66 th MEETING OF THE FOYLE CARLINGFORD AND IRISH LIGHTS COMMISSION Attendees Wednesday 23 rd March 2011 @ 11am Loughs Agency Offices, Carlingford Present Tarlach O Crosain (Chairman) Jacqui McConville (Vice Chair) Alan McCulla Thomas Sloan Jim Wilson Denis Haughey Brendan Byrne John Byrne Winston Patterson In Attendance - Loughs Agency Derick Anderson CEO John Pollock Director of Corporate Services Barry Fox Director of Aquaculture and Shellfisheries John McCartney Director of Conservation and Protection Gerard Mills Director of Development Laura French (Minutes) 1. Apologies Joe Miller Enda Bonner John Mulcahy 2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as an accurate record. Proposed Denis Haughey Seconded Alan McCulla
3. Reserved Minutes The reserved minutes of the previous meeting were agreed. Proposed Denis Haughey Seconded Jim Wilson 4. Matters Arising All agreed that all matters arising were covered on the agenda. 5. CEO Report RESERVED CEO advised the meeting that he was delighted that the Agency had received Department of Finance and Personnel s approval for their Corporate Plan 2011-2013 and Business Plan 2011. CEO added that in terms of delivery he, John Pollock and Kevin Wilson had been working with Michael O Neill from DFP s Centre of Competitiveness on balance scorecards and these would be scored on a monthly basis with any red or orange flags brought to the Board with an explanation. RESERVED 6. Directors Report The Board were provided with updates from the Senior Management Team each giving a brief overview on their respective areas. Corporate Services John Pollock, Director of Corporate Services provided the Board with the following report; Financial Statements and Audit The 2008 financial statements have been signed by the C&Ags North and South now at design and print stage. The 2009 financial statements have been signed by the C&Ags North and South now at design and print stage. Audit Committee meeting has been rescheduled for 31 st march 2011. Internal audit have completed their audit and provided a draft report for consideration by the
Agency. NIAO have completed their audit and copies of the findings are included in the papers Corporate Governance Risk management meeting scheduled for October 2010 was postponed and will be scheduled for early 2011. NSMC NSMC Sectoral meeting scheduled for 1 st December was postponed it is proposed to hold the next before the end of May 2011. Staffing There are currently no vacancies within the Agency. Annual Report 2009 Annual Report complete and awaiting translation before going to design and print. Pensions Discussions ongoing with the Departments of Finance and Revenues North and South. Pension administrator appointed Xafinity Advisory Forum Next meeting scheduled for September 2011 Conservation and Protection John McCartney, Director of Conservation and Protection provided the Board with the following short report; The start of 2011 has been slow but steady. The angling pressure on the River Finn and Foyle have been slightly down for this time of year, but this has also been affected by the weather conditions that have not been ideal for angling. Coarse angling in the Carlingford area has remained consistent. Some of last year s prosecutions have reached the courts, Donegal County Council was fined for discharges of polluting matter from Lifford and Ballybofey sewage works. An angler from Strabane was also fined for failing to tag a salmon caught on the River Mourne.
Initial proceedings have also been issues in the Donegal courts for cases involving Oyster fishing. Consultations An updated schedule of Regulations in development and consultations is attached for discussion by the Board members. The Board should be aware that given elections in both jurisdictions that the regulatory process has slowed considerably. Board members also have a copy of a new proposed policy on barriers to migration for their consideration. Health and Safety Since the last Board meeting there has been one minor accident. The Senior Management Team has approved the use of a Health and Safety consultant to review the Agency policy and this process is well under way. In relation to the corporate objective of decreasing assaults on staff, the Agency has recommended to our solicitors that where persons are convicted of obstructing or assaulting staff that they would ask the courts to implement Article 74 of the 1952 Acts which says; If the person who is the holder of a licence issued by the Commission is convicted of an offence to which this sub-section applies the court may direct the licence to be forfeited and declare that person to be disqualified for holding a licence of the Commission for such period, not exceeding one year, as the court may direct. It is hoped that this will send a message to those anglers that have had caused problems to staff. Fish Counters 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Faughan 28 31 23 57 1 7 35 Finn 19 21 21 5 11 51 34 Sion Mills 26 7 796 1 558 13 115 Roe 15 296 156 17 57 72 71 Corrick 20 0 144 43 1 4 - Newry Not Not Not available available available 9 3 106 22 Omagh Not Not Not available available available 17 5 38 -
The variation in monthly counts has been of interest to the Agency for some time. The following graph was developed as part of an evaluation of the effect of river flow variation on fish movements. The data was drawn from the River Roe for the 2010 season, and the fish counts were broken down by week and compared to the average flow for that week. The results as displayed, are quite convincing and show that available river flow has a major correlation with the way that salmon move through a river system. Enforcement Actions In 2011 so far, Agency staff have dealt with 3 rod related offences, and seizures. Agency protection staff have also seized 8 illegal nets, 1 boat, as well as various other items. Staff have dealt with 8 pollution incidents, and taken 3 sets of statutory samples. The seizures are illustrated on the map below;
Environmental Issues Agency staff have been notified to attend the public enquiry into the proposed A5 development scheme in April this year. The Omagh district council hydro electric scheme has been give planning permission, and civil works have begun on the site. The Agency feels that this scheme has gone ahead despite considerable opposition and with questions unanswered. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency proposed hydro scheme at the Roe Valley Country Park is now in an advanced phase of application and the local angling clubs have raised a number of issues with the proposal. There has been no further correspondence from An Bord Pleanála in relation to the proposed Carnagarve works or its associated infrastructure.
Development Gerard Mills, Director of Development provided the Board with the following report; SCENE/Queens University Belfast Project Bid has been made and submitted to SEUPB by 10 th of July 2009 Outcome passed on the scoring at assessment panel some queries to be addressed. In Progress Staffing Interreg Marine Tourism Strategy Approval granted ruary 2011. Sustainable Development Business Case This is with our Sponsor Departments and we hope to receive approval for 2011 call. Mill Bay and Narrow Water Projects Projects developed with Mourne Heritage Trust / Northern Ireland Tourist Board / Newry and Mourne District Council and Agency are now through Tender stage with Central Procurement Division. The estimated value of the two projects overall is circa 225,000 and will be the first of the projects identified as part of the Mourne Coastal Route. Mill Bay Complete Projects underway Sail West A provisional offer of 10,000 for partnership with Northern Regional Fisheries Board to develop promotional materials for the North West has been received. Board will be advised in due course of the outcome. Newry Canal Study Terms of Reference completed and we hope to commence this shortly. Final sampling done in ruary 2011. Designs for Whitewater site and costing complete this will be subject to funding from Northern Ireland Tourist Board; Newry and Mourne District Council have agreed to submit the Lawful Development Certificate.
Designs for Cranfield amenity area and beach front completed project will be subject to funding. Support for the Tain Walking Festival 2011 reports to follow. Angling promotional shows have been agreed for the year 2011 and we will report on these in due course. Angling Fair is planned for the weekend of the 21 st -22 nd May 2011. Foyle Days event will be supported in May 2011 along with Derry City Council. Clipper final sponsorship package has not yet been confirmed. Pontoons and mooring in the city centre have now been confirmed to proceed updates will follow. Promotional literature for Foyle and Carlingford will be redeveloped this year which is available in hard copy and online to download. Strabane Canal Strabane District Council have agreed to work with the Agency in seeking a feasibility study to determine what can be done with the disused canal. Council have agreed to the Agency engaging Central Procurement Directorate in the study and a contribution of 30-50k towards this. Omeath Slipway Meeting was held to go through the preliminary site investigation the general consensus was that the project would be unlikely to proceed without a huge injection of funding to carry out the preliminary works i.e. Environmental Impact Assessment, Hydrological modelling, etc. Newry Canal Parking Department of Rural Development have agreed to site survey the canal to see if hard standing can be installed at suitable locations along the canal these would be done under a micro scheme. Newry and Mourne District Council have agreed to facilitate the land search. Cost would be under 10k to facilitate the scheme. Aquaculture and Shellfisheries
Barry Fox, Director of Aquaculture and Shellfishes provided the Board with the following short report; Lesser Spotted Ulster Lesser Spotted Ulster filmed in Carlingford on the 1 st and 2 nd of March and was assisted by the Agency. The program which will be aired in the Autumn focused on Aquaculture and the importance of this Industry to the area. It also show cased the MMV Ostrea and interviewed Ciaran McGonigle and I on the Ostrea s and the Agency s activities. Management Agreement The Agency met with DAFF in Agriculture House on the 24 th of ruary. Issues were discussed with regard to Fish Health Authorisations and the Management Agreement. I have attached the agreed minutes of this meeting for your information. Lough Foyle Public Oyster Fishery Project Title: Re-instatement of Shell Cultch to Native Oyster Beds in Lough Foyle The Agency proposes to procure shell (mainly scallop shell) from processors in the UK and Ireland over the coming months for use as cultch. The Agency proposes to relay this on less productive areas within the oyster fishery to promote settlement of juvenile oysters (spat) and try to establish these areas as productive oyster areas within the fishery. This work will be done in co-operation with the fishermen and it is hoped that we can get some of them involved in harrowing over the summer period. The relaying of cultch will most likely be done by a large dredger. This may be contentious due to the relationship between the aquaculture industry in Lough Foyle and the fishermen but will certainly be the most efficient means of carrying out this work. Monitoring Vessel The MMV Ostrea is working well and continues to monitor the fisheries in Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough. The Ostrea undertook a mussel seed survey in Carlingford Lough between the 14 th and 16 th March. The Ostrea is currently in the Foyle finishing off a survey of the Southside bed which is heavily infected by Bonamia. Staffing
The Aquaculture and Shellfish Monitoring Officer has been appointed and began employment with the Agency on the 7 th March. The successful candidates name is Michael Cavanagh. Michael has worked as a crab boat skipper in Scotland prior to taking up employment with the Agency. The Aquaculture and Shellfish Officer has been appointed and is due to start employment on the 28 th March. The successful candidate was Sarah Mc Lean. Sarah has experience in dealing with fishermen from her time working with Lough Neagh eel fishermen and her previous employment was with AFBI. Bonamia Ostreae Infection in Lough Foyle The Agency continues to monitor oyster beds to identify the extent of the spread of bonamia. Monthly samples are being taken to monitor monthly infection levels. This is being done collaboratively with University College Cork. Carlingford Lough Sanitary Survey The first draft of the Carlingford Lough sanitary survey has been completed by Aquafact. The project is on track and should be finalised by April 2011. 7. Barriers to Migration John McCartney, Director of Conservation and Protection provided the Board with a copy of the above policy for their consideration. All agreed that this policy should be adopted. Proposed Denis Haughey Seconded Jim Wilson 8. National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland Gerard Mills, Director of Development advised the Board that he had received a thank you letter from the above group for funding received from the Agency. He also added that the group had intended to bring the Championships to Newry Canal which would be good exposure for the Agency. 9. Advisory Forum John Pollock, Director of Corporate Services advised the Board that the current Advisory Forum were coming to the end of their
terms and asked for the opinion of the Board of approaching the Sponsor Departments and asking for an extension for the current Forum members instead of recruiting again. All agreed. Proposed Winston Patterson Seconded Alan McCulla 10. Northern Ireland Audit Office Report John Pollock, Director of Corporate Services provided the Board with the above report for their information and advised that this would be discussed at length at the next Audit Sub Committee Meeting on Thursday 31 st March 2011. 11. Presentation by Gillian Simpson on Outreach Programmes Gillian Simpson, Information Officer with the Agency provided the Board with a very comprehensive presentation on the outreach programmes offered by the Agency. This was followed by a question and answers session with Board Members. Chairman concluded by congratulating Gillian and Michael Cosgrove on all the hard work they have done to get Riverwatch to where it is today and on almost reaching 100,000 visitors. 12. A.O.B Irish Federation of Sea Anglers Gerard Mills, Director of Development advised the Board that he had received a proposal from the above group to host the home internationals at Benone in Lough Foyle and were seeking 5,000 funding from the Agency. CEO added that this was an exciting proposal which would carry with it a lot of exposure for the Agency and Lough Foyle as a super place to fish and would create a lot of bed nights in the area. All agreed that this would be excellent for the area. Proposed Winston Patterson Seconded Brendan Byrne 13. Date and Venue of Next Meeting The next meeting of the Board will be held on Wednesday 4 th May 2011 at Loughs Agency Headquarters, Prehen.