Claregalway man convicted of poaching offences

Friday, 4th March 2016

At a sitting of Galway District Court on 2nd February 2016, Judge Mary Fahy convicted a Claregalway man of an illegal fishing offence. Niall O’Gorman, with an address at Kiltrogue, Claregalway, was found guilty of possession of a net and obstruction of fishery officers at Kiltrogue on the Clare River on 27th May 2015. Fines of €500 were issued on each charge, totalling €1,000, and costs were awarded to Inland Fisheries Ireland to the amount of €600.

Judge Fahy heard evidence that fishery officers on patrol in the early hours of 27th May observed the defendant in a kayak, servicing and cleaning a net, before placing it in a bag. He then proceeded to a second net, fixed in the river, where the officers approached him. Mr O’Gorman made an attempt to flee in the kayak, necessitating one of the fishery officers entering the water to apprehend him.

The solicitor for the defendant asked for leniency, stating that her client had made a stupid mistake, that he was of limited means and that he accepted the serious nature of the offence. Judge Fahy said that the defendant was obviously not a teenager and had acted in a very immature way. She commented further that she had heard a number of fishery cases recently and that this was the most serious, necessitating an officer to enter the water in the early hours of the morning. The nets were forfeited, although the kayak was returned to Mr O’Gorman, who gave an undertaking in court not to use the kayak for anything other than kayaking in the future.

Dr Ciaran Byrne, CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland, said: “The Clare River has unfortunately been the victim of environmental crime once again. This activity must be stopped to ensure that the important recreational amenity and its biodiversity are conserved for future generations.”

Commenting on the case, John Conneely of Inland Fisheries Ireland commended the fisheries officers involved. He said: “Protection of fish stocks is vital to maintaining an extremely valuable natural resource for the benefit of local and tourist anglers. Recreational angling in Ireland is worth over €836 million to the economy and supports over 11,000 jobs. IFI staff are committed to protecting that resource, working in difficult conditions and bad weather to do so, and their vigilance and dedication is highly valued.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has a confidential hotline number to enable members of the general public to report incidents - 1890 34 74 24 or 1890 FISH 24. This phone line is designed to encourage the reporting of incidents of illegal fishing, water pollution and invasive species.

ENDS

Further Information: Suzanne Campion
Head of Business Development
Inland Fisheries Ireland
Anglesea Street,
Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Tel: 052 6180055 Fax: 052 6123971
Email: suzanne.campion@fisheriesireland.ie Website: www.fisheriesireland.ie

Note for Editors:

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. IFI promotes, supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. IFI also develops policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling and advises the Minister on same.

Salmon and sea trout angling in Ireland is worth €210 million to the economy and supports 3,200 jobs. The Clare River is the main tributary of Lough Corrib and is one of the most important salmon fishing rivers in the west of Ireland, with six angling clubs and hundreds of local members, providing fishing from upstream of Milltown right down to Lough Corrib. It provides salmon fishing from March to September, and attracts many visitors and tourists, especially in the summer months.