?FISSTA PRESS RELEASE
IRISH ANGLERS UNITE TO FIGHT FISH FARMS
IRISH ANGLING FEDERATIONS UNITE WITH FISSTA TO OPPOSE MINISTER COVENEY’S TEN MEGA FISH FARMING PLAN
The campaign against the ten mega fish farm plan of Minister Coveney TD took another giant step forward this month when all the major angling federations met and finally signed up to a document that declared war on the government policy of open net cages in Galway Bay and nine other locations along the west coast.
The Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA) are delighted to announce an inter federations agreement between fellow anglers to unite and campaign on like-minded issues as signed recently on February 13th in Hilton Hotel Kilmainham. The document outlined a number of issues in which all the signatories agreed to pursue and campaign against and FISSTA succeeded in obtaining agreement to oppose the salmon farming policy of Minister Coveney and especially his ten mega farms plan which we all fear will wipe out our wild Atlantic salmon.
This is a major development that proves our lobby is gaining huge momentum since our first public awareness meeting in May 2012 in Galway. FISSTA were at that time the first federation to oppose this issue and bring it to the attention of the public.
The formation of Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages in January 2013 gave the campaign a further impetus and opposition to the local application in Galway Bay lodged by BIM in the Autumn of 2012. Following a very successful protest rally in March 2013 in which Goldman Environmental Winner Mr Orri Vigfusson from Iceland attended, Minister Coveney delayed his decision until after his EU Presidency. Many pictures of the large numbers on that Galway march made international news around the world at it is evident now that our sustained campaign in the press has succeeded in to date in delaying further the decision to approve or reject the application to Minister Coveney himself as judge, jury and executioner of the state application. In the Spring of 2014, FISSTA became founding members of the Irish Sports Coalition that consisted of the many rod and gun country sports communities from all over the island of Ireland. This impressive group of over 150,000 nature sports members lobbied all 830 candidates contesting the local elections and many supportive county councillors are now elected to assist us in our various angling and shooting issues that need resolution. The priority for angling is to end the ill-conceived BIM plan to locate ten massive 15,000 ton monster fish farms off the west coast of Ireland.
Other issues for FISSTA include development of an agreed all island angling plan that will capitalise and build on the Ôé¼750m. value that our volunteers in many angling clubs deliver to the Irish economy every season.
FISSTA OBJECT TO OUR STATE BODIES INTERFERING FURTHER IN OUR SPORT OF ANGLING AND OPPOSE ALL RECENT ATTEMPTS TO IMPOSE WITHOUT CONSULTATION THE FOLLOWING:
THE RECENT FISHERY CARD AS PER THE NEW REGUALTIONS ON JANUARY 1ST
A COMPULSORY ANGLING CHARGE
A REGISTER OF ANGLERS
A NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD FOR ANGLERS
THE INTRODUCTION OF PENALTY POINTS
FAILURE TO GRANT CLUBS SECURE TENURE ON STATE OWNED FISHERIES
At the conclusion of the signing event in Kilmainham, FISSTA Chairman Mr. Paul Lawton stated:
ÔÇ£ May I pay tribute to all involved, especially the facilitator and all the signatories from the federations in supporting our anti fish farming campaign to date. I acknowledge the very hard work by all who attended over a series of thirteen meetings to agree the text of this historic document which will be sent to all relevant state bodies and ministers immediately. We will all be lobbying our respective politicians to listen and act promptly to our views and proposals. FISSTA call on all our colleagues to engage intensely with the Government so that a favourable outcome for all is achieved.ÔÇØ ENDS.
NOTES TO EDITOR: The following three clauses are an extract from the document pertaining to salmon farming and agreed among fellow anglers:
CLAUSE 28. To prevent the introduction of disease, provision should be made to prevent the use of non native Irish smolts in the fish farm industry
CLAUSE 35. Serious concerns have been raised by anglers and scientists on the damage being caused to our wild Salmon and Sea trout stocks by sea based fish farming and the Angling Community total oppose sea based fish farming. The Angling Groups request that provision be made to give powers to IFI to inspect and monitor Fish Farms and where breaches of their Licences occur impose stringent penalties. Also a new independent group must be established to issues licences and no Fish farm allowed to-operate without such a licence.
CLAUSE 39. With salmon stocks in continuing decline and with the clear benefit to the local and the national economy from tourist and Irish salmon anglers, a ban on all commercial salmon netting is now required. The Angling Groups recommend that provision be made in the Act to accommodate such a measure.
*The following angling federations signed the historic document on 13th February 2015.
1. FISSTA – Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea-Trout Anglers
2. TAFI – Trout Angling Federation of Ireland
3. IFPAC – Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs
4. EFSA – European Federation of Sea Anglers
5. IADA – Irish Angling Development Alliance
6. NCFFI – National Coarse Fishing Federation of Irelan
7. SSTRAI – Salmon and Sea Trout Recreational Anglers of Ireland
8. NARA – National Anglers Representation Association
The Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA) is an all-Ireland angling representative body for salmon and sea trout angling and the voice of over 19,000 members in up to 90 affiliated salmon and sea trout (salmonid) clubs located on the main Irish angling waterways on the island of Ireland.
PRESS RELEASE ENDS
? Federation of Irish Salmon
& Sea Trout Anglers ?
Conaidhm na Slat Iascairí Bradáin agus Breac Geal
F.I.S.S.T.A. www.fissta.com
Chairman: PAUL LAWTON, 37 Connoly Gardens, Ballyphehane, CORK City.
Secretary: NOEL CARR, Teelin Road, Carrick, Co. Donegal. Tel/Fax 074 9730300. email: dgl1@indigo.ie
FISSTA PRESS RELEASE
IRISH ANGLERS UNITE TO FIGHT