Vehicles block the road used by anglers on the Gweenbarra River. Anglers have been fishing there for generations
THERE were scuffles and a tense stand-off on one of County Donegal’s disputed salmon fisheries today when anglers claimed access was blocked by fisheries officials.
The angling season began today – but on the dispute Gweebarra fishery, anglers were denied access by officials claiming to be from Inland Fisheries Ireland.
“Many Donegal salmon and seatrout rivers opened today and anglers rose early to kick start the season with joy and hope in their hearts as they have done for generations,” said anglers spokesman Noel Carr.
“But what should have been a pleasant morning’s fishing, turned out to be anything but for those anglers that chose the Gweebarra river to fish on opening day as they were confronted by a group of men and their access on the public road was blocked by vehicles.
“At first, the anglers thought it was an April Fool’s joke by some of their fellow anglers but things turned serious when the strange men who eventually identified themselves as Inland Fisheries Ireland employees asserted their intention to continue to block their public way on what was a very rural mountain road.”
He claimed Fishery board staff sought to seize rods and equipment from the anglers which culminated in a stand off lasting over three hours in which the anglers, mainly local from both Fintown and Rosses Angling Associations recorded the exchanges amid reported scuffles.
Mr Carr said anglers pay €100 per season for a rod license to finance the Fishery Board staff to protect and manage our salmon waters and “are supposed to be partners with anglers in implementing these objectives.”
The anglers claim that at one stage the frustration boiled over and one angling member requested IFI to call Gardai to resolve the stand off but they refused and later on he was denied access in order to get to higher ground for a signal to make the telephone call.
Mr Carr went on: “These developments instigated by Inland Fisheries Ireland opens up a new level to the dispute in what is a long running battle for access to the fishing waters of the Gweebarra rivers.
“This started when IFI (then NRFB) issued notices in the local papers in February 2006 intending to charge a new permit fee of €50 per day for a fishery that had always been free. To avail of this permit all local anglers would also have to purchase a current state license costing up to €120 per season.
“A dispute on title ensued with many anglers being brought to court for fishing without permits while the title dispute moved to the High court in Dublin following an injunction taken by the IFI failed to stop anglers fishing the entire Gweebarra river.
“Eventually, a judgment was issued before last Xmas 2012 and the Donegal Game Angling Federation on behalf of the defendants named in the injunction welcomed the outcome and agreed with the Ms Justice Laffoy recommendation for mediation in the case which has yet to happen.
“It is the intention of the anglers to lodge complaints with the appropriate authorities following this most distasteful incident.”
No-one from IFI has been available for comment.
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