Cork brothers convicted of illegal fishing
Cork brothers convicted of illegal fishing
Monday, 16th January 2017: At a sitting of Clonakilty District Court on the 3rd of January 2017, Judge David Waters convicted brothers Niall and Lawrence Fitzpatrick of stroke hauling a salmon in breach of Section 170 (1) of the 1959 Fisheries Act on 1st August 2016 at Goose Pond on the Argideen River, Co. Cork.
Judge Waters imposed fines of €750 on each of the defendants plus costs of €500 each. The charges had been vigorously contested by the brothers, however Judge Waters convicted the men and remarked upon the ‘unwarranted and unfounded allegations’ made against the Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Fisheries Officers who gave evidence in Court.
The brothers had accused the Fisheries Officers of lying to the Court, claiming that they had caught the salmon by fly fishing and that the fish had ‘swallowed the hook’. After hearing the expert evidence from the Fisheries Officers in regard to marks on the fish, Judge Waters was satisfied that the fish had in fact been strokehauled, a mechanism by which a weighted instrument or device is used to foul-hook the fish.
Sean Long, Director of the South West River Basin District said: “Ireland’s wild indigenous fish populations must be protected and conserved for future generations. This is an extremely valuable resource which makes a significant economic contribution to the local economy through angling tourism.
This court case sends a clear message that illegal fishing activity will not be tolerated in Cork. Our fisheries officers are committed to protecting this resource for the public through overt and covert surveillance operations and we will continue to hold those who carry out illegal activity, which damages our resource, accountable.”
Inland Fisheries Ireland has a confidential hotline number to enable members of the 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. For further information about Inland Fisheries Ireland, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.
ENDS
- For further information:
- Órla Sheils
- Communications Manager
- Tel: (01) 8842673
- E: orla.sheils@fisheriesireland.ie
Note to Editors:
About Inland Fisheries Ireland
Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. Inland Fisheries Ireland promotes, supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. Inland Fisheries Ireland also develops policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling and advises the Minister on same.
