This article is from page 9 of the 2006-08-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
SALMON stocks in Doonbeg could be decimated in the coming months if action is not taken to repair a broken model, a type of weir, at Cloghar Beach. The damage to it could also result in a repeat of the flooding which took place in 2002, when almost 80 acres of local land was submerged.
The model that allows the wild Atlantic salmon to enter the Annageragh River, has been severally damaged in recent years. According to local man Bill McNamara, neither the Office of Public Works (OPW) or Clare County are taking responsibility for it.
“It is totally blocked at the moment and nothing whatsoever can get up or down it,” said Mr McNamara.
“You can sit in the middle of it and it is completely dry – that is how blocked it is. It is on the brink of collapsing completely.
“We have seen fish trying to get up there in the last few weeks but it completely impossible now. Something has to be done immediately or it will be a disaster for the fish stock.”
The model has become increasingly dilapidated over the last number of years and it has become blocked periodically by falling stone and rubble. Many locals fear that a major flood could take place in the next few months if the situation is not rectified.
“The river cannot get out so it will flood again when the weather gets bad. It will be worse than before – there is just nowhere for the water to go,” continued Mr McNamara.
“It needs a new model altogether. It is a big job, but they are spending plenty of money sending a gun ship up and down the coast stopping poachers. What are they going to do, let this get wiped out altogether?”
Mr McNamara has contacted a number of authorities about the problem, but to date no-one has taken responsibility for the model.
“I went to the OPW the last time and they said that it was not their responsibility,” continued Mr McNamara. “I then got on to Clare County Council and the emergency services and to be fair they cleared it very quickly but they claimed that it was the OPW’s responsibility.
“The fisheries authority in Listowel cleared it a few months ago and they said it was the responsibility of the OPW as well.”
The Clare People contacted the OPW about this matter, but no response was forthcoming at the time of going to press.