The Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, has welcomed the excellent catches of trout on the Corrib during the traditional mayfly season.
"It is great to see angling return to normal after the easing of foot-and-mouth restrictions," he said. Hundreds of brown trout have been caught during this year's bumper mayfly season, with most boats registering larger than normal catches.
The angling industry brings a major boost to the western economy every year and supports hundreds of jobs for locals in guesthouses, restaurants, shops and many other services.
"I would like to thank all anglers for their vigilance at the height of the crisis and wish them tight lines for the rest of the season", he said.
The week's best story relates to a Dutch couple, Jan and Debora Tinnemans, who came to Galway two years ago for a spot of pike angling. Within hours of hiring a boat on the Corrib, Jan landed one of the largest trout ever caught on the river, a whopper of 7-1/2lb.
Two weeks ago, the couple returned to better their first performance and were not disappointed. This time it was Debora's turn to boat a good trout of 61/2lb, followed by a massive fish of just over 113/4lb (a river specimen is 5lb). Details of the catch have been forwarded to the Irish Specimen Fish Committee.
The National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland calendar of events for 2001 is now available. This invaluable booklet lists over 200 events. To obtain a copy, send postal details to Mark O'Donoghue at 01-622 0933 or 086-833 7260. E-mail: markodon@iol.iewww.ncffi.net
New Ross Coarse Angling Ltd will host its first major competition in July to celebrate the arrival of the Dunbrody famine ship to New Ross. The Dunbrody Festival is a two-day match and will take place on July 21st and 22nd, 2001, at Oaklands Lake, Co Wexford.
The organisers have assembled an impressive array of prize money, courtesy of New Ross Vintners and a host of local business enterprises. Fishing on Saturday begins at 1 p.m. till 6 p.m. and on Sunday at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As this is a pre-entry match, fees of £30 for both days must be received before July 10th. Entries to New Ross Coarse Angling Ltd, 9 Chapel Lane, New Ross, Co Wexford.
Presentation of prizes will take place in the Rag Pub in Condick Lane, New Ross at 8.45 p.m., followed by live street music and fireworks display.
Correspondence and fishy photographs to The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Fax: 01-679 1881. E-mail: angling@irish-times.ie