Two men have been convicted of possessing 16 illegal salmon nets near the River Drowes in Co Donegal.

Philip and Eoghan McCluskey of Bundoran, Co Donegal received fines and costs totalling €6,000 in relation to the offence, which occurred on 25 July 2021 on the Drowes River in Magheracar, Bundoran.

Among the items in the father’s and son’s possession on the night were two large holdall bags which contained 16 nets, wooden pegs, 20 empty coal sacks, balaclavas, a knife, throw line, binoculars and a camouflage jacket which was covered in wild salmon scales.

The case was heard at Ballyshannon District Court on Friday 21 April.

The court heard that Inland Fisheries Ireland’s (IFI) Mobile Support Unit (MSU) for fisheries protection, with local fisheries staff, discovered evidence of possible illegal activity taking place on the lower Drowes River.

The MSU, working together with local fisheries officers, carried out covert surveillance of the river which led to the defendants being apprehended.

Commenting on the case, Francis O’Donnell, chief executive of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said: “This illegal operation was halted by a professional team of fisheries officers through a significant covert operation.

“The two men had 16 nets in their possession when caught, and 20 empty coal bags to place fish into. IFI was established in 2010 and in that time there has never been a seizure of such a quantity of nets used for the illegal capture of fish in fresh water. The potential impact of these nets on the River Drowes would have been catastrophic for the salmon population.

“IFI will not tolerate this behaviour on any Irish river. We will continue to prosecute those who persist in poaching. I would like to commend all our Fisheries Officers for their commitment in dealing with this type of ecological crime.”

Welcoming the judgement, Dr Milton Matthews, director of IFI’s North West River Basin District said: “Salmon stocks have never been under more pressure from illegal fishing, habitat loss and climate change.

“The River Drowes represents one of the last strongholds for Atlantic salmon in the Northwest of Ireland. The apprehension of these offenders and seizure of this quantity of poaching equipment represents a significant boost to safeguarding this valuable natural resource.”

A former salmon draft net licence holder has been found guilty of two breaches of fisheries legislation when he was found to be in possession of 13 untagged salmon in the boot of his vehicle.

Liam Whyte of Ardara, Co Donegal was convicted in relation to an illegal fishing incident which occurred on 10 July 2017.

The case was first heard in Glenties District Court on 27 February 2019 where Whyte was convicted and fined €1,300 for possession of the salmon,and fined costs of €750.

In light of previous convictions, the court imposed a sentence of three months’ imprisonment which was suspended for two years, on condition that there be no further convictions under the Fisheries Acts during that time.

Whyte appealed the ruling to Donegal Circuit Court and the case was heard on 14 March 2023.

As Whyte had not come to the attention of the courts in the intervening period, the court waived the three-month suspended sentence and instead convicted Whyte on two counts of breaches in fisheries legislation with fines amounting to €2,800 and costs of €979.63.

Commenting on the outcome of the case, Dr Milton Matthews, director of the North Western River Basin District at Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said: “I commend the ongoing vigilance of our fisheries protection officers who conduct extensive surveillance operations throughout the year to ensure that licensed salmon draft net holders comply fully with the strict tagging and quota regulations.

“Any salmon killed in excess of the quota identified for any particular salmon fishery directly impacts on the long-term sustainability of that salmon fishery.

“It is critical for all stakeholders to strictly abide by tagging and quota regulations to safeguard the future of these valuable fisheries. Members of the public can report incidents of illegal fishing, water pollution and fish kills, to Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 24-hour confidential hotline number on 0818 34 74 24.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has urged angling enthusiasts and watercraft owners to help stop the spread of invasive species by carefully checking, cleaning and drying their boats and equipment when travelling from one waterway to another this Easter.

In particular, the State body responsible for the day-to-day management of our inland fisheries resource is asking users of the River Shannon and its tributaries to take action to halt the proliferation of non-native species that may cling to crafts as the latter move along the waters.

IFI is recommending that anglers — and motorised and non-motorised watercraft owners/users — do not move boats or craft from the Shannon and its lakes, tributaries and interconnected canals to other waterbodies.

Francis O’Donnell, chief executive of IFI said: “Many people will take to the Shannon and other waters during the Easter holidays. We are appealing to users to be vigilant and proactive in reducing the advance of invasive species in inland Irish waters.

“We are asking users, in so far as is practical, not to move their boats between waterbodies. Our preference is that no movement of any watercraft from the Shannon and its tributaries is undertaken.

“However, if people must do so, then to please make time to disinfect their boats and fishing equipment. This will curb the spread of harmful organisms such as the quagga mussel, which was first detected on the Shannon in 2021.

“The growth of certain alien species has a dramatic contamination impact on the watercourse. Aquatic invasive species, either flora or fauna, are detrimental to Ireland’s native fish populations and their delicate habitats and ecosystems.

‘Users should always assume they are going from a contaminated waterway to clean waterway and take precautions to ensure they don’t carry any alien species with them’

“Users should always assume they are going from a contaminated waterway to clean waterway and take precautions to ensure they don’t carry any alien species with them,” O’Donnell said.

There are currently 10 key aquatic invasive species in the River Shannon, according to latest research from the Invasive Ecology Laboratory at the School of Biology and Environmental Science at UCD.

Anglers, boat owners, cruisers, sailing and recreational waterways users on kayaks, canoes or jet-skis are being asked to implement preventative biosecurity measures in line with Check, Clean, Dry protocols, such as:

• Checking craft, equipment, and clothing/footwear after leaving the water for mud, aquatic animals or plant material – removing anything found and leaving it at the site
• Cleaning equipment, clothing and footwear, as soon as possible – using hot water – paying attention to ropes, bilges, trailers, the inside of boats and areas that are damp and hard to access
• Drying and draining all parts of the craft/ trailer and equipment/clothing before leaving the site, and allowing to air dry for at least 48 hours

Members of the public who encounter invasive species can report sightings via Invasives.ie. IFI is also requesting that people help protect and conserve fisheries resources on the Shannon and elsewhere in Ireland over Easter by reporting incidents or suspicions of illegal fishing to its confidential phone line at 0818 34 74 24.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has launched an ‘all abilities’ accessible angling facility in West Cork to enable wheelchair users to fish safely and conveniently.

The bespoke €106,000 fishing platform at Shepperton Lake, 3km from Skibbereen, provides access to wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility to a section of the popular angling destination.

Up to four wheelchair anglers at a time can be accommodated at the outdoor facility which consists of a long boardwalk and a large accessible steel stand, a new picnic area and parking for six vehicles.

The initiative was co-funded by IFI and the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Speaking at the opening of the new platform, John Twomey, disheries inspector with IFI said: “The demand for accessible and safe infrastructure for wheelchair users — and those with reduced mobility — at Shepperton Lake was obvious, and we are looking forward to seeing many anglers enjoy our brand new facility.

Deirdre Harrington with John Twomey of IFI on the new accessible angling platform

“We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to work with the Irish Wheelchair Association on this project and are very pleased the amenity has been constructed. We can’t wait for the new stand to open tomorrow, and for it to be used by people of all abilities.”

On Friday (31 March) IFI hosted members of the Irish Wheelchair Association in Clonakilty, Co Cork for the official opening of the new amenity, following an extensive programme of works to transform the site to support inclusive angling.

Sinéad Burke, service support officer for the Irish Wheelchair Association said: “Our service users are thrilled with the new fishing podium at Shepperton Lake and will be able to enjoy a long season of fishing from now on.

“Getting out in nature and having access to a tailor-made resource like this will be extremely beneficial to the wellbeing of our service users. We would like to thank the incredible team of IFI who went above and beyond to enhance the fishing experience of our service users. We feel very grateful to work in partnership with the team from IFI.”

IFI has collaborated with the Irish Wheelchair Association in Clonakilty for the past seven years and in that period angling day trips to Shepperton Lake have increased in popularity among the latter’s members, the organisations say.

Three men have been found guilty of illegally fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna off Baltimore Harbour in West Cork.

Brian Hassett from Monkstown, Co Cork; Barry Keohane from Blackrock, Co Cork; and Conor Jones of Kildinan, Co Cork were found guilty of illegally fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna in waters south of Baltimore Harbour on 10 October 2022.

All three entered guilty pleas at Skibbereen District Court at a hearing on Tuesday 14 March.

The court heard evidence from Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) officer David Lordan, who said he 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.

Details were also presented 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 since 2019.

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

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

Commenting after the case, Sean Long, director of the South-Western River Basin District at IFI said: “I want to praise the vigilance of the fisheries officers involved in this operation.

“Illegal fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna jeopardises the potential future for sustainable catch-and-release angling fishery, currently valued at €1 million annually, for professional skippers and for rural coastal communities.

“I continue to encourage members of the public to report incidents of illegal fishing, water pollution and fish kills, to Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 24-hour confidential hotline number on 0818 34 74 24.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has launched a public consultation on its proposed Moy Gravels Replenishment Project on the Owenaher River in Sessuegilroy, Co Sligo.

In order to improve the spawning habitat for salmonids in this area, it is proposed to place spawning gravels in two locations in the river extending a total distance of 320m.

IFI says that in the absence of mitigation the project is likely to have “a significant effect” on the River Moy Special Area of Conversation, a Natura 2000 site, and under EU rules is required to carry out a public consultation before deciding on whether the project can be permitted or not.

This public consultation opened on Tuesday 28 March and closes on Monday 8 May at 4pm.

Submissions may be made within this timeframe on the potential impact that the project may have on European sites by email to [email protected] or by post to: The River Moy Catchment Manager, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Ardnaree House, Ballina, Co Mayo. Submissions should clearly state that they are in response to this public consultation.

For further details, including a link to the relevant Natural impact statement, see the IFI website HERE.

Ireland’s Tuna CHART bluefin tuna sea angling survey programme for 2023 has opened for charter skippers to apply.

Anglers in Ireland will once again have the opportunity to catch and release bluefin tuna in 2023 through the continuation of the Tuna CHART (CatcH And Release Tagging) programme that has been in operation around our coast since 2019.

Experienced charter skippers are now invited to apply to take part in this year’s Atlantic bluefin tuna scientific survey programme of Irish waters.

Building on the successes of the Tuna CHART programmes of 2019-2022, this scientific data collection catch-and-release fishery for Ireland will again operate in 2023.

A maximum of 25 authorisations may be granted to qualifying angling charter vessel skippers around the Irish coast for this fishery, which opens on 1 July and closes on 12 November.

The Tuna CHART programme is a collaborative scientific programme between Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the Marine Institute in partnership with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC).

Between 2019 and 2022, some 1,500 Atlantic bluefin tuna were caught, tagged, measured and released off the Irish coast by authorised charter skippers. The largest tuna tagged to date in the programme was 2.75 metres, weighing an estimated 372kg.

All tuna were carefully managed in the water alongside the charter vessel, subject to strict guidelines set by the Tuna CHART programme, and all were released alive.

Data from the tagging programme have been collated by the partnership for reporting to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT).

The core aim of the Tuna CHART programme is to collect data and tag these large fish, which is underpinned by ensuring good fish welfare, leading to successful release of the bluefin tuna.

Authorised skippers will be required to collect data on every bluefin trip undertaken and each bluefin tuna they catch, tag and release and their angling and data recording expertise is an important part of the overall survey programme. They will also be required to have high specification rods, reels and line in advance of the open season in order to ensure that the fish is brought alongside the vessel to be measured and tagged in the water in a timely manner.

Anglers will have an opportunity to participate in this fishery and contribute to this important scientific study by chartering and fishing from authorised vessels only.

Unauthorised vessels are not permitted to target or catch Bluefin tuna and any unauthorised person found to be targeting Bluefin tuna is liable to prosecution.

Experienced charter skippers are being invited to apply to join the 2023 Tuna CHART programme between Tuesday 21 March and Tuesday 4 April by filling out an application form online at www.fisheriesireland.ie/bluefin.

Two Cork men have been fined a combined €4,000 over an incident in June last year which resulted in the seizure of a 500-plus-metre net and eight illegally caught salmon.

Frank Sheenan of Dursey Sound, Co Cork and Denis Healy of Cahergarriff, Castletownbere, Co Cork were both convicted of illegal fishing at Bantry District Court on Thursday 23 February.

Judge James McNulty heard evidence at an earlier sitting of an extensive operation by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) at Garnish Bay on 28 June 2022 which resulted in the seizure of a 523-metre-long net, eight salmon and a van.

Hearing that both men had previously been convicted of illegal fishing and had benefitted from a Hardship Scheme introduced to compensate fishers who ceased salmon fishing, Judge McNulty ordered both to come to court with banker’s drafts to the value of €2,000 each.

The court also heard evidence that illegal salmon netting has far-reaching consequences for vulnerable salmonid populations migrating along the coast to their spawning grounds.

On finalising the case at the 23 February sitting, Judge McNulty imposed fines of €2,000 each for breaches of Section 285(a) of the Fisheries Act 1959 (as amended) and ordered each to pay €250 by way of contribution to IFI’s expenses. Orders of Forfeiture were made in relation to the salmon and net.

Each defendant was also found guilty of a breach of Article 3 of Bye-Law no. 857 of 2009 and Section 182(2) of the 1959 Act, which were taken into consideration.

Sean Long, director of the South-Western River Basin District at IFI welcomed the conviction, reiterating that illegal netting of migrating salmon can wipe out an entire year-class of stock in rivers with already declining populations.

“These men had no consideration for the future of our salmon stocks nor for the social and economic value sustainable salmon stocks contribute to local economies supporting jobs and businesses,” Long said.

“Maintaining biodiversity and protecting and conserving these precious fish is critical. This case sends out a clear message to those involved in illegal fishing: Inland Fisheries Ireland will use its full powers under the law to prosecute offenders through the courts.”

The deadline to enter the second online lottery for ‘brown tags’ for wild salmon angling on the Lower River Lee is 5pm on Monday 20 March.

A further 40 brown tags will be issued on Wednesday 22 March, following the first lottery for 45 tags on 27 January, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Under brown tag regulations, an angler who wishes to ‘harvest’ a wild salmon and keep it must attach a brown tag as well as a standard blue tag to the fish.

To help conserve stocks of wild salmon within the Lower River Lee, No 5 or Cork District, a total of 180 brown tags will be available for the season — which closes on 30 September — and will be distributed to anglers with a 2023 rod licence through a series of online lotteries.

Anglers interested in entering the second draw are being asked to apply online between now and 5pm on Monday 20 March only.

Applicants must provide their name, contact address and telephone number and they must also quote their 2023 Salmon Licence number. Only one entry is permitted per licence holder into the draw.

Anglers with a 2023 rod licence who are not allocated a brown tag are only permitted to fish for salmon on a ‘catch and release’ basis on the Lower River Lee, where the salmon is returned safely to the same waterbody.

Further details are available from the Inland Fisheries Ireland website at fisheriesireland.ie or by phoning its Macroom office on (026) 41221.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has issued a reminder to anglers that the Conservation of Sea Trout (No.7 or Kerry District) Waterville Area Bye-Law No 971 of 2019 remains in effect.

This bye-law prohibits the retention and possession of any sea trout (Salmo trutta L.) taken by any fishing engine or by rod and line in the Waterville area, ie that part of the sea eastward of a line drawn from the most westerly point of Bolus Head to the most westerly point of Lamb’s Head and to all the waters discharging in to it.

The Bye-Law mainly affects sea trout fishing on:

• the river Inny (Knockmoyle) and its tributaries;
• the waters of the Waterville system, including the Waterville River, Lough Currane, the Cummeragh River and all their tributary rivers and lakes; and
• the waters of Ballinskelligs Bay.

For further information please visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.