ANGLING NOTES:AS FOUNDER of the Shark Angling Club of Ireland (SACI) in 1998, the late Paul Lynam endeavoured to introduce a conservation system whereby large game fish, ie blue shark and tope, could achieve specimen (or record) status by providing length and girth measurements to the Irish Specimen Fish Committee (ISFC) and, after tagging, these fish could then be released unharmed.
At the time, the ISFC insisted that fish caught from on board a boat must be weighed on land to achieve accurate weight details. This, in effect, meant killing the fish. Numerous meetings failed to reach agreement on the issue and SACI decided to introduce its own specimen list by awarding successful anglers a certificate and badge on foot of measurement data.
Their motto: “the one rule here is no shark on the pier” worked extremely well but sadly the club ceased to function about five years ago. However, their conservation principles appear to have worked because in the 10 years preceding SACI, 105 specimens (45.4kg/ 100lb) were ratified by ISFC and in the intervening decade anglers returned only 15 carcasses.
It therefore comes as good news to read in the ISFC’s latest report that the committee undertook to examine the possibility of a “conservation specimen” category in 2009 for blue shark and tope based on fish length. While progress was achieved, problems arose with variability depending on time of year, sex and location of capture.
The ISFC will investigate the issue further this year with a view to developing length thresholds for 2011 for this alternative specimen award. Meanwhile, anglers and charter skippers are requested to ensure that length, sex and weight are included on claims submitted for both species. Lengths (in cm) are presented in the 2009 report for the first time for all species.
Throughout the year, 617 claims were ratified and a further 74 remain to be clarified. In June, Joe Waldis from Switzerland achieved a new Irish record for a six-gilled shark caught off Carrigaholt in Co Clare. The magnificent fish weighed 480kg (390cm long) and exceeded the 41-year record by a massive 410kg. The Currane system in Waterville, Co Kerry, produced all 26 specimen sea trout with the heaviest, at 5.66kg, falling to Heinz Stratmann from Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on a Minney lure in May.
Cod made a substantial comeback with 27 specimens from the Courtmacsherry area in Co Cork against only four recorded the previous year. However, spur dogfish again dominate the report with 68 specimens, mainly from Red Bay in Co Antrim. Plomp Cornelis from Holland came within a whisker of the record (10.31kg) with a fish of 10.15kg.
Derick O’Brien from Ballyphehane, Cork was the recipient of the Dr Went award for the young specimen angler of the year for his carp of 9.98kg taken in The Lough, Cork in January.
Two new species have been added to the specimen listings from 2010. They are: roach/rudd hybrid with a threshold weight of 0.9kg and black bream with a threshold of 1kg. The weight for both species will remain open in 2010 and claims submitted will be eligible for specimen and record purposes.
The annual presentation of awards will be held in the Red Cow Moran’s Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin 22 on Saturday, February 20th. All Irish anglers who are due awards are invited to attend.
The first salmon of the year was caught on New Year’s Day on the River Drowes in Co Leitrim by Brian McEvoy from Enniskillen in Co Fermanagh. Freezing conditions greeted the 75 anglers with temperatures dropping to -7 degrees and ice forming on rod rings. A number of kelts were reported throughout the morning, but at 1.15 pm, Brian landed the first fresh spring salmon weighing 4.5kg (10lb) from the Two Islands Pool, downstream of Four Masters Bridge, on a yellow belly Devon minnow. McEvoy also has the distinction of catching the first salmon in 1999.
Up to last Thursday, five fresh fish have been lost at the net. “Anglers get too excited,” according to Drowes fisheries manager, Bill Likely.
Ireland’s National Angling Show promises to be action-packed this year with lots of new activities and demonstrations. Jack Charlton will get proceedings underway at the National Show Centre, Cloghran, Co Dublin on Saturday, February 13th and Sunday, February 14th.
angling@irishtimes.com