Angling Notes/Derek Evans:One of the finest books to grace our bookstands in recent times is the A Celebration of Salmon Rivers.
Conceived by Orri Vigfusson, founder and chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF), the book depicts, in words and pictures, more than 50 of the finest Atlantic salmon rivers across 12 countries in the northern hemisphere.
But there is more to this production than its fabulous content. It is also a fundraiser to further assist the great work NASF has achieved since its inception 15 years ago. It continues to strive, on a daily basis, to reverse the possible extinction of the wild Atlantic salmon.
Vigfusson says it is too early to claim the future of the wild salmon is assured but there are encouraging signs that the corner may have been turned. He cites the Government's decision to end its drift-net fishery as a "great victory for the Atlantic salmon and mankind".
It is the waters off Greenland that produce most salmon and it was here the first great slaughter took place in 1992. The destruction wrought by an international free-for-all was so great it led to a slump in the stocks of Canada's prolific rivers and the near demise of wild salmon in the rivers of the US.
Recognising that feeding grounds were at risk of being completely denuded of salmon, Vigfusson set about the formation of NASF and negotiated agreements to curtail commercial salmon fishing in exchange for compensation and help in finding alternative incomes.
Today, Greenland and Faroe fishermen earn a lucrative living fishing for snow crab and lumpfish caviar, and the compensation, while an on-going agreement, continues to be met by NASF and its loyal supporters. (The funds raised from this book will help add new impetus to the task.) A Celebration of Salmon Rivers is a lavish production with each of the 50 rivers featuring a "write-up" by renowned journalists, celebrities and established anglers familiar with their respective river. Most of the photographs were taken by R Randolph Ashton travelling by aircraft, helicopter, train, bus, car, boat and foot to encompass the entire range of the Atlantic salmon.
Ireland is afforded five rivers. The Bann (Lower) by David Agnew. The Blackwater by Padraic Fallon. The Boyne by TK Whitaker. The Foyle by the Duke of Abercorn and the Moy by Robert Gillespie.
Vigfusson writes about the Icelandic river, the Sela, which he says is so brilliantly gin-clear one can imagine there is no water between the angler and his quarry. George HW Bush said of the Sela: "It is impossible to describe the wonders of fishing the Sela, an astoundingly beautiful river. The fish, fresh from sea, are strong fighters and remarkable beautiful."
The book has a foreword by the Prince of Wales. "At a time when new books about salmon proliferate, it is heartening to see a book that puts the emphasis on the rivers, rather than the fish," he said.
A Celebration of Salmon Riversis produced by Merlin Unwin Books and retails at £35. It is available in bookshops nationwide and www.merlinunwin.co.uk.
• Slaney River Trust (SRT) in conjunction with the Central Fisheries Board (CFB) and Eastern Regional Fisheries Board (ERFB) with funding from the Interreg IIIA Programme, hosted three very successful ladies fly-fishing introductory courses in July, August and October that attracted more than 40 women.
Instead of a fee to cover instruction, participants were invited to give a donation to Action Breast Cancer. The total contribution raised was €2,765. All three events were held in the Wicklow area at Annamoe Trout Fishery and Rathcon Fishery and the courses had one of the best instructors in Ireland, Glenda Powell, ably assisted by Mark Corps, CFB angling adviser, Betty Hayes ERFB and SRT, and Ian Powell.
The SRT and ERFB would like to thank Brian Nally of Annamoe and the Page family of Rathcon for use of their facilities, and to Glenda and Ian Powell, Mark Corps and Betty Hayes for giving up their time for this worthy cause. The fishing equipment was provided by Loop.
For further information, contact Hazel Dobbyn at 01-2787022 or visit www.fishingireland.net
• Corkagh Park Fishery, Dublin: The trout lake continues to fish well with plenty of activity on the surface. Garreth Murphy and Paddy McLoughlin from Rory's Tackle Shop caught 25 fish at their last session, all of which were returned. Contact Godfrey at 01-4592622/087-2650495 and e-mail: fishing@ireland.com