Lough Oughter net belonged to ESB

 

Netting discovered and recovered from a site at Lough Oughter last month in fact belonged to the ESB, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has confirmed.

The so-called silver eel coghill net pulled from the water, first thought to be illegal netting, is owned by one of two ESB contracted conservation silver eel fishermen, who fish at two sites in the Upper Erne catchment.

The netting is allowed under DCCAE authorisation for the purposes of conservation of eel stocks, which are strictly protected, it is explained.

“The purpose of the nets, which are designed to catch actively migrating silver eels at night (rather than coarse fish by day), is to permit migrating silver eel to be captured and transported downstream of ESB hydropower facilities at Belleek (Cliff hydropower station) and Ballyshannon (Cathaleen’s Fall hydropower station),” a spokesperson for IFI wrote back in response to the matter being highlighted to them by Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly.

“IFI are aware of this incident whereby an angler got tangled in this net and reported it to local IFI staff. The net is legal (authorised), but should have been clearly marked. This matter has been raised with the ESB and the fisherman in question to rectify.”

Separately however, a second “illegal” net was reported on Lough Oughter earlier that same week by a member of the public to IFI and “was removed”.

“As you would be aware the issue of anglers or other members of the public, littering, lighting fires, drinking etc are essentially public order offences, which are best dealt with by the Gardaí or Council (in the case of littering , illegal dumping etc.). IFI protection staff do refer incidents to relevant authorities as they encounter them, but have no specific statutory powers in this regard. Cases of pollution or suspected illegal fishing activity should be immediately reported to the local IFI office or via the 24 confidential hot line 1890 34 74 24,” the IFI spokesperson added.