River Moy
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The River Moy (Abhainn na Muaidhe in Irish) rises in the Ox Mountains in County Sligo in the northwest of Ireland. For the greater part of its length, the Moy flows southwestward, entering County Mayo and passing not far from Swinford before turning north near the village of Kilmore and heading for the historic town of Ballina, where it empties into Killala Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The Moy valley, with its ancient churches and abbeys, is a prominent tourist destination.[citation needed]
The river was once among the best salmon fisheries in Europe; however, in recent times, drift net fishing off the coast caused a huge decline in salmon numbers. According to central fisheries board statistics, 101,231 returning salmon were taken by drift nets off the west coast of Ireland in 2005. In the same year, 29% (6,675) of all rod caught salmon in Ireland were taken in the Ballina district, as a result of a weir, which keeps salmon trapped in the ridge pool, near the mouth of the river, during the summer. Drift netting for salmon was banned in November 2006. The ban came into force on January 1, 2007.[citation needed](http://www.stopnow.ie/end.html). However, the bulk of the salmon, which now run in May and June, are still prevented from navigating the main river above Ballina due to the wear, which keeps them trapped in the Ridge pool and newly created beats in the vicinity of the Cathederal in Ballina. As a result, the numbers of mature adult salmon returning to spawn continues to decline.
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