Public Angling Estate Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Byelaws)

These Byelaws revoke and replace with amendments the Angling (Department of Agriculture Waters) Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 1989. The Byelaws provide for angling controls and restrictions on waters within the public angling estate of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

The principal changes are as follows –

1.  Leathemstown Reservoir, Loughbrickland, Lough Melvin and the River Erne have been deleted from the list of waters to which the Byelaws apply. The Broadwater, Ballymoney River, Carnagh Forest Lakes, the remainder of the Carey River, the River Lagan, the Lower Bann navigation canals, the Upper Bann River, the Quoile/Annacloy/Ballynahinch River, the Colebrooke River, Cypress Pond, Killyfole Lough, Lough Scolban, Lough Creeve, Enagh Lough, Lough Macronan, and White Lough have been added to that list (Byelaw 2 and Schedule).

2.  All carp caught must be immediately returned to the water (Byelaw 5).

3.  The list, and description, of waters that are excepted from the prohibition on the use of ground bait or maggots while angling is amended (Byelaw 7).

4.  The list of waters that are excepted from the prohibition on the use of boats for the purpose of angling is amended (Byelaw 8).

5.  The maximum number of rods and lines or hand lines that two persons can use whilst trolling from a boat in Upper and Lower Lough Erne has been increased from three to four (Byelaw 12).

6.  The permitted methods of angling, as specified in the second column of the Schedule, have been amended in respect of the River Blackwater, River Bush, Dungonnell Reservoir, Glenshesk River, Lough Mourne, Lower South Woodburn Reservoir, Middle South Woodburn Reservoir, Clay Lake Reservoir, and the North and South Craigavon City Park Lakes, Lough Money and White Lough.

7.  The maximum numbers of fish that may be retained, as specified in the third column of the Schedule, have been amended in respect of Dungonnell Reservoir, Upper South Woodburn Reservoir, South Craigavon City Park Lake, Lough Money, and the Shimna River.