Angling in Enniskillen
You can enjoy coarse fishing all year round in Northern Ireland which has long been recognized as one of Europe's best regions for the coarse angler. A particularly notable venues for big matches is Lough Erne in Fermanagh, which as have held innumerable catch fishing world records. To fish any of the waters listed anglers need a rod license issued by the Fisheries Conservancy Board and a coarse fishing permit issued by the owner of the water.
The Fisheries Conservancy Board for N. Ireland is a non departmental Public Body whose sponsor body is the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. Under the provision of the Fisheries Act (NI) 1966, the Board is responsible for the conservation and protection of the salmon and inland fisheries of Northern Ireland other than the fisheries of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission.
The Board undertakes agency work for the Department of the Environmentand acts as a water bailiff on the behalf of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. It also carries out river monitoring and pollution investigation agent on behalf of the Department of Environment. No licence is required for fishing on the Shannon, but a licence is required on the Erne. These are available to buy at various outlets.
The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) has the responsibility of management of freshwater & marine water resources, water quality monitoring, regulation of discharges to waterways, pollution prevention & response and enforcement action against polluters & non-compliant dischargers.
DCAL Inland Waterways administers an annual province-wide Water Recreation programme. Through this programme clients, such as Local Authorities, are encouraged to work in partnership with the Department in providing and promoting water recreation facilities such as riverside paths and boat moorings for public use. The Department is also the sponsor department in Northern Ireland for Waterways Ireland.
The Rivers Agency is an Executive Agency with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). It is the statutory drainage and flood defence authority for Northern Ireland.
The Countryside Access and Activities Network(CAAN) is an umbrella organisation which brings together all groups and bodies which have an interest in, or involvement in countryside recreation in Northern Ireland. The Countryside Recreation Information Service was set up in 2002 to address the low level of awareness amongst the public, of the opportunities that exist in N. Ireland for participation in countryside recreation activities.
The Water Management Unit of the Environment and Heritage Service has responsibility for the protection of the aquatic environment. It achieves this through:
· monitoring water quality;
· preparing water quality management plans;
· controlling effluent discharges;
· taking action to combat or minimise the effects of pollution; and
· supporting environmental research.
Waterways Ireland is the North/South Implementation Body for the inland navigable waterway systems of Ireland and established under the British-Irish Agreement, 1999. The Statutory remit of Waterways Ireland is to manage, maintain, develop and restore the inland navigable waterways principally for recreational purposes. It seeks to facilitate the consolidation and expansion of the tourism market (both from home and abroad) for the waterways as well as associated holidays and activities, including walking and fishing on the canal.