Time for action to rescue red grouse
I hope very much that I am wrong but after five long years waiting to hear something positive from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency about the Red Grouse Project I am reluctantly forced to the conclusion that my farming and other concerned friends were right: nothing of value will be done by any Government agency to save or promote the welfare of red grouse in the Province.
Five years ago when I was waxing lyrical about the prospects of something useful at last being done to save our grouse from extinction, a prominent sheep farmer in north Antrim took me aside and said: “If you wait until that lot at Stormont do anything to help the grouse, you will wait a long time.’’
Fast forward five long years during which a keen angler and conservationist said the men with the money hadn’t even put one thimbleful of grit out for the birds.
Last week I talked to another highly respected professional who had long experience of “that lot”. “Look’’, he said,“when you are dealing with them it is like dealing with quicksilver. You might think you have succeeded in pointing them in the right direction to help our environment and its wildlife but it all ends in tears and frustration.’’
This week I was doing my bit to see if some of the huge populations of hoodie crows and magpies couldn’t be controlled when another well known sheep farmer in north Antrim told me: “Those people are making rules and regulations which gravely affect our lives and livelihoods and yet they never consult the people on the ground who have most to lose from their antics.’’
Incidentally, I got a pleasant surprise when I visited this farmer on Tuesday and found that he had fixed up three Larsen traps which the antis had smashed on his moor. That night I got five hoodies from my good friend Jeff McFadden and, as well as servicing those three traps, I was able to give two of the hoodies to John Healy to be used as captives in Larsens on his moors.
I will give my final verdict on the worth of the NIEA’s red grouse project and its other expenditures in a subsequent article. And I will be applying to the NIEA for grant aid to help manage moors in north Antrim. NIEA tells me that such aid is available but that no one has applied for it. The address is: NIEA, Klondyke Building, Cromac Avenue., Gasworks Business Park, Belfast, B7 2JA.
In the meantime I want to serve notice on the grouse thief and his accomplice who have caused so much havoc on moors in north Antrim, that I have been advised to seek a High Court injunction seeking to restrain them from having access to the moors which they have helped to render environmentally derelict. When their names are revealed, some people will get right red faces.
Fishing has been good at Craigmore during the past week, with many heavy bags being taken. The bigger fish are beginning to get hungry and are starting to put in an appearance. Due to the varying temperatures each day, a combination of naturals and lures, have been effective at fooling the trout.
Mark Lindsay, Newtownards, used a black lure to bank four trout for 10lb 4oz. Davy Alexander, Kells, had three for 9lb 8oz. Paul O’Hagan, Lurgan, had two for 7lb 12oz. Joe Armstrong, Belfast, had two for 6lb 14oz. Eunan Neil, Portglenone, used a green lure to bag trout of 3lb and 4lb. Des Doherty, Ballymoney, landed a tagged fish on a golden olive Damsel and chose a one-fish ticket as his prize. He retained two for 6lb.
At Belfast Waterworks, regular predator hunter Sean Glacken was a happy angler on Sunday when he won the pike competition with a fish of 10lb 2oz. The competition was organised and hosted by the Families at the Waterworks Club with the proceeds going to the Deanby youth club to help towards new football kits. A total of 114 was raised on the day.
Tomorrow, the club will be hosting a rainbow trout competition with the proceeds going to charity. The competition is in aid of Heartbeat and all members and visiting anglers are urged to take part. The upper pond has just received its first stocking of the year from the Oaks fishery. Further details on: 07791910848 or e-mail: troutabout@hotmail.co.uk www.familiesatthewaterworks.piczo.com
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Weather for Belfast
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
