Annacotty News and Updates
Update: Monday, January 23rd 2023
Annacotty Weir: tender process underway to appoint consultants
In line with our commitment to continuous stakeholder engagement regarding the Annacotty Fish Passage Project Inland Fisheries Ireland, which is leading the Annacotty Fish Passage Project as the state agency with responsibility for fish in rivers, such as the Mulkear, has published tender documents on the Government’s eTender’s website.
The tender process is being undertaken to appoint a consulting firm, to prepare an options report for fish passage improvement works at the Annacotty Weir in Limerick.
This options report must consider all environmental and engineering circumstances that are present at the site, upstream and downstream of the weir.
As detailed in the tender documents, the options report is to be based on several environmental and technical surveys, using a recognised decision matrix, together with a stakeholder decision matrix. The appointed consultants will then present a preferred option for fish pass improvement works at Annacotty Weir.
Following the approval of the preferred option, the consultants will then be required to prepare design, calculations, and drawings of the preferred option.
These will be sent to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the OPW (Office of Public Works) for licences and approvals.
The consultants will be required to prepare a planning application of the preferred option for Limerick City and County Council.
Subject to planning permission being granted, the consultants will be required to prepare construction drawings and tender documents for the hire of a construction company.
They will also be required to assist Inland Fisheries Ireland in the tender assessment process.
The consultants will then be required to oversee the construction phase of the preferred option and sign-off on the completed project.
To download the full tender documents, please register through the Government’s eTender’s website.
Anyone interested in this tender is advised to register on the eTender’s website, to access all tender documentation including the scoping document and service requirements.
PLEASE NOTE: The deadline for submitting tenders is 5pm on March 14th 2023 and can only be done through the eTender’s website.
Update: Wednesday, August 31st 2022
A well-attended public information meeting was held earlier this month (August 23rd) in Limerick to make more people aware of the Annacotty Fish Passage Project and to highlight potential solutions to the problems that the weir is causing Ireland’s fish populations.
Almost 60 people turned out for the meeting at the Castletroy Park Hotel, which was organised by Inland Fisheries Ireland. Attendees included members of the public, representatives from community groups, local angling clubs, Annacotty residents, government departments, state agencies and environmental organisations.
At the meeting, Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Brian Coghlan, a Research Officer with the National Barriers Programme, gave a presentation about how the weir acts as an artificial ‘barrier’ to certain fish species and the resulting problems for their life cycle.
To watch a pre-recorded video of Brian’s presentation, please visit our YouTube channel.
Alan Cullagh, a Fisheries Development Inspector with Inland Fisheries Ireland, talked about how the problems could be overcome and what solutions were being used in Ireland and internationally to improve fish passage at barriers.
To watch a pre-recorded video of Alan’s presentation, please visit our YouTube channel.
Update: Thursday, July 28th 2022
Funding for improvement of fish passage
The Annacotty Fish Passage Project received €99,481 in funding through the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund, administered by Inland Fisheries Ireland.
The aim of this fund is to rehabilitate, protect and conserve Salmon and Sea Trout and their habitats. The funding is collected from a portion of the sales of Salmon licences purchased by rod and commercial anglers throughout the country.
This funding will be used to support the assessment and planning phase of this project, including the necessary environmental, engineering and archeological studies to decide on the best fish passage improvement option at Annacotty Weir.
This will form the basis for an application for planning consent from Limerick City & County Council.
Special Area of Conservation
Annacotty Weir is located within the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the impact of any proposed works on the habitats and qualifying interests of the SAC will be fully assessed.
Initial studies will also identify any ecological, engineering or archaeological constraints that may impact the final choice of fish passage improvement option.