Anglers have reacted with outrage to a proposal by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to ban shore angling along the south Co Dublin coastline.
Under the draft Beach Bye Laws 2007, the council is proposing to prohibit all "fishing for pleasure", along the shoreline from Booterstown Strand to Corbawn Lane in Shankill, Co Dublin.
The only exceptions will be Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbour in Dalkey, which are the two proposed designated areas for pleasure fishing, according to the proposed amendment to the 1998 beach bye laws.
Members of the public have until noon on September 28th to lodge submissions with the council.
Chairman of the Leinster Council of the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers, Tom Lillis said anglers are outraged that they were not consulted by the council.
"This is a very unreasonable proposal. We want to encourage people to fish , not to discourage them, and here is a proposal to ban fishing on the beaches where our up-and-coming new talent have cut their teeth," said Mr Lillis.
"Jonathan Costello, from Shankill, who holds a world under-21 silver medal, began fishing at Corbawn and Killiney," (two of the beaches where "pleasure" fishing will be banned if the law is passed), he said.
The federation also contends that the designated harbours of Bulloch and Coliemore are the most unsuitable places to allow fishing because the numbers of boats and swimmers using the sea for recreational activities are greatest there.
Meanwhile, secretary of the European Federation of Sea Anglers (Irish Section) and secretary of the Bray Head Fishing and Social Club, Warren Doyle, said its members are outraged at the proposal.
Local politicians and councillors have expressed dismay and confusion at the proposal, which was first made public by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on August 20th.
Dublin North-East Fianna Fáil Senator Martin Brady has called on the council to scrap its proposal.
Fine Gael councillor for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Marie Baker, called on all interested parties to let their voices be heard.