Posts Tagged ‘Inland Fisheries Ireland’

Pike Culling Protest outside Inland Fisheries Ireland HQ

Friday, March 25th, 2016

A peaceful protest against a barbaric, archaic and unnecessary trout fisheries management programme conducted by Irish Government agency Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) where pike are systematically culled from waters designated as “trout fisheries” by gill netting was held on Thursday 24/03/2016 outside IFI’s City West HQ.

Between 150 – 200 concerned stakeholders/anglers turned up to hand in a 23,000 strong online petition to IFI management voicing that the practice be discontinued and that the waters concerned should be managed as the mixed fisheries which they are.

A possible future angler voicing his concern for an enigmatic species, the Irish pike.

Given that the protest was well flagged, well organised and well attended by an extremely interested and passionate stakeholder grouping it should have been respected by IFI senior management to include CEO Ciaran Byrne and Business Development Manager Suzanne Campion. Sadly both were conspicuous by their absence which again reflects the arrogance of Irish Government, its agencies and institutions, behaviour which Ireland’s citizens have gotten so used to and tired of over the last number of years.

There are major problems in how Ireland’s fisheries resources both marine and freshwater are managed, the evidence of decline all too apparent especially if you are my age of 55 and have rod and line fished Ireland’s waters for forty years. Does the management of Inland Fisheries Ireland know best? Their apparent refusal to meet with concerned stakeholders including a potential future angler, my grandson pictured above and receive in person the signatures of 23,000 more equally concerned stakeholders tells its own story.

It is encumbent on IFI management to understand that they hold a privileged position which many Irish people with a passion for fisheries would give their eye teeth for and also that they serve the concerned citizenry they ignored so visibly. Next time and there will be a next time they should show their mettle and step up to the plate, as Bill Clinton might have said, it’s about the resource stupid!………..

See also: Misconceptions on a Cull.

The Direct Value of Irish Sea Angling is €127.5 million.

Monday, July 29th, 2013

Sea angling in Ireland based on average participation figures for domestic and tourist sea anglers across all species including bass is worth €70.5 million directly into the Irish economy. Converted into Full Time Equivalents (FTE’s) or jobs to you and I, sea angling supports 2538 individuals directly.

Charter boat fishing off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland.

The figure for average annual domestic expenditure by all those who participate in sea angling throughout Ireland across all channels including fishing tackle works out at €94.5 million. Combine this with tourist sea angler receipts and Ireland benefits directly from sea angling to the tune of €127.5 million, that’s 4590 jobs (FTE’s).

Derived from the recently published “Socio-Economic Study of Recreational Angling in Ireland”, commissioned by Inland Fisheries Ireland and conducted by Tourism Development International, these figures are a true and accurate record of the monetary contribution sea angling makes for this country.

As a counter balance relative to the commercial fishing sector, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) figures for 2012 show that the pelagic fleet contributed €213.8 million and whitefish €49.2 million generating between fishermen and processing 7,800 FTE’s.

It is clear from these figures that sea angling has to be considered on an equal footing with commercial sea fishing regarding future policy decisions attributable to Ireland’s marine resource……….

River Slaney Salmon and Sea Trout Seminar

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

The Slaney River Trust held a seminar on Saturday 5th March 2011 to discuss various aspects of this great spring salmon and sea trout fishery, with respect to its current health and future management. Notable speakers included Dr.Paul Johnston, a fisheries consultant who has produced a comprehensive report on the conservation and recovery of the River Slaney salmon fishery, and Dr. Willie Roche, a senior fisheries scientist with Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Celtic Sea Trout Project Logo.

Over a very informative day the life cycle of both salmon and sea trout were explained in context with the River Slaney based on current data. What became very clear are the large holes that need to be filled before we come up with a true understanding of what is happening on the ground, and the protracted timeline involved before any pertinent information unveiled is acted upon. That said, a presentation by Dr. Willie Roche on the Celtic Sea Trout Project ,a multi agency partnership between Ireland and Wales, afforded great hope for the future of this much loved but poorly understood species.

A colony of seals off the Raven Point, Wexford harbour mouth, Ireland.

A topic which exposed a key flaw in the multi agency approach to environmental and natural resource management was predator control. Misinformation abounds and wagons are circled relative to the various vested interests,  seals and cormorants receiving particular attention, most of which was negative. Yes 210 seals minimum live on the Raven Point at the mouth of Wexford harbour, I took the ariel photo’s and have counted them. Yes, an individual seal eats between 5 – 10.kgs of fish per day which means that the Raven colony consumes up to two tonne of food per day. Is this having an effect on migratory fish stocks? We do not know, but it is very likely.

Wexford Harbour, Ireland, from the air.

Equally cormorants pose a problem in particular as they predate on smolts (juvenile salmon and sea trout) heading out to sea. In both cases the seals and cormorants are innocent victims to man’s exploitation of the marine environment. Over fishing within the Irish sea where stocks are critically low, certainly upwards of an 80% reduction in white fish such as cod, has forced seals and cormorants to change their feeding habits. Catch returns and observations of salmon from rivers north and south of the Slaney show signs of improvement since the drift nets were bought out in 2006, however the Slaney has stuttered, why? It’s hard not to consider that predation is a factor. Only a full ecosystem approach based on marine conservation will provide the answers and radically change the present status quo, unfortunately under present EU legislation and work practices I cannot see that happening.