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The Heritage Council, Co. Galway Council, Galway County Heritage Forum
The Western Regional Fisheries Board
Supported by Angling & Boating organisations.
LOUGH CORRIB VERY VULNURABLE TO ZEBRA MUSSEL
(DREISSENA POLYMORPHA) INFESTATION.
In order to combat the threat posed by the Zebra Mussel, Galway Council in association with The Western Regional Fisheries Board and with the support of angling and boating organisation, launched a joint plea to all anglers and boat users to protect the lake from the accidental introduction of the zebra mussel. At a press launch today, Thursday, the 13th May 2004 at Greenfields, on the shore of Lough Corrib, Maire Mannion Heritage Officer with Galway Co. Council, stated that it was an essential initiative and welcomed the fact that the project was greatly facilitated by funding received from the Heritage Council.
Fortunately, efforts to combat infestations of the zebra mussel to date have been successful but there are fears that at the rate it is spreading with over 60 lakes now infested nationally that despite our best efforts, it may colonise and over run the lakes of the Corrib catchment. Like any invasive species, once it gains a foothold, it will colonise the entire water body very rapidly.
According to Mr. Lal Faherty Chairman of The Western Regional Fisheries Board, this is the most insidious threat yet and he fears that it could seriously damage the angling amenity of the lake. He acknowledged the pioneering research on the subject by scientists such as Dr. Dan Minchin, Dr. Kieran Mc Carthy of the National University of Ireland, Galway and Dr. Francis Lucy of Sligo Institute of Technology and the various initiatives already in place by his Board but stated that the time had come for all stakeholders to unite in order to apply the research and management recommendations so as to safeguard the great western lakes. Research by Dr. Dan Minchin and others had shown that that a proactive approach is essential if the spread is to be curtailed. From a fisheries perspective, the movement of boats is seen as a key vector but there is also danger that introductions could occur from coarse angling equipment or by long line fishing by eel fishermen from outside the catchment. Effective regulatory counter measures are required, he stated.
Dr. Greg Forde Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Board stated that it was appropriate that a campaign targeting recreational boat movements should form a key element of the strategy pointing out that the frenzied boat movements of recent years associated with mayfly angling on Lough Corrib was of major concern to the Board and to all stakeholders. The zebra mussel does not respect county or catchment boundaries.
Much is now known about its dispersal mechanisms and he appealed to local anglers to report any sightings as it is important for the statutory bodies to properly authenticate sightings or possible introductions in a timely fashion.
Statistics from the Western Regional Fisheries Board annual boat census shows that there are over 1,700 angling boats on the lake with upward of one third of these originating from outside the region during the mayfly period.
There are zebra mussel control programmes in the Shannon and Northern regions and there is scope for even closer co-operation between the Shannon Fisheries Board and the Northern Fisheries Board in order to prevent an infestation. For the initiative to succeed widespread support is required and it needs to be put on a catchment or regional basis.
Kevin Rogers, Senior Environmental Officer with the Western Regional Fisheries Board referred to the limestone nature of Lough Corrib and in particular the pH and calcium levels which were highly conducive towards the rapid development and colonisation by the mussel if it became established. He added that it is known that the zebra mussel requires water temperatures in excess of 120C to spawn (and as can be seen from the graphic) temperatures in excess of this level coincides with a time a major boat movements into the lake. Currently the water temperature is about 11-12 C and it will continue to rise over the next few weeks and therefore the potential exists for the zebra mussel to spawn over 3 - 4 months between June to September annually.
Roy Pierce, Chairman of Lough Corrib Anglers Federation stated “that effective action on the zebra mussel threat is long overdue and it is an issue of major concern to anglers and our concerns are such that we feel more stringent measures such as the restriction on movement of boats subject to inspection into and out of the Corrib catchment should be governed by a specific bye law.”
Con Mc Cole, of the Corrib Water Protection Group and member of Headford Anglers Club states that traditionally “the people in the west of Ireland have been very welcoming but that tradition could mean the ruination of the great western lakes through the introduction of the zebra mussel by boats being welcomed in from infested waters.” He called for “the introduction of a bye law preventing the movement of any boats into these waters other than boats that are local to the lakes.”
Prof. Michael Hynes of the of the Corrib Branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland, (IWAI), who was instrumental in preparing the leaflet stated that the boating fraternity fully backed the initiative and that they view the introduction of zebra mussels into Lough Corrib as a potential ecological disaster. He stated “that since the introduction of the zebra mussel into Ireland, the Corrib Branch of the IWAI has had a programme in place whereby all new or second hand cruisers coming from infested waters are quarantined for a period of three weeks before being launched into the lake.” He further stated that the IWAI (Corrib branch) fully supports the Western Regional Zebra Mussel Control Initiative and will assist the statutory bodies in ensuring that it is successful and they looked forward to cooperating with angling organisations in this.
In formally launching the initiative, the Mayor of Galway Cllr. Tim Rabbitt said “ I am delighted that this strategic environmental and heritage initiative is being implemented in a partnership approach. The Corrib is an essential component of our economy from a fishing, tourism, environmental and amenity perspective and it is essential that everybody works in partnership to protect it. I would like to pay tribute to our partners in this initiative, in particular the Western Regional Fisheries Board, The Heritage Council,, Inland Waterways Group (Corrib Branch) and the angling and boating organisations.
Galway Co. Council has been designated as the coordinating authority for local authorities for the Western River Basin District Project and therefore we are very pleased to be involved in this important public awareness initiative” said Mr. Tom Kavanagh, Acting County Manager, Galway Co. Council. Mr. Kavanagh further stated that “it is important that the public are aware of the significant threat posed by the zebra mussel to the ecology of the western lakes and to the economy of County Galway.”
For further details, please contact the undersigned.
Maire Mannion,
Hertitage Officer,
Galway Co. Council,
Prospect Hill,
Galway.
Tel 091 509000
Email mmannion@galwaycoco.ie
or csullivan@galwaycoco.ie
Prof. Michael Hynes,
Inland Waterways,
Corrib Branch
Galway
Tel 091 524411 ext 2488
michael.j.hynes@nuig.ie
Dr. Greg Forde,
Acting Chief Executive Officer,
The Western Regional Fisheries Board,
Earls Island,
Galway.
Tel 091 563110
gforde@wrfb.ie
or krogers@wrfb.ie
Beatrice Kelly,
Heritage Council,
Dublin
bkelly@heritagecouncil.com
Photo: corribtemp.jpg
Photo Caption: Corrib River, Galway Temperature 2002
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