Lough Arrow in County Sligo is one of the most celebrated trout fishing lakes of this country. At Maytime Lough Arrow fishermen await the arrival of the mayfly. When there is a good hatch and all the boats are on the lake, Lough Arrow is a glorious sight and, as I know from personal experience, a glorious place to be.
The arrival of the mayfly was not the only news these fishermen received this May. Those who used one of the principal access routes to the lake were told that trespassers will be prosecuted and that they must remove their boats by 31 May. This was at Ballyrush Bridge on the Uinshen River, one of the traditional access points to the lake. This riverside area has been used by anglers for many years but suddenly they were told that this was private property. This order was given just as this year's fishing season was moving to its peak.
Because of the fishing season reaching its peak and the difficulties and dislocation this would cause anglers, some of whom are visitors who have been coming to Lough Arrow for many years, a sort of settlement was reached for the payment of £20 per boat. Even at that, it appears that boat owners are being asked to sign a document stating that their boats will be removed by 1 November next.
All of this difficulty being experienced at Ballyrush Bridge follows an exclusion order, on the same north side of the lake, where fishermen who tied up their boats at Ballintine's Pier no longer have freedom to do so. It should be noted this was a pier built by Sligo County Council and the Irish Tourist Board. Nonetheless fishermen were told they no longer had right of access so that, in order to get to their pier, they must use either a boat or helicopter, which must be unique in the case of a pier anywhere in this country.
These anglers do not appear to have any clear-cut knowledge of the principals claiming ownership of traditional mooring places for boats at Ballyrush Bridge. There appears to be a company involved, possibly registered in Douglas in the Isle of Man, but the Lough Arrow anglers are uncertain. However, one thing is certain — the action taken came at a time designed to cause maximum disruption of the angling season. This disruption has been patched up for a few months only.
This is a clear case where the Minister for the Marine should resort to the powers of section 39 of the Fisheries Act, 1980, for the compulsory acquisition of this important right of way to Lough Arrow. As no doubt the Minister of State will tell us, this is a power used very sparingly, if at all, in the past. While it is better that such disputes be settled amicably, those powers are contained in that Act. Anglers are very patient people but it is time to begin taking a tough line regarding access to these waters.
Throughout the country we hear of traditional access points to lakes and shores being closed off. I hope the Minister, with the North West Regional Fisheries Board, will take quick, decisive action to ensure that the traditional access rights to Lough Arrow are maintained, thereby sending a clear, decisive message to anybody else in any other part of the country contemplating ring-fencing our angling waters, whether by resorting to erecting barbed wire fences or trespass notices.
I thank the Minister of State for coming to reply to this very important local issue which I know he will accept also has serious national implications.