asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry who owns the Owenmore River, which is in the Bangor Erris/Belmullet area of County Mayo; and the restrictions attached to fishing on this river.
Written Answers. - Owenmore River (Mayo) Fishing Restriction.
713.
Official records of the ownership of fishing rights on rivers are not available in my Department. It is understood, however, from the North Western Regional Fisheries Board that the rated occupiers of fishing rights on the Owenmore River are: (i) The Minister for Fisheries and Forestry; (ii) W. J. Sweeney, Bridge House, Achill Sound, County Mayo; (iii) W. Finlay, Kiltane, Bangor Erris; (iv) T. Chadwick, Lissenhall, Swords, County Dublin; (v) J. R. B. Hewat and Partners, Altnabrocky Lodge, County Mayo.
Rod fishing for salmon and brown trout on the Owenmore River is prohibited during the respective annual close season as follows: Annual Close Season (both dates inclusive). Salmon (including sea trout) - from 1 October to 31 January; brown trout - from 1 October to 14 February.
Angling for salmon or trout on the freshwater portion and part of the tidal waters of the Owenmore River with any lure other than artificial fly is prohibited under the Owenmore River (Angling) By-law No. 619, 1981. That by-law prohibits also having possession of any mounted rod to which is attached any lure other than an artificial fly on or near the waters specified in the bye-law.
Under the Bangor District By-law No. 611, 1980, as amended by the North Western Fisheries Region (River Owenmore) By-law No. 632, 1983, commercial fishing for salmon is prohibited in the tidal waters of the Owenmore River upstream of a straight line drawn from the blue and white marker at the highwater mark of the townland of Aughness to the yellow and white marker at the high-water mark of the townland of Tristia as far as the tidal and freshwater boundary of the Owenmore River which is situated at the discussed salmon weir between the townlands of Goolamore and Ballina.
Fishing in this river is, of course, also subject to the national restrictions on fishing under the Fisheries Acts.