ANGLING NOTES:A NEW WEBSITE dedicated to establishing the full extent of our marine resources was launched yesterday by Seán Power, the Minister of State at the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources. The website, www.infomar.ie, will contain a broad range of information on the nature, physical habitats and water depths of the Irish sea-bed, writes Derek Evans.
"With over 220 million acres of national territory lying beneath the sea, many of the benefits from this resource are as yet unrealised. The Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland's Marine Resource (Infomar) project will provide a wide spectrum of activities from navigation, safety at sea and fisheries management," the Minister said. Infomar is jointly managed by the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Marine Institute. For further information, e-mail: john.joyce@marine.ie
• The first of the Dublin Angling Initiative summer fishing projects co-ordinated by Des Chew got under way last week as teenagers from Youth Enhancement Project Whitechurch took part in a three-day introduction course on sea, game and coarse fishing.
Greystones in Co Wicklow was selected for beach fishing. Here, students took tuition in beach-casting and bait presentation before catching some dogfish - and three crabs! Day Two consisted of trout fishing at Aughrim's Angling For All facility and provided an opportunity to catch good quality rainbow trout and to practise correct handling of fish including catch-and-release procedures.
Pre-baiting and raking of swims paid off on day three as the group descended on the Royal Canal at Kilcock, Co Kildare. The students were shown how to plum depths and waggler float techniques. They went on to catch perch, roach, hybrids and some bream.
"The three-day course was a great success and gave students an insight into angling for the first time. Hopefully, some will take up fishing as a hobby which they can enjoy for life," said Chew.
Dublin Angling Initiative is sponsored by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board.
• Tildarg Fishery near Ballyclare, Co Antrim, provided the venue for the 19th Annual Northern Ireland Media Team Fly-Fishing Competition earlier this month. The 21 hacks enjoyed a good day's fishing, returning some 60 good-sized rainbows, the heaviest reaching 1.4kg.
Fishing throughout the day proved difficult, with a clear sky and hot sun that appeared to drive the fish to the deepest parts of the 17-acre lake. Those anglers with the patience to slowly draw small nymphs close to the bottom appeared to benefit most.
Prizes were handed out by Larry Nixon, former Belfast Telegraph angling corres- pondent and founder of this event in 1989.
Results: 1, S Brennan/R Hayes (Belfast Telegraph), 12 fish, 40pts; 2, S Brown/M Kelly (Red Box Media), 10f, 34pts; 3, C Boyle/D Mooney (Mooney Media), 9f, 28pts.
Ireland was pipped at the post in last weekend's International Fly-Fishing Association Spring Match on Lough Melvin. The 14-man Irish team caught 21 fish, one more than eventual winners Wales, but alas, a difference of some 0.4kg on basket weight.
• Ireland's captain, Arden Pollock, tied with Mike Cocks (England) for best basket of three fish for 2.120lb.
The winner of Irish Times/Jimmy Tyrell's Flycraft lough and river flies is Stephen McGuinness, of Riverwood Grove, Castleknock, Dublin, who named the Liffey as the main river that flows through Dublin City.