Sport

Angling Notes: New ‘all abilities’ angling facility launched near Skibbereen

Fishing platform designed to facilitate wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility at popular Shepperton Lake

Brian O’Donoghue from Clonakilty IWA cutting the ribbon at the new IWA wheelchair angling facility at Shepperton Lake, near Skibbereen, Co Cork
Brian O’Donoghue from Clonakilty IWA cutting the ribbon at the new IWA wheelchair angling facility at Shepperton Lake, near Skibbereen, Co Cork
Mon Apr 10 2023 - 05:15

An ‘all abilities’ angling facility was launched last week in Co Cork to enable wheelchair users to fish safely and conveniently at Shepperton Lake, some 3km from Skibbereen town.

Co-funded by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the Department of Rural and Community Development, the fishing platform cost €106,000 to construct and will provide those with reduced mobility access to a section of the popular angling destination.

The facility consists of a long boardwalk and accessible steel stand to cater for four wheelchair anglers at a time, a new picnic area and parking for six vehicles.

IFI’s John Twomey said: “The demand for safe infrastructure for wheelchair users at Shepperton Lake was obvious. We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to work with the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) on this project and can’t wait for it to be used by people of all abilities.”

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Sinéad Burke, support officer with IWA, added: “Our service users are thrilled with the new podium and will be able to enjoy a long season of fishing from now on.”

IFI has collaborated with the IWA in Clonakilty for the past seven years, and angling trips to Shepperton Lake have increased in popularity.

Three found guilty of illegal fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna

At a recent sitting of Skibbereen District Court, Brian Hassett (Monkstown), Barry Keohane (Blackrock) and Conor Jones (Kildinan), all from Co Cork, were found guilty of illegally fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna in waters south of Baltimore Harbour on October 10th 2022.

The court heard evidence from fisheries officer David Lordan who observed the men using a spreader-bar lure system for around 70 minutes before their vessel entered Baltimore Harbour.

Despite an application for a return of the seized fishing gear, the court granted Forfeiture Orders in respect of all items seized.

The seized spreader-bar lure fishing gear
The seized spreader-bar lure fishing gear

Hassett was found guilty of a breach of Section 285(a) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 and fined €1,000, and guilty of breaches of Article 4 (a) and 4 (b) of Bye Law 981 of 2020.

Keohane and Jones were found guilty of breaches of Article 4 (a) and 4 (b) of the 2020 Bye Law, and received the benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act on bonds of €5,000 each for three years.

Details were also presented at the hearing of the importance of protecting Atlantic bluefin tuna and the research programme ‘Tuna Chart’, a catch and release tagging programme gathering scientific data through licensed recreational charters.

Sean Long, director at IFI, said: “Illegal fishing for bluefin jeopardises the potential future for a sustainable catch and release angling fishery, currently valued at €1m annually, for professional skippers and coastal communities.

Cornamona host annual hospice charity event

Cornamona and District Anglers is hosting its annual hospice competition next Sunday (Apr 16th) on Lough Corrib. Entry fee is €50 per angler of teams of two. Contact Tom ‘Doc’ Sullivan at 087 611 3933 for further details.

Neil O’Shea, gillie on Lough Currane in Waterville, Co Kerry reports 12 salmon caught so far this season, with more than half of those by way of fly fishing. He said while the lake is very high at present, the outlook for the next few weeks looks promising.

For bookings, contact info@oshealoughcurrane.com or tel: 087-9942792.

If you have an angling story to share, please send it to me at angling@irishtimes.com