A major row over new angling regulations has split a rural community in Donegal, and similar difficulties could be experienced elsewhere.
About 200 people protested yesterday in the village of Doochary about a river catchment management plan that has been flagged as a pilot programme for the whole State.
Under the plan, some anglers - who have fished the Gweebarra river for years - are now being treated as if they are tourists, and are facing a €50-a-day licence fee to fish rather than a club membership fee of €25 or €35 a year.
"What has happened is that the river has gone back to State sponsored landlordism," said David Magill, chairman of Donegal Game Angling Federation.
The Northern Regional Fishery Board is now implementing the catchment management plan which has redefined the Gweebarra's catchment area.
In effect, anglers from the Rosses and Fintown angling clubs are being evicted from waters they have fished for generations, but anglers from the Gweebarra club can continue. Furthermore, under the new regulations, there is a clause stating that from Thursdays to Sundays, 19 visitors can fish and only three local people.
While locals can fish the river for the other three days, they point out that the Gweebarra is a spate river where the best fishing is when there is fresh rain coming down from the mountains. They are angry at being told they can only fish on certain days.
"We want to negotiate on this matter, but do not want it imposed on us," Mr Magill continued. "We want tourists to come and to go out with local anglers and learn where are the best places to fish. This is a bad deal for local people and we have been told that this plan is going to be a model for the country.
"We are now calling on angling clubs to wake up and listen. It is biased towards tourists."
The plan, designed to boost tourism and ensure better management and conservation of stocks, was first put forward in 2003 but met stiff opposition from anglers.
The Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers is seeking a meeting with Minister of State for the Marine John Browne to highlight its concerns.
Meanwhile, signs have been erected in the Doochary area calling on people not to fish the Gweebarra until the dispute is resolved. "The catchment area was redefined but people were not consulted properly," said one local angler.