Fishery policy destroying Feale

During the 2012 angling season Mt Collins/Brosna Anglers Association put a lot of information we had in our possession into the public domain in an effort to highlight the shocking demise of a once famous river called the Feale.

We had painstakingly compiled our information from very reliable sources and we were quite willing to share the information with anyone who was interested in seeking to reverse the decline in the number of salmon and sea trout entering the river. Our first priority as a club has always been to have a sustainable fishery and we firmly believe that the conservation limit for the Feale should be strictly adhered to on a year-by-year basis.

Early in 2012 we warned anyone that cared to listen that the conservation limit for the Feale of 4,323 salmon would not be met. We now know that the actual number of salmon that were registered through the counter was 3,788 salmon. If we now subtract the estimated catch by anglers of 700 salmon from the counter figure of 3,788, it tells us that the conservation limit of 4,323 salmon is short by 1,235.

While all this was happening 50 netmen at the Cashen were allowed to catch 1,509 salmon in 2012. We also know that the top netman at the Cashen caught 211 salmon, and we know that the top eight netmen at the Cashen caught 787 salmon between them. Anglers will be shocked to read that eight netmen at the Cashen caught more salmon in 2012 than the combined total of the 600 anglers on the Feale. As far back as 2008 Mt Collins Brosna Anglers warned fishery managers that re-aligning the netting season, allowing netting up to August 15 would prove disastrous for the Feale. We are vehemently opposed to August netting for the following reason.

We know that salmon runs are generally made up of discrete biological characteristics important to the maintenance of the population as a whole and necessary to maintain the biodiversity of the population.

We now wish to advise anglers that IFI Limerick are proposing to limit salmon anglers on the Feale to three tags per angler. They are proposing a bye-law for the Feale which will introduce catch and release and a ban on worm fishing. They are telling us that support for these restrictions was expressed by stakeholders from the area at a meeting in Listowel in November 2012. That is news to us and no doubt to many other anglers as well. Are anglers on the Feale now expected to pay the price for the mismanagement of the Feale by Inland Fisheries Ireland?

Brendan Danaher

PRO

Mt Collins/Brosna Angling

Abbeyfeale

Co Limerick