Small group of Lough Foyledrift netters still in limbo

Drift netting has a long-standing tradition in the North West including in Ardara (above). Drift netters on Lough Foyle have been left in limbo due to the continuing suspension of the practice.

She also said drift netting for salmon in the Lough has been suspended due to poor stocks rather than banned. Last year the Sentinel reported how a hardship package made available to all licence holders in 2007 was taken up by 134 out of 162 licensees. This left 18 drift net licences in Lough Foyle and 10 draft nets in the river.

SDLP MLA Joe Byrne raised the predicament of the holders of some of these licences at Stormont asking Ms O’Neill what decision has been made “to deal with Lough Foyle fishermen who were promised outright purchase of their Drift Net Licenses by the Department, given that these fishermen have been banned from fishing for the last five years.”

She replied: “Neither my Department or the Loughs Agency is aware of any promise of an outright purchase of salmon Drift Net Licences within the Foyle Area.

“Salmon drift net fishermen were previously offered a salmon fishing hardship package in 2007 after a period of consultation.

“The scheme was not taken up by a small number of fishermen who decided that they would prefer to retain their fishing history and continued to fish in 2007, 2008 and 2009.”