Victory for Inland Fisheries Ireland in Dundalk Circuit Court case

Inland Fisheries Ireland has successfully won a circuit court case against Mr. Pat Smith of 15 Seaview, Annagassan, Co. Louth who appealed a district court case for illegal salmon fishing. Mr. Smith’s appeal was on the severity of a sentence he received by order from the District Court  in April 2011.  The appeal was heard and Mr. Pat Smith was ordered to pay two fines totalling €600 and costs of €2,369 to Inland Fisheries Ireland at Dundalk Circuit Court on Friday 11th May last.

In court John McCoy, BL, for Inland Fisheries Ireland outlined the case to the court. Mr. Pat Smith was found to be illegally fishing in September 2010. Fisheries officers Thomas Duffy, Dermot Wynne and Ronan O’Brien from the Dundalk district apprehended him with a fixed net at the shores of Annagassan which is the tidal section of the Dee and Glyde rivers, and initiated court proceedings.  On 14th April 2011 Mr. Pat Smith was convicted and fined €600 and ordered to pay total costs of €880 to Inland Fisheries Ireland. 

Mr. Smith appealed this case on two counts, first on the townland where the incident took place and the second on the severity of the sentence. The first count was dropped by the defendant just before proceedings began in the circuit court. On the second count witness Assistant Inspector Ronan O’Brien gave evidence of events of the day in question and outlined that all rivers on the East Coast with the exception of the River Fane were closed for salmon fishing due to declining salmon stocks.  

Judge Terry O’Sullivan stated that the offence committed was serious and had to be treated as such because salmon stocks were in decline around the country and were an important part of our heritage. He ordered Mr. Pat Smith to pay both fines totalling €600 within six months by default or face six months imprisonment.  He ordered him to pay total costs of €2,369 to Inland Fisheries Ireland and gave him six months to pay.

In 2006 Inland Fisheries Ireland introduced a series of conservation measures in order to combat the decline in salmon numbers. The interceptory mixed stock fishery for salmon ceased throughout Ireland and netsmen who availed of the Hardship Scheme were duly compensated for their loss of the salmon fishery.  At the peak of salmon production in the 1970’s, approximately 3,000 salmon were caught commercially in Dundalk waters. This declined to an all time low in 2006 when only 225 were caught in the entire Dundalk bay area.  Annagassan would have been a traditional location for poaching salmon and sea trout in the past

Consequently all the rivers on the East coast with the exception of the River Fane were closed for salmon fishing. Only this year are the Castletown, Glyde and Dee rivers open for catch and release only.

Inland Fisheries Ireland have a freefone number to enable members of the general public to report poaching and pollution incidences - 1890 34 74 24 or for easier recall 1890 FISH 24. This phone line is designed to encourage the reporting of incidences of illegal fishing, water pollution and invasive species.

It is hoped that these measures will preserve our stock of Atlantic salmon, which are not only a valuable resource for our economy, but also an important part of our natural heritage as salmon and trout have been running our rivers since the last ice age. Anglers also need to continue to be vigilant to report any illegal fishing incidences to the Board.

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Media enquiries: Josie Mahon, Inland Fisheries Ireland, 15A Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Tel: 01 278 7022 / 087 6538202,  email: josie.mahon@erfb.ie

Website: www.fishinginireland.info

Notes to Editor

Inland Fisheries Ireland is 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 will promote, support, facilitate and advise the Minister on the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling and develop and advise the Minister on policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling.

Inland Fisheries Ireland replaces the Central and seven Regional Fisheries Boards.