1. FISSTA AGM GIVES ORRI VIGFUSSON AND HIS GROUP A STANDING OVATION
The AGM of FISSTA was held in the Palace Bar in Athlone on Sunday 10th November. The guest speaker was North Atlantic Salmon Fund Chairman Orri Vigfusson, who led an international delegation of environmentalists from the UK and European mainland. Their main message was that :

Salmon netting must stop, say NASF group

An exceptional netting of wild salmon has caused biologists to examine the possibility of stopping net fishing of the famous fish next year, so fish numbers can stabilise.

Irish nets this year have taken twice as many salmon as government biologists recommend.

As salmon numbers decline, the international group of environmentalists are now recommending closing the fishing loop for 2003.

It is hoped the Government will follow other European countries and stop salmon netting.

Brian Marshall from the English Wessex Rivers Trust said it must stop; and it must stop now. Curiously, many of those rivers described enjoy the highest level of protection available within the European Union. That of 'Special Areas of Conservation'. In most cases salmon are a primary reason for that important designation. This protection by the European Habitats Directive, which member nations must obey, imposes cross border international laws. Even so these rivers are failing; some desperately.
It means Ireland must not harvest English and Welsh protected salmon, or those of France, Spain, Germany, or Ireland. Ireland will not be persuaded, after years of discussion and pleading, to stop. Ireland is even netting salmon from Irish SAC rivers and seriously damaging the economy as a result. Wessex Salmon and Rivers Trust claim that Ireland is in serious infringement of the Habitats Directive on several counts. One or all of these justifies the immediate cessation of Irish netting. The Wessex Salmon and Rivers Trust have lodged a formal complaint against the Irish Government with the European Commission. It is registered and will be "fully investigated". Other countries and UK interests are following suit. It is inconceivable that the EU would go to such lengths to protect a threatened species, only to allow it's wholesale exploitation elsewhere within the union. To the already strong moral case is now added the rule of law. The FISSTA Chairman on behalf of the meeting wished Brian Marshall well in his formal complaint. At a later stage in the meeting it was proposed that the incoming executive committee do everything possible to support the Wessex action and to explore the possibility of lodging a formal complaint on behalf of the Irish SAC's.

The NASF team then announced to the FISSTA AGM the details of their Irish campaign which will comprise of a series of one page ads in the daily newspapers. The text of the ad one last Tuesday's Irish Independent can be viewed on the home page.

2. MINISTER AHERN PUT ON NOTICE FOR 7 YEAR LEASES

The FISSTA Executive put Dermot Ahern, TD Minister for the Marine and the Northern Regional Fisheries Board on notice yesterday that the "Sauce for the Kerry goose should be Sauce for the Donegal gander" when they called again for 7 year leases for a list of their affiliated clubs already awaiting leases without preconditions - especially the ones named in the Donegal Consultation Document. At the FISSTA AGM on Sunday 10th November in Athlone, delegates passed a unanimous motion "that FISSTA secure without preconditions the 7 year leases for their affiliated clubs on all state owned waters as was promised by Mr John O Donoghue TD in Leinster House last May. Integral to that is the suspension of of the Catchment Management Plan as presently proposed by the Northern Regional Fishery Board and Donegal County Council." If the initial delay in responding to our correspondence is an indication of the policy of the RFB's then it may be necessary for Donegal anglers to head straight to the Dail to resolve the issue there. FISSTA delegates congratulated the Executive on the forging of strong links with the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) which resulted in a very effective pre election campaign. The Chairman Noel Carr expressed his gratitude to the NARGC and acknowledged the cooperation of Des Crofton, Director of the NARGC whose professional input raised the campaign to a new level at such a crucial time for us all.

3. NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTED FOR 2003

PRESIDENT: MR. RICHARD BEHAL, 68 Arbutus Grove, Deerpark, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
Tel/Fax 064-32723.

CHAIRMAN: MR. NOEL CARR, Teelin Road, Carrick, Co. Donegal. Tel/Fax 073-30300.
Email dgl1@indigo.ie

SECRETARY: MR. JIM HORGAN, The Square, Listowel, Co Kerry. Tel/Fax 068 23848. email: fishingjim@eircom.net

TREASURER:MR. LESIE WHITE, Aghada, Tullow, Co. Carlow.Tel. 0503-51482.

P.R.O - VICE-CHAIRMAN: MR. JEROME DOWLING, Stradbally, Castlegregory, Co. Kerry Tel. 066-7139387
ASSIS. SECRETARY: MR. BILLY SMITH, 10 Colemans Rd., Shantalla, Galway.
Tel 091 526395
ASSIS.TREASURER:MRJOHN SCANLAN,Clonoughter,Glin,Co.Limerick.Tel.068-34300.
Northern Region:
MR. FRANK O'DONNELL, Carrick, Co. Donegal.Tel. 073-39231.
MR. JIM CURRAN, Dunfanaghy, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Tel. 074-36232
North-Western Region:
MR. IAN GEUGAN, Callow, Foxford, Co. Mayo.
Tel. Email yannfanch@eircom.net

MRS. JOSEPHINE EGAN 3 Barrett St., Ballina, Co. Mayo. Tel. 096-72086
Eastern Region:
MR. MATT CAMPBELL, Grey Acre Road, Newtownbalregan, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Tel. 087-6757550

Southern Region: Mr Edward Power, Clonmel, Co Tippereary.
South-Western Region:
MR. JOHN BUCKLEY, 17 St. Brendans Tce., Killarney, Co. Kerry. Tel. 064-39558
Ger Horan, Finuge, Listowel, CO KERRY.

Lower Shannon Region:
MR. JOHN SCANLAN, Clonoughter, Glin, Co. Limerick. Tel. 068-34300.
MR. NIALL GREENE, Raheen, Lisnagry, Co. Limerick. Tel. 061-330015

4. SOS TO BE REVIEWED BY NEW EXECUTIVE
Professor Graham Shaw RIP was remembered fondly with many fine tributes at the FISSTA AGM in Athlone on Sunday 10th November 2002. A minutes silence was observed after Chairman Noel Carr paid tribute to our former Vice Chairman and Chairman of Save Our Seatrout. His death leave a void in SOS and it was agreed to review our seatrout and anti esturial fish farm strategy before attending the 17th December meeting of SOS in Galway.

5. MANY CALLS FOR VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THE NATIONAL SALMON COMMMISSION
FISSTA Chairman Noel Carr announced that the National Salmon Commission can no longer take FISSTA for granted following the many expressions of no confidence expressed by delegates at their AGM in Athlone on 10th November 2002. The unanimous vote of no confidence in the NSC at their meeting of the 10th of September confirms the feelings of the Execuitve when they instructed their then representative Martin Mc Enroe to deliver at the October Commission meeting. The new Executive was mandated to review and explore the appointment of a new representative to the National Salmon Commission in replacement of Martin Mc Enroe.
Members cited the following issues which were of major concern:
" The introduction of tagging measures without consultation with anglers in 2000
" Introduction of angling quotas, despite promises to the contrary
" Delay in setting commercial quotas
" The failure of the Quotas Committee to meet in January 2002
" The setting of quotas without the Quotas Committee that ignored the scientific advice
" The failure of the anti netting lobby to negotiate quotas based on good conservation measures
" The failure of the DOMNR to introduce a buyout programme
" The setting up of yet another NSC sub committee to explore buyout funding - the perfect stalling tactic to delay progress
Over the past two years the perception of the National Salmon Commission has gone from one of great hope to immense disappointment as it has now become nothing short of a commercial netting charter as the quota restrictions now confirm. The pre-election antics of Minister Fahey clearly outlined to all why the NSC has failed and should not be used as a defence by any NSC member to justify the further killing of salmon under government policy. FISSTA delegates called for a much stronger line of protest immediatey against the office of Minister Ahern until such time as the long awaited buyout of all commercial nets are completed through the brokerage of the NASF.

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Noel Carr
Chairman

Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA)

Noel Carr. MR JIM HORGAN MR. JEROME DOWLING,
Chairman HON. SECRETARY PRO & Vice Chairman
Teelin Rd THE SQUARE, Stradbally, Castlegregory,
Carrick Co Donegal LISTOWEL. Co. Kerry Tel. 066-7139387
003537330300 phone & fax CO. KERRY. jcdowling@eircom.net
00353872352001 mobile 068 -23848
email:dgl1@indigo.ie fishingjim@eircom.net

Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA)