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Leitrim: anglers learn how to protect small hill and coastal streams

Karen Kennedy tells us how the LA Waters Programme organised training for anglers who wanted to learn more about protecting and managing small streams, and citizen science techniques.

Anglers from Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal, Fermanagh and Cavan came together on the 20 October 2018 at The Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co. Leitrim to learn about protecting and managing small hill and coastal streams. The course was organised by the Local Authority Waters Programme and provided participants with an understanding of the role small streams play in the functioning of a catchment. It was also an opportunity to learn about basic citizen science techniques.

Dr Ken Whelan, fisheries and environmental consultant, delivered the day-long training. This involved interactive discussions in the morning, followed by scientific sampling and survey work on the Ballagh River in the afternoon. A staff member of Inland Fisheries Ireland was also present to provide advice on access, and timing of in-stream activities. The anglers will hopefully be able to carry out basic assessment of the health of small streams in their areas which provide important habitats for juvenile fish.

The training was an important opportunity to build regional and cross border networks and exchange information on work being carried out by volunteers on catchment protection in their areas. Several anglers commented on the relaxed setting for the course, and are eager to expand on their citizen science skills into the future.

Karen Kennedy, LA Waters Programme

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.