Fishery boards fail to keep the lakes clear

WHAT possible reason can there be for the continued existence of the regional fishery boards?

In recent times there have been reports in the newspapers of serious pollution incidents in three of our major fisheries. Lough Carrowmore in Co Mayo, Lough Currane in Co Kerry and now Lough Derg are so bad that anglers and other users of these wonderful recreational facilities have been advised to stay away and, in some instances, forbidden to avail of these national treasures.

Anglers have been reporting the imminence of algal blooms to fishery boards for years and years before they occurred. Anglers have been reporting the results of lawbreaking by fish farm operators for years and years when they occurred.

Anglers have been advising fishery boards of the certain outcome of indiscriminate drift netting for salmon for years and years. The response from the boards is almost always evasions, lame excuses and retrospective wisdom.

The loss in revenue to local economies to these foreseen and avoidable events is horrendous, and the damage that occurs to the credibility of Irish angling among visiting anglers from abroad is reflected in the drastic fall in their numbers.

The Department of the Environment has much to answer for its timid reaction to polluters all over the country.

Unless we get a minister who is prepared to get off his backside and do something, then we can expect more of the same — and lots of it

John A Cullinane

14 Coolroe Heights

Ballincollig

Cork