Final reminder to complete your 2017 season catch return
This is a final reminder to anglers to log their fishing effort, catches and releases in the Foyle and Carlingford areas for the 2017 season. Last year 7,432 licences were purchased and to date only 10% of anglers have made a catch return. Catch returns are a condition of purchasing a licence and are required by law. The final closing date for 2017 returns is Wednesday 23rd May.
How do Loughs Agency use the catch returns made by anglers?
Agency use angler catch returns to contribute towards the sustainable management of the fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. We use the information anglers provide to assess the strength of fish runs into the various catchments and for trend monitoring over time. The information is also used to inform responses for proposed developments such as roads, hydros, wind farms etc. that may have the potential to impact upon the aquatic environment and the various fisheries supported by high quality habitats.
The data provided by anglers is really important information because it enables our scientists to understand how many fish are caught, taken or returned back to the river and how much time anglers put into catching those fish. It provides an indication of how well stocks are doing and if we need to take any action should catches take a turn for the worse.
The information also feeds into international programmes which monitor salmon stocks around the North Atlantic through the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) and it is therefore important that we provide them with the most accurate information available so please take the time to complete your return.
How to make your 2017 catch return
Returns must be made on the eLicence website.
On the home page, click on ‘Catch Return’ then log in, select your 2017 licence and you will be presented with the following screen – click ‘Add Catch Return’.
You will then be given 4 options:
- Catch return for Salmon and Sea Trout
- Use this option if you went fishing and caught either of these fish.
- Catch return for all other fish
- Use this option if you caught any other species of fish.
- Catch return no fish caught
- Use this option if you went fishing but did not catch any fish.
- I did not go fishing
- Use this option if you did not go fishing during the 2017 season.
Where there was no fishing effort and no fish were caught a nil return must still be made by selecting the ‘I did not go fishing’ option. Please be aware that when you select this option you will not be able to enter any further data for the 2017 season. Please ensure that you have selected your 2017 licence and not your 2018 licence before committing to this option.
Anglers are advised that whilst it is a legal obligation to make returns for salmon and sea trout, Loughs Agency are keen to see fishing logs from coarse and sea anglers as well. Any unused tags must also be returned to Loughs Agency by post or in person to one of our offices.
If you have any queries please email: info@loughs-agency.org and include ‘2017 Angling Return’ in the title.