Hundreds of items seized from poachers in bid to clamp down on illegal fishing on the Foyle, says Edwin Poots

The Loughs Agency has seized hundred of items - including nets, rods, boats, cars and fish - in operations against suspected salmon poachers in the Foyle over the past two years.
By Kevin Mullan
Published 25th Nov 2020, 13:04 BST
Updated 25th Nov 2020, 13:06 BST
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Fisheries Minister Edwin Poots said illegal fishing was a big issue and that the agency was working with the PSNI and An Garda Síochána to try to impede poachers.

UUP MLA Rosemary Barton asked the minister: “How big a problem for the Loughs Agency is illegal fishing such as poaching, particularly in the Foyle area? How many people have been prosecuted for illegal fishing in that area?”

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Mr. Poots replied: “Salmon poaching is one of the big issues. Illegal fishing activity and water pollution remain a concern. The Loughs Agency has seized a significant quantity of illegal fishing material.

Hundreds of items seized from poachers.Hundreds of items seized from poachers.
Hundreds of items seized from poachers.

“Seizures by Loughs Agency staff have fallen, when compared with the 2019 figures. In 2019, there were 303 seizures of items such as boats, nets, rods and fish, compared with 165 seizures to date in 2020.

“The breakdown is as follows: two seizures of boats and cars in 2019 and seven in 2020; 31 seizures of nets in 2019 and 30 in 2020; eight seizures of other items in 2019 and four in 2020; 47 seizures of rods in 2019 and 54 in 2020; and 215 seizures of fish in 2019 and 70 in 2020. That gives a total of 303 seizures in 2019 and 165 up to 16 October 2020.”

The minister said the agency had instigated a significant number of prosecution cases stemming from those enforcement actions.