Anglers are concerned that cuts in the Department of Fisheries could endanger fish stocks.
Lough Sheelin in County Cavan has the biggest wild lake trout in Europe. Assistance from the Central Fisheries Board has helped it develop into a fine local amenity, as well as drawing tourists from all over Europe to the area.
Lough Sheelin is part of an angling industry the generates £35 million worth of foreign tourist revenue every year.
Cutbacks in the Board's budget mean that the lake is under constant threat from pollution and conservation work has been scaled back.
Lough Corrib in County Galway is the second largest freshwater lake in Ireland. It is also feeling the effects of cutbacks with regard to trout and coarse angling and Fisheries Board staff have been transferred to a new system of regional boards which are dominated by salmon interests.
Regionalisation of the Fisheries Board will hamper the development of inland fisheries, maintains Matt Nolan of the Inland Fisheries Trust, as they are,
Not being given the technical backup.
One angler says its incumbent on the state to support the conservation and improvement work of the Fisheries Board, as it brings in tourism revenue,
It’s up to the...government to look after the lakes.
No one from the Central Fisheries Board was willing to answer questions from RTÉ News.
A representative from staff working in the field told reporter Derek Davis their preference is to be involved with programmes on the ground, instead of being assigned to administrative duties. They would also like to see an organisation which facilitates,
Jack McNealy who is chairman of the Northwest Regional Fisheries Board is concerned that in future staff will be redeployed and that trout angling will suffer,
That’s what anglers are afraid of.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 8 May 1984. The reporter is Derek Davis.
