Fishery thrives in unique river

Donal Hickey

The Kenmare Blackwater is the focus of a development programme involving the South Western Regional Fisheries Board, Dúchas, Coillte, the local community and other interests.

Board assistant chief executive Patrick Buck described the Blackwater as a significant fishery with a long history. It also had a fish counter and was one of the few rivers with records dating back 100 years.

He said there was ongoing development under a multi-stakeholder process, which was the way fishery resources were now being managed internationally.

“The purpose is to allow people who live in the area to work together with the board and there can be economic benefits locally,” said Mr Buck.

“There’s been a lot of input in terms of time and the community has embraced the project.” He also said the 16-mile Blackwater, which has a catchment of 88 square miles, was in an extremely healthy state, and 17 salmon were caught there on a recent Sunday.

Mr Buck said the water was also of very good quality, as evidenced by the presence of fresh water mussels, which required very clean water to survive.

Former fishery board member and prominent Kenmare angler, John O’Hare, welcomed developments on the Blackwater which, could yet be a model for the restoration of other salmon rivers. “This is a good thing, but the net could have been cast wider during the consultation process. The board should have spoken to more people in the area,” he said.

The Blackwater and Dromore Castle, formerly owned by the late Major Waller, were purchased by the Central Fisheries Board several years ago and the river is managed by the fishery board.

Mr O’Hare said one of the initial reasons for the purchase was that the river would be used on experimental basis to rebuild salmon stocks.

“It’s a unique river in that it has just one owner from the source to the sea, something that should allow a lot of development to take place unhindered,” he said.

Mr O’Hare also said that, at the time of the purchase, it was understood that angling would be available at a reasonable cost to both local people and tourists, but he said it was still too expensive.

He maintained that more work could be done on spawning beds and to improve the sea trout run to the Blackwater.