Funding of over €1 million has been awarded to 34 projects in 14 counties under the ‘Habitats and Conservation Scheme 2022′, by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).
Under two separate funds, i.e. ‘Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund’ and ‘Midland Fisheries Fund (MFF)’, angling clubs, commercial fishermen and fishery owners were invited to apply for financial assistance to support fisheries conservation projects in their local areas.
A total of €1,053,390 has been approved so far this year to projects based in Cavan (€35k), Cork (€12k), Donegal (€90k), Dublin (€12k), Galway (€115k), Leitrim (€6k), Limerick (€116k), Louth (€45k), Mayo (€130k), Meath (€224k), Monaghan (€30k), Westmeath (€66k), Wexford (€30k), Wicklow (€9k) and a national project (€135k).
The financial assistance is generated by the sale of salmon and sea trout licences and commercial fishing licences. The MFF of €50,000 is financed through contributions from permit income.
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To be eligible, applicants must have purchased a valid salmon and sea trout angling licence or a commercial fishing licence or hold a current MFF permit.
The Minister for the Environment, Eamon Ryan, said: “Healthy rivers and lakes are critical to a healthy ecosystem and the works and studies supported by the scheme will also benefit the surrounding environment and the restoration of our natural resources.”
IFI’s Suzanne Campion, added: “Conservation and protection are at the heart of the work we do and ensuring fish species like Atlantic salmon and sea trout get the best chance possible to thrive in our inland waters.”
Further funding allocations may be announced later in the year and the full list of projects can be seen at www.fisheriesireland.ie.
Spectacular trout on Lough Corrib
A group of out-of-towners over from London, Bath and Scotland had three wild and windy days of fly-fishing on Lough Corrib, as ably described by Tim Pettigrew.
The weather was very windy and the mix of skill levels led to some interesting tangles. The first day of Thursday 19th saw only one fish fall to the six rods, however, the fish was a fine 3lb brown trout in perfect order.
The group was hosted by Frank Costello of Ashford Boat Hire. Unfortunately, no fish were caught on the Friday although his famous frying pan did the trick to the 3lb fish for the party on an island making for a memorable day.
On the Saturday a lazy morning and an early exit for half the group left only three anglers in the boat after lunch and, as would be scripted in a Hollywood movie, it was within 20 minutes of leaving that John Rendel of Bath hooked what the anglers believed was a very fine salmon.
The fish took a muddler fly on the top dropper in about 18-24inches of water just outside the Boathouse of Ashford Castle and headed to the bottom of the choppy lake.
After 10 or so minutes playing what was speculated as being a 15lb salmon, the fish broke the surface of the water and showed off the magnificent colours of what could be a specimen trout while dancing across the surface.
After a further five or so minutes the fish came to the boat and was netted by Tim Pettigrew acting as gillie with the events recorded by John Ormsby of Kilmaine. As with all fine stories the fly promptly dropped out of the mouth leaving everyone relieved it came out while in the boat and not in the lake.
The fish was later weighed at 10lb 1oz by Thomas Ryan of Cong. Frank Costello said it was one of the finest trout he’d seen caught on the fly in over 35 years of fishing the lake.
Baldwin takes honours at Fermoy
Anglers were delighted to be back for the Fermoy Spring Coarse Festival on the River Blackwater after three years due of Covid restrictions. Cedric Baldwin came out tops again with a weight of 38lb 10oz, having won the event in 2019, followed by Neil Richards on 32lb 12oz and Malcolm Nicholson, a close third with 32lb 2oz.
The two-day competition, one river and one Inniscarra Lake, saw Russ Jones taking pole river position with 15lb 4ozs and Dale Malpas with 26.740lb on Inniscarra.
“We would especially like to thank accommodation providers in Fermoy for the festival as this would not be possible without them,” said festival organiser, Tommy Lawtond.
Man receives suspended prison sentence for fisheries offences
Mr Shane Heaphy (27), Templeacre Avenue, Gurranabraher, Co Cork was issued with a three-month prison sentence, suspended for two years by Judge Marian O’Leary at Cork District Court on May 17th, 2022. Heaphy pleaded guilty to committing four fisheries offences.
The court heard evidence from fisheries protection officers that Heaphy entered a private fishery at the Cork Waterworks Weir on the River Lee in July 2020 to stroke-haul salmon.
(Stroke-hauling is an illegal method of catching fish that involves ripping weighted hooks along the flank of a fish to try and impale it and causes horrific injuries.)
Judge O’Leary, hearing that Heaphy had previous convictions for stroke-hauling, responded by stating that “stroke-hauling was cruel” and that the Court took a “dim view” of the practice.
Heaphy was also convicted of possession of a fishing rod and line, fishing within 50 yards of the downstream face of the weir and using a stroke-haul. He was fined €300 and ordered to pay €350 in expenses.
Angling is prohibited in the Waterworks Powerhouse area under the Fisheries Consolidation Act 1959 and Article 4 of the River Lee (Cork Waterworks Weir) By-Law No.453 of 1943.
Fisheries director, Sean Long, said: “We will not tolerate any kind of illegal fishing and our protection staff carry out covert and overt operations to safeguard our fisheries resource.”
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