#Angling - Young people from Darndale and Whitechurch in Dublin were among the first groups to get out fishing as part of the Dublin Angling Initiative’s 2017 summer season.
Sphere 17 Youth Services from Darndale in North Dublin took a Fish & Trips charter boat for a few hours of sea angling.
The group spent the evening learning how to fish beside Lambay Island, catching pollock and mackerel — and while fishing they also reported seeing plenty of local birds and seals, as well as wallabies and deer on the island.
The fishing trip was one of six over the past month with the group also enjoying lessons in coarse and game fishing.
Meanwhile, Southside youth group Whitechurch Youth Services were taken to Courtlough Fisheries in Balbriggan where they were coached in bubble and fly fishing for trout. Participants learned about fish handling and catch and release fishing.
In addition to fishing lessons and field trips, Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Dublin Angling Initiative (DAI) has also been attending community events with a view to introducing young people to the fisheries resource in their own locality.
At the recent Chapelizod Community Festival, 16 young people between the ages of 10 and 15 enjoyed an environmental and history lesson on the River Liffey that runs through their community from fisheries staff.
That was followed by a more practical session of sampling and identifying invertebrates, plus an opportunity to examine juvenile trout and salmon taken from the river before being safely released again, as well as a fly fishing lesson.
“Angling is a hobby that can be enjoyed in an urban location such as Dublin at any age or ability,” said DAI co-ordinator Oisin Cahill. “We hope that the young people who participate in the programme and who are introduced to fishing will continue to enjoy it into later life.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the DAI should contact Oisin Cahill at [email protected] — enquiries are welcome from any groups or individuals interested in the programme, and availability will be on a first come, first served basis.
