The Herald understands notice has been given to the two full-time staff employed at The Marble Arch Fish Hatchery in Florencecourt, open for 15 years and now they must get rid of fishing stocks that will take years to rebuild.

 

The closure at the facility owned by the Erne Melvin Enhancement Company (EMEC) comes as a result of funding cuts to the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and despite a Lough Erne Fishery Management Plan currently out for consultation stating plans to revisit stocking programmes. 

 

As well as being involved in stocking waters the non-profit company is also involved in education programmes and has worked with a number of local schools over the years.

Chairman of the Erne Rivers Trust (ERT) Albert Keys has questioned the rationale of the move stating that as much as half a million of pounds has been invested in the facility over the years.

 

“The ERT recognises the necessity for substantial budget constraints within the administration in the Northern Ireland Assembly however this hasty and ill planned action proposing closure of the small EMEC hatchery will achieve very little towards the supposed objectives of DCAL management of the fisheries in the Erne Basin as outlined in the recently released Fishery Management Plan for Lough Erne.”

 

He continued: “The Erne Melvin Enhancement Company hatchery provides a useful service in providing juvenile native salmon, trout and coarse fish for stocking waters where there is currently no natural recruitment. We urge local elected representatives to find the small amount of funding necessary to support this local club led initiative that is closing its doors because DCAL propose to cut their funding. The loss of local knowledge and fish will not be replaced without DCAL incurring substantial costs in future years.”

 

Mr Keys told the Herald that without the hatchery there would be no roach, tench or bream in Lough Erne or clipped salmon in the river system.

“The EMEC hatchery is providing fish for the coarse fish lakes in Fermanagh, the river Lagan, Lough Erne and salmon for the Garrison river ,which is the only place to catch salmon in County Fermanagh.

 

He continued: “Approximately 17 million trout of various ages have been stocked into the Lough Erne system over the last years with close to one million fry being stocked in rivers that have suffered environmentally due to 70’s and 80’s drainage schemes. In addition there are reaches of river suitable for young salmon and trout where there are no fish owing to downstream obstacles such as waterfalls weirs and culverts.”

 

The Erne Rivers Trust believe the closure of the hatchery will have a huge impact on tourism in Fermanagh  forecasting a  “meltdown in the population of Lough Erne” over the next five years.

Mr Keys explained: “With current projections and a lack of sound management we are likely to see degradation of fish stocks impacting tourism, sport fishing and commercial objectives.  In addition this action will be interpreted by visiting anglers as a lack of interest and we are already seeing a decrease in permits and licences being bought.”

 

He added:“My concern is there are no plans to make any difference to the numbers of fish in Lough Erne and they’re all on a downward spiral. It sounds like a complete horror story for our tourism.”