Ballina anglers to meet Minister

AN UNUSUAL protest is taking place in Ballina where salmon anglers are boycotting the opening of the fishing season until they get agreement with the fisheries Minister on "important issues" affecting anglers.Anglers, who should have been out in force since the opening of the season last Thursday (Feb 1st), have been keeping dry lines in the hopes the Minister will "see sense" on their concerns about the future of salmon stocks.
The boycott of fishing has been mounted by the Ballina Salmon Anglers Association which has 170 to 200 local members and an outside membership of 75 to 80. "We also issue a lot of daily and weekly tickets and put a lot of anglers through our books every season," said Mrs Josephine Egan, Chairperson.
She said the decision not to fish their waters at the Weirs in Ballina was taken by the general membership of the Club at an extraordinary general meeting. "This was the feeling of the members and the decision was not taken by the top table," she said.
She said that anglers were very angry about new regulations introduced by the Minister and about plans to issue draft net licences. "We got rid of drift nets and if they issue draft net licences it will be another form of drift netting," she said.
Ms Egan said salmon stocks were depleting and the effort now should be to conserve them. "If draft netting is allowed soon we will have no salmon in our rivers," she added.
She went on to say that these and other isssues relating to the new regulations were very important to anglers and they should be addressed without delay. Anglers were very concerned about them and were angry at the situation.
She added that the boycott of angling would continue until representatives of the Ballina anglers met the Minister and reached a satisfactory outcome with him on the issues of concern to them.
Fine Gael Marine Spokesperson, John Perry TD, has secured a meeting for a delegation of salmon anglers and Mayo General Election candidate Councillor Michelle Mulherin to discuss the future of salmon on the Moy River with Marine Minister John Browne.
Deputy Perry met with Cllr. Mulherin and members of the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA) onFriday last to discuss this issue before arranging this meeting with Minister Browne .
"Cllr. Michelle Mulherin was instrumental in having this issue raised. Shearranged for me, as Fine Gael's Marine Spokesperson, and Senator Paddy Burke to meet with Ballina members of FISSTA on Friday last. Present at the meeting was the current head of FISSTA Mrs Josie Egan, as well as members of the FISSTA Executive," he said.Mr Perry added that anglers were very concerned over regulations for draft-net fishermen who fished at the mouth of the River Moy. The Moy was of vital importance to the culture and economy of Ballina and North Mayo.
The issue of licence renewal was also of major concern to anglers, as were many other issues, which theGovernment had continued to ignore.

Source:
http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story.asp?j=35460