I can advise the Deputy that the Gweebarra Rod Fishery is mainly State owned with a small portion in private ownership. Prior to 2007 access to both public and private parts of the Fishery was unregulated. Neither the state agencies concerned nor the private riparian owners took steps to limit access to their portion of the Fishery nor required a permit fee to be discharged by visitors. A person angling for salmon on the Gweebarra required only the statutory licence required to fish for salmon on any of the waters.
As part of its general statutory functions to protect, improve and promote fisheries within its region the then Northern Regional Fisheries Board (NRFB) decided to consult with the stakeholders on the Gweebarra to see whether agreement could be reached in relation to the preservation and development of the Fishery. The NRFB, in March 2007, reached agreement with the local Gweebarra Fishing Club which agreement runs in perpetuity. There are some 30 reputed riparian owners and agreement was reached with most of these in the same timeframe. This agreement runs for a period of 10 years.
Thus Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) have direct management responsibility for the vast majority of the river, only a small number of short stretches of the river located above Doochary village are not directly under IFI management. The main elements of the Agreement with the local Fishing Club were—
That the fishery was to be protected, improved, developed and managed in accordance with the principles of "catchment management".
That fishing was to be conducted in a sustainable manner under an agreed rod management plan as detailed in the Agreement.
That full membership of the Club was to be granted to all Applicants of good character residing within the catchment, all existing members of the Club at the date of the Agreement and riparian landowners who had entered into Agreements with IFI.
That the Club was entitled to admit others as associate members (for the same fee and with the same access rights as full members, the only difference being that they could not vote on decisions affecting the fishery).
That there would be an annual permit fee payable to IFI for each member of the Club.
That visitors would be accommodated on payment of a daily fee.
That the fishery would be divided up into beats or sections and the Rod Management Plan involved a limited number of anglers to be accommodated on each beat at any one time.
These new arrangements commenced in 2007 and essentially the previously unregulated position pertaining on the Gweebarra came to an end at that point. The Board commenced management of the Fishery and expended a sum of approximately €160,000 on improvement works on the Fishery.