interfering with it. Female fish lay their eggs and male fish fertilise those eggs in the gravel beds of rivers throughout Ireland. Fish seek out gravel river beds for spawning, so this is not an issue in muddy rivers. The reason for this is that the eggs rest in the gaps between the pieces of gravel and stay there until the young fish hatch. The movement of water over the gravel provides them with the necessary flow of oxygen to help them through the early stages of their life cycle. Salmon and sea trout generally spawn between the months of October to early January in both the main river and in the tributaries of almost all Irish rivers, although earlier and later instances are sometimes reported.

When paddling in the autumn and early winter you should be particularly on the look out for gravel river beds, especially when you are getting in or out of your boat. You can avoid causing any problems in the spawning season by:

• Not standing in the water when there is a gravel river bed
• Being aware of the increased risk of making contact with the gravel river bed in times of low water
• Avoiding contact between your paddle and the gravel river bed, especially when getting in and out of your boat
• Avoiding contact with your boat and the gravel river bed, especially by not dipping the stern or cartwheeling when there is insufficient depth of water
• The use of a pole to propel an open canoe should be done with caution at this time of year reverting to a paddle on sections of river with a gravel bed
• Following any local guidance in terms of preferred places to launch or climb out
• Remembering the sensitive time of year for fish spawning, other fish have different spawning times so local knowledge is useful