Many anglers feel betrayed that another promise is broken by the Government and want action to redress their issues now. A FISSTA delegation travelled to the Minister's office on the 24th February 2003 to get clarification on a number of outstanding issues and to communicate a clear message on behalf of the National Executive. Our delegation quoted the promise from the then Minister, when he said:“My overriding policy objective is to increase returns of salmon, thus enhancing the availability of stocks for tourism and domestic sport angling to the national benefit. I have therefore invited the Commission to reflect in its future considerations the policy objective of incrementally increasing, within sustainable limits, the absolute amount of salmon available to recreational angling. This means that there will be no quota imposed on recreational angling.”-letter from Minister Fahey to FISSTA on 24th May 2000.

The introduction of these quotas at Xmas ’02 strikes directly at the core of our rights and confirms why all confidence in a “spirit of consultation and partnership” is now eroded. The timing and importance of this quota and 73% increase puts angling plans for 2003 in complete disarray. Anyone club or business in angling tourism must have at least 12 months notice for such dramatic changes to our sport. Our affiliated clubs and business members dependent on overseas bookings are now faced with a huge problem communicating these changes to such an extent that many holidays already booked are being reconsidered or even cancelled as the terms have now changed. Our anglers and those in the angling tourism trade find the overnight introduction of such laws difficult to accept and almost impossible to defend or implement especially as the commercial netsmen escaped the same type of non-transferable quota. Hence, despite a small paper reduction being proposed, we believe that no actual reduction in their catch is likely for 2003. The almost unanimous acceptance by the members of National Salmon Commission without any objections from an angling voice speaks volumes and only adds insult to injury. Such is the frustration and anger felt by all who have contacted our Executive members that all agree that we must work to review with Minister Browne to find a successful resolution to this problem immediately.