Irish Sport Fishing

07/05/2017

After much 'toing and froing' and a lot of head-scratching here is the updated Measure and Return Conversion Chart that we will be using for the 2017 Daiwa Irish Pairs. NB We still have spaces for this year's event so if you would like to join us visit our website for entry forms. 🎣🎣🎣🎣

01/04/2017

27/03/2017

Lots of anglers out spring salmon fishing on the old River Shannon this evening! Inland Fisheries Ireland's ban is unenforceable, unnecessary and counter-productive.

Angling is not a threat to salmon recovery on the Lower River Shannon. It is just far easier to ban angling that address the fish passage and water management issues at the ESB's Shannon dams. Read more here: https://oldrivershannon.com/2013/09/21/salmon-river-shannon/

17/03/2017

http://www.donegaldaily.com/2017/03/14/landmark-judgement-as-cases-against-50-donegal-anglers-thrown-out-of-court/

A landmark fisheries case has today ruled in favour of anglers in Co Donegal. More than 150 summonses against 50 anglers from the Rosses angling club for illegally fishing for Salmon on the Gweebara River thrown out. The case, brought on behalf of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), was heard at...

11/02/2017

And three supertrawlers currently working off Achill Island.

30/12/2016

Expect to see mullet appearing more frequently on menus here in 2017. They're not all being shipped to Europe.

28/12/2016

No better way to beat the cabin fever this christmas than going fishing. After finishing all the turkey and ham, Darragh fancied a few fish fingers!

08/12/2016

07/12/2016

Breaking news from Ireland: Save The Waves and Irish partners defeat proposal for the 3km seawall at Doughmore Beach, Ireland. Read the full statement from Save The Waves over on their website: http://pat.ag/tme4

30/11/2016

'The Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes the intervention by the naval service to board the supertrawler ‘Margiris’ yesterday (see www.facebook.com/irishnavalservice ). However in order to address the concerns around these very large boats it is imperative that full-time, independent observers are placed on board to monitor their activities.'

IWT Press Release just issued:

MEPs must use their influence to get independent observers on board supertrawlers in Irish waters

The Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes the intervention by the naval service to board the supertrawler ‘Margiris’ yesterday (see www.facebook.com/irishnavalservice ). However in order to address the concerns around these very large boats it is imperative that full-time, independent observers are placed on board to monitor their activities. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) recorded the highest level of strandings of common dolphin ever during the first three months of this year, after a busy winter of supertrawler activity off the west coast: (for more information see: http://www.iwdg.ie/news/?id=2623 )

Earlier this year the IWT and IWDG wrote to Karmenu Vella, EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries outlining our concerns. In April his office responded, saying: “I have taken good note of the information you provide about an assumed observed increase in numbers of strandings of cetaceans, which you state may be caused by the fact that these animals are being by-caught in pelagic fisheries. The issue you raise merits further examination, and we will further analyse cetacean bycatches in pelagic fisheries in Irish waters. We will contact you again after we have contacted the relevant Member State authorities and industry representatives.”

However, despite further enquiries by ourselves, we have yet to receive any additional communication. The IWT is now calling on our MEPs, some of whom have shown support for this campaign, to use their influence to progress matters.

IWT campaign officer Pádraic Fogarty says “The European Commission have had all year to digest the evidence and yet we are now entering another winter with nothing done. As supertrawlers gather in our waters we are once again faced with the prospect of a slaughter of our marine life.” ENDS

Photo: Irish Naval Service as they board the supertrawler 'Margiris' via the Irish Naval Service

27/11/2016

Our press release calling for a prohibition on pair-trawling in coastal waters:

Irish Wildlife Trust calls for the prohibition of pair trawling in coastal areas

Pair trawling is a fishing practice involving two boats dragging between them a single large net with small meshing. It is an activity which has lately been going on in sheltered inshore bays and estuaries along the west coast - many of which are protected for nature conservation (eg Kenmare Bay). Pair trawling targets sprat which goes on to be processed into fish meal. Sprat is a small fish which forms large shoals and is a keystone of the marine ecosystem being food for larger fish such as cod, as well as sea birds. Not only does pair trawling sieve the water of food for other marine life, it also has the potential to catch seals, dolphins or anything else in its path such as migrating salmon or spawning sea bass.

IWT campaign officer Pádraic Fogarty says "catching sprat to be ground up for fish meal is insane. It's a wanton destruction of the whole marine ecosystem, frequency in areas which are supposed to be protected for wildlife."

Large fishmeal plants (both constructed and planned) operate in the expectation that boarfish (a small fish unexploited until recently) would provide the raw materials. However boarfish catches have declined sharply in recent years so there is significant pressure to find replacement feed. It is important therefore that this practice is prohibited in order to preserve coastal areas for marine life and other users who depend on the resource. The practice highlights the unsustainable nature of fish farming at sea, which relies on the wasteful use of wild caught fish for feed. END

23/10/2016

Maybe one of the most photogenic landscapes in Ireland.

The Three Sisters (An Triúr Deirféar) with An Tiaracht in the background.