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DECLARATION
THE FOYLE AREA (CONTROL OF OYSTER FISHING) REGULATIONS 2008
SUSPENSION OF OYSTER FISHING IN THE FOYLE AREA

I, Sharon McMahon, Designated Officer of the Loughs Agency, Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission, hereby certify that The Commission is satisfied that it is necessary and expedient for the conservation and protection of native oysters (Ostrea edulis) to declare fishing for such oysters suspended in the entirety of The Foyle Area, as defined by The Foyle Area (Control of Oyster Fishing) Regulations 2008 as amended 2010, for the periods listed below.

“the defined mouth” in relation to the River Foyle, means the mouth of that river as defined by instrument dated 8th February 1864 made under section 17 of the Salmon Fishery (Ireland) Act 1863;

“Lough Foyle” means those waters in the Foyle Area bounded on the north or seaward side by an imaginary straight line drawn between Greencastle Fort in the County of Donegal and the Martello Tower at Magilligan Point in the County of Londonderry and bounded on the south by the defined mouth of the River Foyle;

“the River Foyle” means all of the River Foyle upstream of the defined mouth of the River Foyle;

“seaward of Lough Foyle” means those waters in the Foyle Area which lie seawards of an imaginary straight line drawn between Greencastle Fort in the County of Donegal and the Martello Tower at Magilligan Point in the County of Londonderry.

Dates of suspension of fishing in The Foyle Area

Fishing for native oysters (Ostrea edulis) is suspended in the entirety of The Foyle Area, as defined by The Foyle Area (Control of Oyster Fishing) Regulations 2008 as amended 2010, for the periods listed below;

• 1^st February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 3^rd February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 6^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 10^th February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 13^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 17^th February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 20^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 24^th February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 27^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 2^nd March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 5^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 9^th March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 12^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 16^th March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 19^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 23^rd March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 26^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 30^th March 2020 at 18:00 hrs

Reasons for suspension of fishing in The Foyle Area

In order to reduce the amount of stress being put upon the Native Oyster population in Lough Foyle, and in order to retain an acceptable biomass of spawning stock in the population, fishing effort will be reduced from the total regulation days for the remainder of the 2019/2020 season to two days a week from the Regulation 5 days a week.

Fishing related stress levels in the oyster population in the Lough are directly linked to the fishing effort. High fishing effort is likely to have an impact on the health of the oyster stocks particularly those individuals which are undersized and which are being caught and released.

The Foyle oysters are infected with a blood parasite called Bonamia ostreae which causes a disease called Bonamiosis. This disease spreads when the cells of infected oyster rupture and infect nearby oysters which ingest the parasite.   It is thought that infection rates are increased during periods of high stress. Therefore a reduction in fishing effort may go some way to reducing the spread of Bonamiosis in the Native Oyster population in the Lough.

NOW THEREFORE

In pursuance of the said Regulations I HEREBY SUSPEND OYSTER FISHING IN THE FOYLE AREA AS DEFINED BY THE FOYLE AREA (CONTROL OF OYSTER FISHING) REGULATIONS 2008 AS AMENDED 2010.  From:

• 1^st February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 3^rd February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 6^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 10^th February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 13^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 17^th February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 20^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 24^th February 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 27^th February 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 2^nd March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 5^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 9^th March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 12^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 16^th March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 19^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 23^rd March 2020 at 18:00 hrs
• 26^th March 2020 at 06:00 hrs to 30^th March 2020 at 18:00 hrs

Sharon McMahon
Dated: 27.01.2020

June 2019

Interested parties are invited to apply for a licence to fish the 2019/2020 Native Oyster fishery. Applicants will be required to submit a completed application form and supporting documentation to the address listed below. All applications must be delivered in person by the applicant.

Hard copies of the application form are available at Loughs Agency Headquarters in Derry~Londonderry as per the contact details listed below and Greencastle Community Centre.

Interested parties must have completed applications with the Loughs Agency on or before Wednesday 31^st July 2019.

Licence Fee: £150 or €166

No late applications will be accepted.

Loughs Agency Headquarters
22 Victoria Road
Derry ~ Londonderry
BT47 2AB,
Northern Ireland

Tel: +44 (0) 28 71 342100
Fax: +44 (0) 28 71 342720

Opening Hours 09:00 – 17:00 Monday-Friday

Application Form