#Angling - A new project at Ballisodare Fishing Club outside the Co Sligo village will help protect this important fishery in the North West.

The private fishery, which was developed last year to include a state-of-the-art fishery office and two public viewing platforms, is a renowned salmon angling destination.

However, the fishery was vulnerable to illegal fishing and a protection programme was required to ensure the sustainability of local fish stocks.

The project, which was devised and delivered by the club, was supported with funding from Inland Fisheries Ireland’s (IFI) National Strategy for Angling Development.

The director of Ballisodare Fishery Ltd and Ballisodare Fishing Club successfully secured funding of €20,000 from IFI in October 2017 with the project completed a year later in October 2018.

This section of the fishery was vulnerable to illegal activity in the past as Ballisodare Fishery is the entry point for salmon from the tide into the freshwater and large numbers of fish are often present.

It is hoped that the security system will now support protection activities with the installation of modern security lighting alongside a CCTV system to allow for 24-hour monitoring of the fishery.

The high-standard security system incorporates security cameras which have a night vision mode and flood lighting.

Suzanne Campion, head of business development at IFI, said: “This new protection system in Ballisodare will play an important role in deterring illegal fishing and catching those who continue to commit offences. This is crucial if we want to conserve this resource for future generations.

“It is fitting that this project has been completed just as we celebrate International Year of the Salmon which takes place in 2019 and offers us an opportunity to start a conversation about the importance of conservation and how we can inspire action in this regard across Ireland.”