ANGLING NOTES:IN A strategic move to have a combined voice for angling, more than one million coarse, game and sea anglers signed up last week to Angling Trust, a new organisation encompassing six of the largest angling and conservation bodies in England.
Incorporating the assets and staff of the legacy organisations, the trust was launched last Wednesday at the Fishmongers’ Hall, London Bridge. Invited guests included Martin Salter MP, government spokesman for angling and shooting.
Dr Marsh-Smith, first chairman of the Trust, said: “Angling contributes £3.5 [€3.93] billion to the economy and supports 37,000 jobs. Almost 2,500 clubs and individual anglers have already signed up.” Immediate plans entail a campaign to conserve marine and freshwater fisheries, and promote and protect recreational angling against commercial over-fishing, habitat destruction, poaching and disease.
The six recreational bodies are: Anglers’ Conservation Association; Fisheries and Conservation Trust; National Association of Fishing and Angling Consultatives; National Federation of Anglers; National Federation of Sea Anglers and Specialist Anglers’ Alliance. Membership is £20 (€22.40) a year for adults and £5 (€5.60) for juniors and includes public-liability insurance and newsletters. Members will also be enrolled in Fish for Free, a programme geared to generate credits for fishing equipment, permits and the freshwater rod licence.
Angling Trust has a legal arm, Fish Legal, to take action on behalf of members whose waters have been polluted or damaged and to offer legal advice. Membership of Fish Legal is available to clubs, fisheries and riparian owners in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Tom Lillis, chairman of the Angling Council of Ireland, said: “We will be in contact shortly with Angling Trust with a view to sharing information.” Further details are available at www.anglingtrust.net.
Jim Wilson is a keen supporter of the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST). As estate manager of Mount Falcon Country House in Co Mayo, last year he offered two days’ fishing for two plus one night’s accommodation at Mount Falcon for €750, with all proceeds going to AST. However, he received no takers and instead offered to donate €5 to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (Nasco) for each salmon returned safely to the water last season at Mount Falcon. Out of the 401 caught at Mount Falcon, 136 were released and, after Wilson dug a bit deeper into his pocket, a cheque for €730 was given to Nasco.
The money will be used to help fund Salsea, a project organised by the International Atlantic Salmon Research Board to study the lifestyle of smolts when they leave their native rivers.
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The “fish-off” for the 2009 Irish shore team was held last weekend in Portrush, Co Antrim, with four places on the team heading to the World Championships at stake. The venues chosen were Ballycastle, East Strand (Portrush) and Benone Strand.
Due to a lack of large fish at the venues in recent weeks, the organisers decided to award five points for undersized fish (under 20cm) and a minimum size-six hook.
Ballycastle was fished in a south-westerly gale and catches included small flounder and turbot. One unlucky angler caught a good-sized sea trout that, unfortunately, did not qualify under IFSA rules. The night event on East Strand produced many “doubles” and “trebles” of coalfish and whiting, but beyond these good pegs the story was different, with many anglers drawing a blank.
Strong winds whipped up a big sea for the final session on Benone Strand and again, results were disappointing. Flounder and turbot were the mainstay, with plenty of undersize fish. After a close finish, the Irish shore team that will compete in the world championships in Montenegro next October is: K Begadon (Waterford Crystal, captain); B Roche (Wexford); J Gordan (Menapia); M Beatty (Sea Angling Ireland) and B Cooke (Raheny District). J Hennessy (Tramore/Waterford) is the reserve.
Ireland recorded a convincing win at the recent two-day 17th International Pike Competition held in Co Mayo. In difficult conditions, 20 anglers representing Ireland and England produced a total of 39 pike for an overall weight of 61kg. Due to heavy rain, popular pre-selected river venues were unfishable and instead anglers were required to fish Levallinree Lake, near Kiltimagh, and Urlaur, a 600-acre lake south of Ballaghadeereen, Co Roscommon.
Results: Ireland, 26 fish, 33.6kg; England, 13fish, 27.6kg.
angling@irishtimes.com