TEP has recently been appointed by Sport Northern Ireland in partnership with members of the NI Angling Forum to conduct an audit to identify waters with no known fishing rights in Northern Ireland.
Sport Northern Ireland is a leading body for the development of sport in Northern Ireland and an arm’s length body of the Department for Communities (DFC) and is charged with the development of sport in Northern Ireland.
One of the recommendations set out in the Strategic Review of Angling in Northern Ireland 2013 was to undertake an audit of derelict waters.
The provision for the development of “derelict Waters” is outlined in the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 and applies where:
(a) the Department is of the opinion that any inland waters should be developed for angling; and
(b) the person who is entitled to the fishing rights in those waters is unknown or cannot be found.
In order to carry out the audit, TEP’s Landscape Managers are currently consulting with Government Departments and Agencies, local councils and angling clubs to map and record all the known fishing rights for waterbodies in NI. This consultation will enable TEP to identify waterbodies that do not have any known fishing rights.
Following consultation, TEP will prioritise waterbodies using a range of parameters.
This work will assist the work of the Angling Active Clubs Development Officer funded by Sport NI in developing the sport and establishing new angling clubs where opportunities are identified.
