Only two rods allowed on Lough Corrib!

Noel Grealish recently quizzed Eamon Ryan on his parties intention on prohibited more than two rods on lough Corrib! Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if, when he signed the Western Fisheries Region Conservation of Trout Bye-Law No. 840, 2008 into law on 28 July 2008, it was his and his Department's intention for this legislation to regulate the number of mounted fishing rods that may be used by an individual or the number of mounted fishing rods in the possession of an individual when trolling for Atlantic salmon on Lough Corrib SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Eamon Ryan answered :- Bye-Law No. 840 of 2008 (Conservation of Trout in Western Lakes) specifically addresses the concerns received by the then Western Regional Fisheries Board (WRFB) from angling stakeholders regarding the over-exploitation of trout in the Western Lakes and its tributaries.

At that time, conservation measures had been introduced to limit the number and size of fish of other species that could be caught, nationally or locally but trout was not afforded similar protection and remained vulnerable to human over-exploitation. To ascertain specific angler concerns regarding the over-exploitation of trout, including ferox trout (which are genetically unique), the WRFB undertook a consultation process to underpin the drafting of a suite of Bye-Laws aimed at prohibiting a range of angling practices, prevalent in the region at that time, which were inconsistent with conservation.

Specific concerns emerged during consultation regarding the practice of fishing with multiple rods at any one time, particularly in the early season on spawning tributaries where mounted rods were often left unattended and spread over a long area of the shoreline. This practice resulted in unseasonable and undersize fish being easily caught and killed. Trolling with multiple rods was also a significant angler concern where boats with up to five rods were trolling at any one time. The recommendation to limit the number of rods allowed to be in use by an angler when trolling, bait fishing or spinning and to limit the number of rods to have on board a boat when trolling or spinning in specified waters harmonised the legislation across a range of species.

Bye-Law No. 840 of 2008 (Trout), prohibits any person to use at any one time more than 2 rods or more than 4 artificial flies per rod when trolling and prohibits any individual to have on board any boat more than 3 mounted rods when bait fishing, spinning or trolling in the specified waters. The Bye-law was introduced to address angler concerns regarding Trout.

Lough Corrib