Neagh. A change in private ownership of the bed and soil of Lough Neagh would not affect these arrangements. 5.1.3 There have been some suggestions that the owners of the bed and soil of Lough Neagh, could charge for that water. The Working Group has confirmed, “storing” however, that natural water bodies/flowing water cannot be in this “stored” manner and any attempt to mount such a case would not be successful. In terms of NI Water infrastructure to abstract from or discharge to the Lough, the Company already owns the necessary lands and rights. 5.2 Commercial & Recreational Activities on the Lough 5.2.1 Lough Neagh has the largest commercial wild eel fishery in Europe, exporting some 650 tonnes of produce per year to outlets in the UK, Holland and Germany. Eel fishing has been a major industry in Lough Neagh for centuries. Today Lough Neagh eel fisheries export their eels to restaurants all over the world and Lough Neagh Eel has been granted Protected Geographical Status under European Union Law. The eel fishing rights along the river now belong to the Lough Neagh Society Limited as far downstream as The Cutts and, Fishermen’s Co-operative in the estuary, they belong to The Honorable Irish Society. Eels are a very important commercial resource in Lough Neagh and Lower Bann system, generating an estimated annual income of £4million. It is estimated that some 300 families earn and depend on income from the fishery. The number of young eels returning from the sea to the Lough has declined significantly since 1980. The Lough Neagh Society Ltd Fishermen’s Co-operative has supplemented natural recruitment since 1984 by the purchase of young eels and, in recent years, this has been part funded by DCAL and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). There is an Eel Management Plan applicable to the Lough Neagh eel fishery under European Eel Regulations, which requires proactive management measures to tackle the decline in eel numbers and meet specific conservation objectives. (Commercial eel fishing in Lough Erne has recently halted under the EC regulations).
Neagh. A change in private ownership of the bed and soil of Lough Neagh would not affect these arrangements. 5.1.3 There have been some suggestions that the owners of the bed and soil of Lough Neagh, could charge for “storing” that water. The Working Group has confirmed, however, that natural water bodies/flowing water cannot be “stored” in this manner and any attempt to mount such a case would not be successful. In terms of NI Water infrastructure to abstract from or discharge to the Lough, the Company already owns the necessary lands and rights. 5.2 Commercial & Recreational Activities on the Lough 5.2.1 Lough Neagh has the largest commercial wild eel fishery in Europe, exporting some 650 tonnes of produce per year to outlets in the UK, Holland and Germany. Eel fishing has been a major industry in Lough Neagh for centuries. Today Lough Neagh eel fisheries export their eels to restaurants all over the world and Lough Neagh Eel has been granted Protected Geographical Status under European Union Law. The eel fishing rights along the river now belong to the Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co-operative Society Limited as far downstream as The Cutts and, in the estuary, they belong to The Honorable Irish Society. Eels are a very important commercial resource in Lough Neagh and Lower Bann system, generating an estimated annual income of £4million. It is estimated that some 300 families earn and depend on income from the fishery. The number of young eels returning from the sea to the Lough has declined significantly since 1980. The Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co-operative Society Ltd has supplemented natural recruitment since 1984 by the purchase of young eels and, in recent years, this has been part funded by DCAL and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). There is an Eel Management Plan applicable to the Lough Neagh eel fishery under European Eel Regulations, which requires proactive management measures to tackle the decline in eel numbers and meet specific conservation objectives. (Commercial eel fishing in Lough Erne has recently halted under the EC regulations).
potential-for-bringing-lough-neagh-into-public-ownership.docx