Greater Rod Race - Decline of Irish Angling

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teacher · #1 Post by **teacher** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:07 am

In the latest episode of the Greater Rod Race on Discovery Channel tonight, Matt Hayes said poaching in Ireland is "out of control" and this is contributing to the decline of coarse and game fishing in Ireland.

I wonder are the government, fisheries boards and Bord Fáilte paying attention. Matt's comment will probably cost the angling tourism industry hundreds of thousands of euro, at least. I'm not a freshwater angler, but from what I've seen and heard, he is abslutely right, and we're seeing the same in coastal waters.

Hopefully this type of negative publicity will make the government and fisheries boards pay more attention to the damage that is being done to fish stocks in our rivers and lakes and along the coast.

#2 Post by **cortaz** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:31 am

he,s right about the poaching, and go on him for saying so.
the lack of fish however was down to there own failings and missed signs.
they have a lot to learn.

#3 Post by **Bradan** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:24 am

Staff in the fisheries boards are well aware of what is going on. For the last 2 years, since all the Eastern European anglers started arriving, they have seen wholesale slaughter of coarse fish. But under the law, they could do absolutely nothing about it. It was perfectly legal for anglers to kill as many coarse fish as they liked. After 2 years of requests, the Dept finally passed new legislation to limit anglers to 4 fish a day up to 25cm.
So don't blame the fisheries boards, they have been trying to get something done about this since it first became a problem.

Blame the government for dragging its heels on yet another issue....

Why is it always the fisheries boards and officers who get the flak, they're just trying to do their job..........

#4 Post by **pookie5488** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:58 am

It is same up north me and costa watched one night as 6 polish blokes and 1 woman fished on waterfoot pier at at thier feet they had 20+ finger size whiting,rockling and other fish all dead and when asked why they became rude and squared up to both us.

We had to move on was just to much to watch this mindless behavour.

lazycod · #5 Post by **lazycod** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:08 am

looks like we will have to get cards printed in polish telling them about conservation???? :wink: best place for these cards /posters would be local tackle shops/bait sellers. An idea would be to speak to a local polish/Lithuanian group and express our concerns I know they have meetings in our community center once a week :? lazy

glengormley-gavin · Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:44 am

It is a sorry state of affairs - I have witnessed some of our foreign friends doing the same.

At the risk of being classed as a racist, I need to be careful what I say here - but the only way to address the situation is by educating people in how anglers here are supposed to behave.

A 'fishing code of conduct' would be a good way to do this and have it printed in various languages, make it available for free in tackle shops and at piers etc. There are a lot of local anglers who would also benefit from this idea.

I had suggested this idea before but have not been able to make it happen, maybe the IFSA could take the issue on and address it?

If BigPhil is reading this - do you know who would be best to approach at IFSA to put the idea forward?

Jude

#7 Post by **JimH** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:00 pm

From what i witnessed this summer i think we need to educate a lot of IRISH anglers and people before anyone else.

lazycod · #8 Post by **lazycod** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:18 pm

educate a lot of IRISH anglers and people before anyone else.[/quote]

What Irish anglers aren't real people?????? Is there an ECHO in hear or I am I still drunk....Lazy

#9 Post by **JimH** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:53 pm

i think the sentence is missing the word 'other'. other other other other

#10 Post by **Pat Spillane** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:14 pm

I do a bit of coarse fishing, although not much now I'm back at the sea. I have seen the heads of pike left after the body has been carted away for consumption by the East EUs. The stocks of fish have declined even though the local shop has all the info in a number of different languages.

#11 Post by **pookie5488** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:34 pm

I dont want to come over wrong but they will not care i work with 6 polish guys and they also say they will laugh at us no matter what you do print boards have classes or try be nice as we did and point it out to them.

We as always greeted them like fellow anglers showed interest in the catch and prepaired to talk to fellow anglers as i have 1000 times. But the only difference we were not greeted with the normal " hows you, have you been out yourself " instead we got the message there was 2 of us and to get lost.

Yes irish anglers have been bad but this lot are a law on to there own and know they can get away with it.

Me and costa both are visitors he portugess my family are from spain but we would never ever take what we have or the friendship shown by fellow anglers for granted.

It is madness how the sport of angling is being pulled down by the few will not be long before locals kick up a stink over the mess left behind.

#12 Post by **fishinmidget** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:23 pm

It is true that eastern europeans are killing alot of fish, but matts staement was from a very frshwater anglers point of view.

I know that irish sea angling is not as good as it was but it is still much better than england(in my opionin) and i do not think that matts statement was a fair one to make. i think he made it look alot more grim than it really is.

#13 Post by **stevecrow74** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:46 pm

fishinmidget wrote:i do not think that matts statement was a fair one to make. i think he made it look alot more grim than it really is.

ok but dont forget you are young...
i live in the same area as you and have seen a change in fishing..
10 yrs ago there were only a few people fishing the local area(and we are still at it) and nearly every fish was returned.. where no we are thankful of days we dont blank.. your now lucky if you can get a spot on spiddle pier with the 'now locals' raping the sea of pollock and other fish that are only a few inches long..

there was none of this even 5 yrs ago.. its rather upsetting to see the way things are going :cry: :cry: :cry:

#14 Post by **corbyeire** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:04 pm

its horrible to be giving out about a particular group - but the physical threat these guys posess - especially when they are knocking a can or two in with them

the looks ive gotten when throwing something back - they could kill

and awful nosey - i was casting one time and a couple of our eastern friends walking by - found no problem in going up to my gear and having a look in my bag - i had kept a mackeral for bait

#15 Post by **Tanglerat** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:22 pm

And perhaps a little ray of hope: A couple of weeks ago i was at a loose end in Dublin one morning and found myself in a tackle shop (strange how that happens..... :D ). Never been there before, ABC Tackle somewhere behind the Four Courts.

I had time on my hands, had some fun picking out odds n ends that I didn't really need but couldn't resist and having a yarn with the man behind the counter. Elderly chap, knowledgable and friendly. This same topic came up, Eastern Europeans and their attitude to killing fish.

He reckoned as they're adjusting to our culture they're changing to our more sporting ethos.

Dunno myself, up here in the back of beyond Donegal we've fewer EEs than most of Ireland, and a lot less Coarse fish too!

#16 Post by **eric** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:01 pm

i agree 100% but what can be done, when confrontation leads to aggresive reactions. they think their right and we know we are right! it comes down to culture. back home where their from the fish dont get caught much bigger and are plentiful so their not aware that fish arnt as abundant and do grow to a decent size if stocks are looked after.
its our job to educate them on what should be done, how to that i don't know , but perhaps fines, licensing and authority control would help.
any suggestions? something has to be done quick because plaice,cod,flounder,bass,dab and even dogfish numbers in my area are dwindeling.
im always social to them aswell and are eager to pick up any new tricks but am apprehensive to pointing it out to them when im on my one.

#17 Post by **samo** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:23 pm

we go up to a little lake ever year around christmas in cavan to fish for pike. but last year we didnt catch any, we asked the bloke why the fishing was so poor as we covered the whole lake and didnt even get a take. he said that there were people on the lake the week before we had come up and they had netted the whole thing. he said it wasnt the first time it had happened either. we asked him what was getting done about it, he said nothing was getting done about it by the garda or the government but that the locals of the area had resorted to slashing any unknown cars tyres which were parked beside the lake. how long before some gets slashed instead of the tyres. its a tough one to call because poachers dont work on a nine to five basis and a lot of were it is happening is rural ireland were the garda maybe already under soarced. what do you do??

#18 Post by **frodo baggins** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:38 pm

we asked him what was getting done about it, he said nothing was getting done about it by the garda or the government but that the locals of the area had resorted to slashing any unknown cars tyres which were parked beside the lake. how long before some gets slashed instead of the tyres. its a tough one to call because poachers dont work on a nine to five basis and a lot of were it is happening is rural ireland were the garda maybe already under soarced. what do you do??

Same down here in limerick (please no limerick knife jokes, that's so 1990's, we've moved up in the world and discovered guns these days!!!!)

but seriously, some local lads have given up on reporting incidents to the law, and are taking the law into their own hands, between slashing tyres, and giving lads a hiding, none of which i condone, but you can appreciate and understand what the frustration they are feeling.
and to make matters worse, the government have now effectively closed the salmon season, which ultimately removes all anglers (who act in a way as voluntary water keepers) from prime salmon beats leaving them open to even further unmitigated poaching and netting. i don't know, i think Matt Hayes is right to scream bloody murder, it's only lads like him that could really get government departments to listen up when they cause the angling tourist industry to collapse.

from an outsiders point of view looking at angling, it's only a few slimey fish, and some grumpy old men, that attitude has got to change.

Patrick

Sea Angling Ireland

Greater Rod Race - Decline of Irish Angling

Greater Rod Race - Decline of Irish Angling

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