LIMERICK & DISTRICT ANGLERS ASKED US TO POST THIS PRESS RELEASE WHICH OUTLINES THE WAY THEIR JUVENILE EVENT WAS HANDLED. L&DAA Juveniles let down by Inland Fisheries Ireland!!! Limerick and District Anglers Association were forced to cancel their Annual Juvenile Rainbow Trout Challenge. This was done on short notice due to Inland Fisheries Ireland declining to sponsor the fish for the competition from their Roscrea Trout Farm facility for the event .This was just 12 days before it was to take place. Club secretary/PRO Eoin Brockert said “He is bitterly disappointed for the kids who have been looking forward to the event since last year which was a huge success and at the short notice of the decision by Inland Fisheries Ireland”. “This is simply unforgivable given juveniles are involved!!”. The event last year was held at McNamara’s Lake OBriensbridge and saw 47 kids take part each leaving with a rod & reel and the essential bag of sweets which were all supplied by the association out of their limited funds. Entry for last year competition was free and open to the general public. We had hoped to build on the success of last year’s event. The official application for the “2014 Inland Fisheries Ireland Sponsorship Scheme” was submitted last April with the event planned for the 9th of August. The association had several follow up correspondence with Inland Fisheries Ireland over the last few months asking had a decision been made.” We also had assurances from the local Inland Fisheries Ireland CEO for the Shannon Region Mrs Amanda Mooney that she was fully in favour of supporting the event. Despite this a letter was then received from Mrs Mooney declining to sponsor the event on very short notice hence leaving no time to make alternative arrangements. Mrs Mooney even had the audacity to wish us “every success with the event” in the letter. Short notice aside when you look at the support given to schemes like the Dublin Angling Initiative by Inland Fisheries Ireland it is very frustrating that Inland Fisheries Ireland don’t apply the same support to associations trying to mimic the same outside of the capital. We feel this year of all years it was essential for this competition to go ahead. Most anglers start out fishing as children with garden worms on the end of a hook in the local river. As of this year this has now been made illegal on the Main Shannon under By Law No.918.This bylaw was introduced based on recommendations put forward by the Mrs Mooney. But this does not apply to the all 360 Km of the Shannon, it only applies to the section form OBriensbridge downstream to Thomond Bridge in Limerick City hence only the Limerick section of the river. This bylaw was introduced without any consultation with our association despite the impact it was to have on the associations and more importantly its juvenile member’s activities. Youths in the region, due to regulations like the above are now been deterred from taking up and participating in the sport. We asked the signee of the bylaw Minister ODowd why this bylaw only applied to this section of the Shannon and also requested a meeting to discuss the same. We have to date not received an answer and despite several assurances plus a phone call from the minister himself the meeting never materialised. The minister has now moved out of this department. Last year the association set up a youth development committee to help introduce youths from a diverse range of backgrounds to the sport of angling but funding has been big issue. This year both funding and given the introduction of the above bylaw venues to hold competitions are an issue. We had at the very least hoped to receive some support from Inland Fisheries Ireland. Limerick and District Anglers Association do not have any real source of income apart from small membership subscriptions (which just cover insurance cost) and revenue from competitions as we do not control the fishing rights as the local rivers are state controlled. Anglers in the region differ from others around the country by having to pay fees for angling to both state and semi state bodies .Fee’s which have substantially increased in recent years. Hence we are very dependent on support from these same bodies. Angling has been part of limerick City from its conception and even features in ”Limerick youre a lady” with the line “We fished in silver streams – the fabric of my dreams” .It would be a shame to see it die out due to over regulation by state agencies and lack of support by the same”. Limerick anglers currently feel that the current regime been imposed on anglers is strangling the life out of this well love city pastime. On the other hand Limerick and District Anglers Association would like to thank the ESB Fisheries Division for their contribution last year and granting us a licence to use of the lake in 2013-14. Also the work they have been carrying out on the lake shore recently ahead of the competition to make it more accessible has not gone unnoticed and their support is very much appreciated.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:59:29 +0000
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