This is a great day for the western board and the people of the area, declared Mr John O'Connor, chief executive of the Central Fisheries Board at this week's formal transfer of management of the Galway and Erriff Fisheries from the central board to the Western Regional Fisheries Board.
Eighteen years had elapsed since the two fisheries were bought from private ownership, Mr O'Connor said, and in those intervening years Trojan work by board staff had brought international recognition to the region and global acceptance to two of the finest salmon fisheries in the world.
In 1978 the Galway Fishery was bought from the Barber family by the then minister for fisheries and forestry, the late Brian Lenihan, and transferred to the central board in 1982. Under Mr Ned Cusack's management the fishery underwent major refurbishment and within three years rod days had risen to 1,500 per season.
Dr Paddy Gargan took the reins when Mr Cusack retired, and with continued development the annual rod and line tally reached almost 2,000 fish by 1989, an incredible achievement by any standards.
Throughout the 1990s the welfare of the fishery was vested with Mr Seamus Hartigan, whose tenure was chronicled with further success: suspension of commercial exploitation; introduction of bag limits; modern facilities for anglers; and a new beat to accommodate five extra rod days.
The Erriff Fishery had a similar success story to tell, Mr O'Connor said. When the central board bought it from Lord Brabourne in 1982, the fishery and Aasleagh Lodge were in poor condition. Angling beats required upgrading, and the lodge was uninhabitable.
Poaching, too, was a problem at Killary Harbour and on the Erriff river and a mammoth effort was required by central and local board staff, particularly in the early years, to bring poaching under control. (Read Sean Nixon's book, Guarding The Silver, to realise the scale of the problem.)
By 1985 the situation had improved substantially and, after Mr Jim Stafford was appointed manager, the fishery was in a position to market the resource abroad. Within a year the rod catch had reached 500, and by 1990 there were 2,300 rod days, 70 per cent derived from tourist anglers.
"I think you will agree these fisheries have been managed in a proactive and progressive manner over the past 18 years by the central board," Mr O'Connor said. "The time is now right to hand on the baton to local management, and I know they will be in good hands."
In relation to last week's article on infected pike, it is imperative to understand that the bounty applies only to pike with tumours. By-law 667, which prohibits taking pike over 3kg is still very much in force.
Castlewellan Fishery in Co Down gets off the starting blocks on March 1st and area manager Mr Peter Lynch is already looking forward to the new season. The fishery, in Castlewellan Forest Park, is stocked regularly with brown and rainbow trout from Movanagher.
Spinning, worm and fly fishing are allowed, but fly only from battery-powered boats. Permits can be obtained locally. For further information, contact Peter at Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure, tel: 080 13967 78937. Email: peter.lynch@dani.gov.uk
More details are emerging as we move closer to the Dublin Angling Initiative. Flyfishers are in for a real treat with the news that Mr Peter O'Reilly has agreed to give a casting demonstration at 2 p.m. Mr O'Reilly is a qualified APGAI instructor, author of numerous books and an expert fly-tyer.
Renowned fly-fisher Betty Hayes will again give casting tuition on the fair green with rods and reels courtesy of Southside Angling, and throughout the day will be joined by "personalities" including Sean McManmon, angling manager at the K Club.
The event takes place on Sunday, March 5th at Howth Angling Centre, West Pier, Howth.
Correspondence and fishy photographs to The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Fax: 679 1881. E-mail: angling@irish-times.ie