Posted online: May 30th, 2007

A new clampdown has been launched to protect the future of Inch Lake.

The lake’s owners – Donegal Creameries – and the National Parks and Wildlife Service are working in tandem to enhance the Special Area of Conservation (SPC).

The first step is an enforcement of fishing regulations.

Boats will be strictly prohibited on the lake.

Donegal Creameries will remove all boats on the lake and foreshore at Inch Level on June 8.

The company will hold boats removed from Inch Lake or foreshore for a year. After that, if unclaimed, the boats will be dispose of.

The company said it wants to encourage fishing at the lake but abuses need to be addressed.

The company will insist fishermen have permits as well as a Valid State Salmon and Sea Trout Licence.

Permits are available from O’Neill’s shop in Bridgend at a cost of 4.50 euro for children and 9 euro for adults. Permits will be valid only on the day of purchase.

Other rules being enforced include: one rod per person with a bag limit of three fish per day; bait fishing (prawns, shrimp, maggots, etc.) is strictly prohibited; all fish less than 20cm in length to be release; fishing permitted between 9am – 9pm; the lake is open between April 1 and September 30; a maximum of ten permits per day issued and lighting fires is prohibited.

Donegal Creameries managing director Ian Ireland said: “We’re not killjoys. This is certainly not about revenue – it’s about regulation. We merely want to encourage a community of fishermen to follow the rules. We’ve sorted out the hunting issue at the lake – now we want to address fishing.

“We’re only taking about a handful of boats here.

“We just want a level playing field for all the fishermen who use the area.

“There have been abuses in the past. We want a clean environment without pollution.”

Donegal Creameries property manager Gareth Whitmore said: “Valid State Salmon and Sea Trout Licences can be obtained form the Fisheries Board. Any boats taken off the lake can be collected at the Donegal Creameries farmyard in Burt.

“We can assure boat owners they’ll get their boats backs in the exactly the same state of repair we found them.”

Andrew Speer of the National Parks and Wildlife Service said: “Donegal Creameries wants to restrict the number of fishermen so people can get quality fishing. It’s solely their decision to enforce the regulations.”