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A review panel established by The Western Regional Fisheries Board in partnership with Galway Co. Council, Mayo Co. Council, N.P.W.S and the O.P.W has appointed RPS Planning & Environment to undertake the preparation of a "Biosecurity Plan for Lough Mask." Organisation and co-ordination of the project will be provided by the Project Manager Suzanne Lowry in consultation with the Project Director Professor Max Wade.
Lough Mask, at 8,274 hectares is the second largest lake within the Corrib catchment. The lake is a candidate Special Area of Conservation, an important wild brown trout fishery supporting unique trout variants such as Ferox and Gilaroo and supports an important population of arctic char. There is potential for biosecurity threats and the spread of invasive species to compromise the status of the lake in terms of EU Directives such as the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive, the plan is therefore being drafted in order to protect the lake.
Because of the popularity of the lake with anglers, there is a considerable volume of boat movement to and from other lakes. It is thought that boat traffic into Lough Mask originates mainly from the other lakes in the catchment such as Lough Corrib and Lough Carra, but boats also come from the midland lakes and other lakes nationally and from Northern Ireland. Typically the numbers of boats moored at Lough Mask ranges from 300-400 whereas on Lough Corrib upwards of 1,200 boats are moored on the lake annually. The typical boat numbers associated with the main mooring zones are illustrated graphically.
There are approximately 17 public and 30 private access points to the lake and the ease of access has left the lake vulnerable. The difficulty is to devise a scheme that facilitates access but simultaneously protects the lake.
The biosecurity plan will examine current bio-security threats ranging from un-authorised fish introductions, invasive species infestations (such as the zebra mussel, the curly pondweed) and the transmission of fish diseases and will suggest practical measures to protect the lake. The plan will also take into account the need to protect upstream lakes such as Lough Carra in order to safeguard Lough Mask.
The plan will seek to adopt best practice and will include for the provision for public consultation and engagement with stakeholder organizations and national experts. In drafting a plan, consultations will take place with key stakeholders such as Galway and Mayo Co. Council, Central and Regional Fishery Boards, NPWS, OPW and local angling groups. The plan is being administered by the Board with financial support from the Local Authorities Galway and Mayo Co. Council and the Western Zebra Mussel Control Initiative. It is hoped that it will serve as a model for the enhanced protection of game fisheries.
A public meeting will be held in the catchment to engage public consultation; details of the meeting will be announced later.
Submissions and comments in relation to the plan are invited on or before the
1st August 2008 and should be headed Lough Mask Biosecurity Plan and forwarded to the following address.
Lough Mask Biosecurity Plan
c/o The Western Regional Fisheries Board Earls Island Galway
or
email info@wrfb.ie.
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