A Co Laois farmer has been found guilty of two breaches of fisheries legislation for deliberate destruction caused at a local river.

The defendant was prosecuted for damaging spawning beds and disturbing spawn or fry during destructive gravel removal works carried out on an 80-metre stretch of the Delour River, a tributary of the River Nore, near Mountrath in Co Laois.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the offences at Portlaoise District Court on 21 April 2023 and was fined €4,000 as well as ordered to pay a further €1,500 for the costs of the prosecution.

Evidence was given by fisheries environmental officer Oliver McGrath regarding the incident which took place on 30 September 2022.

The prosecution was secured under Section 173 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, as amended, for injury or disturbance of the spawn or fry of salmon, trout or eels and for the injury or disturbance of their spawning bed, bank or shallow where their spawn or fry may be.

Commenting on the conviction, Lynda Connor, South-Eastern River Basin District director at Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said: “This is a serious crime against the environment. The destruction of the river habitat, and the spawning beds for the likes of trout and salmon, threatens the species survival in this area, and beyond into the greater Nore catchment.

“Landowners need to seek all necessary and relevant information from their advisors, and from IFI, before carrying out any works near or on a watercourse adjacent to their land.”

IFI encourages members of the public, anglers and farmers to report incidents such as this, and those of water pollution, fish kills and illegal fishing to its confidential 24/7 phone number at 0818 34 74 24.

A Co Antrim angler was found guilty of fishing offences and fined a total of £541 at Laganside Magistrates Court on Tuesday 23 May.

Aurel Ciurar (23) of Ava Park, Belfast was convicted, in his absence, of five breaches of legislation as prescribed under the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 and Public Angling Estate (PAE) Byelaws 2005.

The breaches were unlicensed fishing; fishing on DAERA’s waters without a permit; failing to provide his name and address; obstructing and impeding an authorised person, and using un-permitted fishing methods.

On 29 April 2022, fisheries protection officers with Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) were on routine patrol of the Public Angling Estate (PAE) at North Woodburn Reservoir in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim when they observed Ciurar along with another unidentified male fishing with a number of fishing rods.

Both men refused to provide officers with their details, to enable checks to take place to ensure they had the correct fishing license and permissions to fish legally at the location. Their fishing equipment was seized as a result of failing to provide their names and addresses.

They were also found to be using sweetcorn as bait, which is not permitted.

Officers were able to identify Ciurar by using the registration details of the vehicle the men used to leave the location. The identity of the second man has never been confirmed.

The total fine of £541 included:

• £50 for the use of a vegetable matter (sweetcorn) as bait;
• £75 for possession of an unlicensed fishing engine;
• £75 for fishing on the department’s waters without a permit;
• £150 for obstructing and impeding an authorised officer; and
• £150 for failing to provide name and address along with court costs of £26 and an offender levy of £15.

DAERA Inland Fisheries enforcement is committed to pursue those who fish illegally. If you are aware or suspect illegal fishing, you should contact DAERA Inland Fisheries on 0300 200 7860 or outside office hours contact 0800 807 060.

Two Limerick men have been found guilty of being in breach of fisheries legislation for using a net to illegally capture salmon.

John Quinlivan of Moyross, Limerick and Kieran Molloy of Ballynanty, Limerick were prosecuted for illegal salmon netting on the River Shannon at Monabraher, Limerick on 26 June 2021.

Both were convicted at Limerick District Court on 27 April this year and received fines of €400 and costs of €553 each.

Separately, Quinlivan was also convicted of fishing in the tailrace of Ardnacrusha Generating Station on 10 June 2021, in contravention of the rules of the ESB Lower Shannon Salmon Angling Permit. He was fined €300 and ordered to pay costs of €958 for this offence.

Fishing with a net in this area is illegal, and it is also illegal to catch and keep salmon by any method on the River Shannon as salmon numbers are significantly below levels required to sustain a healthy natural population.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) reminds members of the public that Atlantic salmon populations are under significant pressure from a range of factors, and any illegal fishing puts further pressure on a very important and iconic wild fish.

Members of the public are encouraged to report suspicions of illegal fishing activity, pollution or fish kills to IFI’s 24/7 confidential line at 0818 34 74 24.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has confirmed recent successful prosecutions against two industries operating at Lough Egish Food Park in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.

At Monaghan District Court, Judge Raymond Finnegan convicted Bio-marine Ingredients Ireland Limited and Stillorgan Trading Post Limited (trading as Swift Fine Foods) of water pollution offences.

Both companies pleaded guilty to the charges and were fined €500 each.

Bio-marine Ingredients Ireland Limited was ordered to pay an additional €3,249.78. Stillorgan Trading Post Limited (trading as Swift Fine Foods) was ordered to pay €2,329.78.

Commenting on the recent convictions, Dr Milton Matthews, North West River Basin District Director at IFI said: “Point-source pollution events such as these are entirely avoidable through good site management and regular visual checks of discharge outlet pipes.

“Unauthorised effluent discharge events can significantly impact the fish stocks and other aquatic life of receiving waters.”

A Cork fisherman has been found guilty of three breaches of fisheries legislation for illegal netting.

Paul O’Connell of Youghal, Co Cork had fixed a 336m net close to the mouth of the Munster Blackwater which was detected by a fisheries officer in the early hours of 4 July 2022.

O’Connell was convicted at Youghal District Court on Wednesday 12 April this year.

An operation involving local fisheries officers and a Delta RIB craft crewed by fisheries officers from the South Eastern River Basin District recovered the net.

The court heard that O’Connell contacted Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to enquire if officers had seized the net and to request its return. He then met Fisheries Inspector Michael Fanning the following day to identify the net as his property while under caution.

O’Connell pleaded guilty to three breaches of the 1959 Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 and Bye Law No. 857 of 2009 and three other charges were withdrawn.

The court imposed fines totalling €4,000 and the net was forfeited.

O’Connell, who had a previous conviction for illegal netting in the same area in 2013, also received a two-month custodial sentence and was ordered to pay costs of €500 for the offence of placing a fixed engine at the mouth of any river. He was granted leave to appeal the penalty.

Welcoming the conviction, Sean Long, director of the South-Western River Basin District at IFI said: “I would like to acknowledge the vigilance and swift efforts of our fisheries Officers in recovering the net and preventing it from doing further damage to salmon, sea trout, and sea bass stocks.

“It is one less barrier to migration on the Munster Blackwater and is significant for conservation-minded anglers and the communities the length of the Blackwater relying on angling generated income.

“Members of the public can report instances of such illegal fishing, water pollution, or fish kills by calling Inland Fisheries Ireland’s confidential hotline number on 0818 34 74 24.”

Judgment has been reserved in the judicial review into the granting of a marine licence for the excavation of gas storage caverns under Larne Lough.

After four days of submissions at Belfast High Court, on Friday (5 May) Justice Michael Humphreys described the case as “complex” and “significant”, according to BelfastLive.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Northern Ireland’s main conservation groups have come out against the plan to develop the gas storage caverns underneath Larne Lough on environmental grounds.

In the most recent of a series of demonstrations, some 30 swimmers took to the waters of Larne Lough on Saturday 22 April to protests plans to store half a billion cubic metres of natural gas under its bed.

Representing the campaigners, Barrister Conor Fegan warned of a damaging impact on marine wildlife in the area, noted how it would lock Northern Ireland into extended fossil fuel dependence and questioned suggestions that the caverns could be used to store hydrogen instead.

King’s Counsels representing DAERA and Islandmagee Energy, meanwhile, sought to mollify concerns over the approval process for the licence and minimise the potential for discharge in the sensitive sea life zone.

BelfastLive has much more on the story HERE.

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.”

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.”

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.”