I thank Senator Scanlon for raising this issue and wish that I could be like Deputy Ó Cuív and have money to dispense, but unfortunately that is not the case in my Department. The Owenmore is one of the three main tributaries of the Ballisodare River. Being deep and sluggish, the Owenmore River is essentially a coarse fish river, even though it is part of the Ballisodare system, which is best known for salmon fishing on the Ballisodare River and for brown trout fishing on Lough Arrow. The central board and the North Western Regional Fisheries Board conducted a comprehensive survey of the system last year, aimed at management and development of the salmon fishery but which confirmed that the Owenmore contributed little or nothing in terms of trout or salmon. The Owenmore is managed and developed by the regional board as a coarse fish river.
The North Western Regional Fisheries Board is not aware of any requirement for the cleaning of the Owenmore River for the development of tourism and fishing. While there have been some recent problems with farm pollution in the area, none of these was particularly serious. There have been no recent fish kills on the Owenmore River. It would not appear, therefore, that the Senator's motion refers to the issue of water quality. There was a campaign in the area, over many years, aimed at having an arterial drainage scheme carried out on the Owenmore River in order to prevent flooding of agricultural land. Sligo County Council, carried out some relatively minor works on behalf of the Office of Public Works, in 1997 and 1998.
Further drainage works would not assist fisheries and tourism in the area. The regional fisheries board has serious concerns about any major drainage works as these would be likely to damage fish habitat in the Owenmore and further downstream in salmon and trout spawning sections of the Ballisodare system. Any such proposals would be a matter for the OPW or the county council and could be considered by the regional fisheries board in this regard.
The north western board has carried out various works to improve fishing on the Owenmore River over many years. As recently as 2000, under an EU funded project, access to the river was improved through the upgrading of an existing car park and the provision of a pathway from the car park to the river bank. Stiles and footbridges, which were put in place along the river several years ago, are maintained by the board. The board's strategic development plan for 2002-06 continues to develop the coarse fishing potential of the Owenmore River and its associated lakes in the Ballymore area. Works planned over the period include improved access to the Owenmore River through the provision of a second access road and car park some distance upstream of the existing facility at Cluid; the erection of a number of additional stiles, footbridges and permanent match pegs along with other improvements, and access to Cloonacleigha Lake is to be opened up by the provision of a basic road and parking facilities. Boat access may be improved though the provision of a slipway and mooring facility and other improvement works carried out to encourage angling.
The board will endeavour to provide improved access to Templehouse Lake with a view to ensuring greater utilisation of the lake as a coarse fishery and has indicated that it will consider the possible development of other fisheries in the area subject to demand. No recent approaches have been made to the board regarding further works on the Owenmore. The board says that the Owenmore River fishery is under-utilised and it would find it difficult to justify further significant investment on the river until there is sufficient demand for the fishing that is already available on the river and on the nearby lakes. However, this is largely a game angling region and it does not attract large numbers of coarse fish anglers. The regional board is willing to consider, within available resources, any proposals from local groups or individuals concerning specific works that they feel may be necessary to assist with development and promotion of fisheries. If Senator Scanlon and the local groups have some proposals or practical suggestions I will gladly pass them to the board for consideration.
