Anglers to protest at Boyne system closure

Anglers across County Meath are planning to protest on Sunday at plans to close the Boyne river system to salmon and sea trout fishing.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is proposing the closure of of the Boyne system, which includes the Boyne, Blackwater, Nanny and other smaller tributaries, from next month.

Local angling clubs are devastated by the decision which they say will not help salmon stocks but will have the reverse effect.

Matthew O'Connor of Navan Anglers who will be at the protest at the Boyne in Navan on Sunday, said the decision is based on faulty salmon counts and will mean conservation works carried out by the angling clubs will not go ahead.

"We fully acknowledge that salmon numbers are falling globally, but we have been been operating on a catch and release basis for the past 20 years, as well as working to enhance the fishery and increase spawning beds.

"If it is closed completely, anglers will lose interest and the conservation work will not happen".

Ciaran O'Kelly of Kells Anglers and the Blackcastle Catchment Anglers Association,who will be protesting at the at Slane Rossin Fishery at the Curly Hole said a half a million had been spent on improving the Boyne system over the past 15 years, and a large chunk of that came from the anglers licence fees.

"If they cannot fish, they won't take out licences and the revenue is lost."

Mr O'Kelly said that the IFI decision to close the Boyne system was based on faulty information.

"They are basing it on fry (young salmon) counts, but the counting is done along the tributaries. Last year, there was a prolonged dry spell and the fry didn't get up the tributaries, couldn't negotiate the weirs, and stayed in the main channel. The fish were there, but they weren't clocked along the tributaries and the count appeared to be very low. This is what they are basing the decision to close it on," he said.