Two men convicted of illegal fishing on the River Shannon

PRESS RELEASE Tuesday, 5th April 2016

Two men convicted of illegal fishing on the River Shannon

At a sitting of Limerick District Court on Friday, 1st April 2016, Judge Aingeal Ní Chonduin convicted two men of illegal fishing on the River Shannon at Castleconnell in June 2015.

Mr Ger Molloy of St Marys Park, Limerick, was fined €200 and costs amounting to €600 for fishing without a salmon licence. Mr Leslie Woodland of Corbally, Limerick was fined €200 and costs amounting to €600 for fishing without a valid permit. Both pleaded guilty to the offences and co-operated fully with the fishery officers.

Judge Ní Chonduin heard evidence that on 11th June 2015, fisheries officers were carrying out a regular patrol of the River Shannon area at Castleconnell when they observed the two men fishing on Beat 6 of the ESB-managed fishery at Castleconnell. This section of the River Shannon is open for salmon fishing under local byelaw catch and release conditions, and Inland Fisheries Ireland are committed to ensuring that all anglers are fully compliant to protect vulnerable wild salmon stocks. Both men were issued with fixed charge notices but chose not to pay the fine of €150 which resulted in a full prosecution. Judge Ní Chonduin noted that fishing had become a very expensive pastime for the two men.

Ms Amanda Mooney, Director at Inland Fisheries Ireland, Limerick, commented: “It is imperative that anglers wishing to fish for salmon on open rivers must purchase a Salmon and Sea Trout state licence. By ignoring to pay the fixed charge notices these individuals were summoned to court and received increased fines and costs.”

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.

For more information, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.

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 Irelandis 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.