Man fined for illegal fishing on River Liffey

Press Release - 16th July 2015

At Kilcock District Court on 16th June, 2015 Mr. Ion Onos of Apartment 54, Ard Cluain, Clonee, Co. Meath was fined €50 and ordered to pay total costs of €2,464 to Inland Fisheries Ireland for illegal fishing on the River Liffey in Dublin.

On 3rd September 2014, the defendant was fishing on the River Liffey at Leixlip Dam. Fishing is prohibited in this sanctuary area as salmon can congregate here in relatively large numbers before ascending the fish pass. IFI Fisheries officers Maurice Carolan and Paul O’Reilly apprehended the defendant who was in possession of a net and was using a fishing rod equipped with barbed treble hooks. The defendant co-operated with IFI’s officers at all times. All equipment was seized and prosecution proceedings were initiated.

All parties were represented in court, where IFI Inspector Martin Kelly outlined details of the case. Mr. Onus pleaded guilty to all charges. Judge Grainne O’Neill convicted him under Section 95 of the Fisheries Act, 1959 (as amended), for having a net in his possession which was capable of capturing salmon. She fined him €50 and ordered him to pay total costs of €2,464 to Inland Fisheries Ireland.

The River Liffey is currently closed for salmon and sea trout fishing (upstream of Leixlip Dam) under salmon conservation measures which were introduced nationally by Inland Fisheries Ireland in 2006.

Inland Fisheries Ireland have a freefone number to enable members of the public to report poaching and pollution incidents - 1890 34 74 24 or for easier recall 1890 FISH 24.

...ENDS...

Media Enquiries:

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