About The Western Fisheries Board
The Western Fisheries Region comprises all the inland river systems on Ireland's Atlantic Coast from Pigeon Point near Westport, Co. Mayo, through Co. Galway, to Hags Head just south of the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare. Situated at Europe's westernmost extremity, Ireland is widely regarded as the last unspoiled fishing location in Europe.
Board's Responsibilities
The Fisheries Boards are the statutory bodies responsible for the conservation, protection and development of Ireland's inland fisheries and sea angling resources. The jurisdiction of The Western Regional Fisheries Board includes all of the waters in the Corrib catchment , the Connemara and South Mayo fisheries, and those of south Galway. The area extends 12 miles seawards between Pidgeon Point near Westport and Hag's Head in Co. Clare.
Conservation and Protection
The Fisheries Board protects and conserves the Inland Fisheries by monitoring fish movements, migration, fish escapement, spawning patterns and monitoring water quality is an ongoing responsibility of the Board.
Enforcement of the fishery laws inland and at sea is a vital part of the Board's work.
Angling
Recently it was estimated that angling is worth £78M to the Irish National economy. Many of the country's prime angling waters are located in Western Ireland, thus the regional spread on angling expenditure is proportionally greater in the Western counties, notably Galway and Mayo. Ireland is said to have 122,000 anglers, a large proportion of whom fish in the Western Region.
The importance of the resource, which includes game angling, sea and coarse angling, is not only recognised nationally but increasingly so at European level. Traditionally, it was mostly English anglers who came here but now Ireland's reputation as an angler's paradise is known world-wide.
Within Europe there remain only 13 major wild brown trout fisheries of International importance. 12 are in Ireland, of which Loughs Corrib, Mask and Carra are the most important. These are located in the Western Fisheries Region. These fisheries are highly prolific due to the limestone substrate.
Fisheries Development, Research and provision of angling services
The Western Regional Fisheries Board is fully committed to the development of the resource to its full potential in a sustainable manner and to fully maximise benefits for the local communities, involving:
- Research in to migratory patterns, stock levels etc.
- Stock management and enhancement.
- Fishery management.
- Development of numerous small fisheries throughout the region ie. Moher, Kinlooey and Aille loughs plus many coarse angling waters over several parts of the region.
- Operate record rod-caught salmon tagging scheme for the region.
- Operate record drift/draft netting tagging scheme at sea.
- Operate Creel Census returns from all fisheries.
- Operate salmon and sea trout hatcheries to enhance stocks where necessary.
- Co-operate with fisheries owners and other State agencies with research and monitoring of sea lice affecting sea trout stocks.
- Co-operate with and assist angling clubs with advice and scientific back-up on their local enhancement projects.
- Promote and market all forms of angling in the region, supplying angling material to magazines and newspapers as well as attending with Bord Failte angling marketing fairs abroad.
- Assist through angling development, the creation of jobs and bring economic benefit to the local communities.
- Manage and supervise a number of FAS schemes and projects throughout the Western Fisheries Region, including the provision of facilities for disabled anglers.
