Minister for Sport and Leisure Carál Ní Chuilín today announced that there will be no increase in angling and commercial fishing licence fees for the 2015 fishing seasons.
Angling permits for the DCAL Public Angling Estate will be generally subject to a minimal inflationary rise of 1.9%.
In making the announcement, the Minister said: “I have decided to keep the inland fishing licence fees at 2014 levels. This is the sixth year in a row that there has been no annual increase.
“I recognise that the regulation and prices of recreational and commercial fishing need to be modernised and I have asked my officials to undertake a review of the current arrangements in consultation with stakeholder interests.
“I acknowledge the support I received from anglers and commercial fishermen when I introduced the salmon conservation measures last year on the need to protect salmon stocks. The catch and release policy is central to our conservation approach and it is important that anglers continue to provide catch and release data to my Department to assist with the future management of salmon rivers.
“Participation in the sport of angling delivers many benefits to individuals and to local communities. I am committed to furthering the health and well being benefits of angling and in making the sport more accessible to the young people and disadvantaged within our community.
“The commercial fishing sector, particularly around Lough Neagh and Lough Erne, also plays an important part in the socio-economic life of local communities. I am developing Fishery Management Plans for these waters to help realise their full potential and ensure their long term sustainability.”
The Department is encouraging all recreational anglers and commercial fishermen to have the correct licence and permit to fish.
The Minister added: “It is important to realise that the Department must protect the fisheries and my Fisheries Officers will continue to educate and regulate to prevent illegal activity on all our waters.”
Fishing licences and permits can be purchased online from:
http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/fishing.
NI Direct contains information from all departments and agencies. It also contains a range of transactions, including fishing licences and permits, which allow the citizen to do business with Government at a time that suits them.
Since 1 June 2009, fishing licence administration in the North has become the direct responsibility of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, following the abolition of the Fisheries Conservancy Board. The administration of licences, however, does not extend to the Foyle and Carlingford catchment areas which are the responsibility of the Loughs Agency who set their own licence duties for fishing in those areas.
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