DCAL Consultation

Friday, November 28, 2014

Here is a basic break down of the briefing held in Stormon with DCAL officials and the CAL committee. Hansard will be available soon for everyone to listen again.

1. 210 responses were received to the consultation
2. After a recent study at Carnroe on rod caught salmon, prawn and shrimp as a method will now be permitted so that will be welcomed by many Anglers and Clubs
3. No specified hook size. Doubles or single barb-less hooks will be acceptable. This would seem to mean trebles are banned.
4. A Bag limit of two salmon per angler for the whole season for Lough Melvin only as it has demonstrated numbers above their conservation limits consistently over recent years.
5. Freshwater netting will continue on Lough Neagh but all Salmon must be returned unharmed.
6. Compensation will be given to nets-men who can demonstrate loss of earnings.
7.The Honorable Irish society asked for sea trout not to be included in this consultation. That was rejected on grounds of insufficient evidence available.
8. Hooks can be made barb-less rather than factory barb-less hooks.
9. New video will be released by DCAL to demonstrate best practices for catch and release. Also, literature will be made available to all with these changes.
10. A group with a view to look at an All Ireland license for angling has been set up
11. All rivers that are impacted by commercial nets will ensure that the nets will remain off until they are above their conservation limits for a period of time.
12. No-one outside of the six netsmen will be eligible for compensation at this time.
• Catch and Release for both salmon and sea trout across all DCAL rivers (both public angling estate and privately owned)
• Methods – worming from July onwards. This is important to our river. No worm fishing before the 1st July 2014.