Project Update: Annacotty Weir

Date of last update: Thursday, January 6th 2022

The support of stakeholders and the public will be critical to the successful delivery of the Annacotty Weir project. Therefore, Inland Fisheries Ireland is greatly encouraged to see the growing online public support for addressing the problems around the movement of fish at Annacotty weir.

Inland Fisheries Ireland has identified Annacotty Weir on the lower Mulkear River as a “significant barrier” to the free movement of several fish species. It is considered a very important river for a range of fish species, including wild Atlantic salmon, sea, river and brook lamprey, wild brown trout and eels.

The weir has been designated as “high priority” for fish passage improvement and Inland Fisheries Ireland has begun works to initiate what is a very significant project to address the movement of fish at the weir.  

We are applying for funding to the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund to support the next major phase of the project. The deadline for this application is January 28th, 2022.

If this application is successful, we will go to tender for services to help deliver the technical, engineering and planning elements of the Annacotty Weir project. Public engagement arrangements will also form part of tender requirements. 

We have completed an assessment of the weir structure to quantify its fish pass-ability and has also undertaken initial title research to identify the owners of land and structures potentially impacted by the project. 

Key state agencies and semi-state bodies have been engaged by Inland Fisheries Ireland to ensure all relevant government agencies are actively involved in the project from the outset. 

The next project phase in 2022 will involve extensive stakeholder and public engagement, to ensure that all stakeholder views are captured to form part of the planning process.

The vision that Inland Fisheries Ireland shares with all stakeholders and the public is to make the River Mulkear easily accessible to fish species, just as nature had intended. 

Next update due:

Following the announcement of projects to be supported under the 2022 Salmon & Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund