Write a comment
Newry Canal is the perfect environment for coarse fishing according to Newry City Councillor Michael Savage who cited its excellent water quality as just one of the reasons.
The Councillor who is currently Chairman of Newry, Mourne and Down Council is to meet with Council officers to discuss potential improvements to access for local anglers at Newry Canal.
Councillor Savage met up with members of the VDE Baggers Angling Club this week who had volunteered to strim back overgrown fishing stands and clear the waterway at the canal bank of weeds.
He said: “Back in the 1980s the Newry Canal hosted the World Coarse Fishing Championships but local anglers have informed me that in recent years it has become a struggle to get the fishing stands maintained and the weeds cleared from the canal.
“I have requested a meeting with officers in the relevant council department to discuss the maintenance of the fishing stands, clearance of the weeds and general maintenance of the canal along the fishing stands to enhance our provision for anglers."
Cllr Savage added “I believe that coarse fishing has the potential to boost our tourism offering in the greater Newry area and we need to do more to attract anglers to come and fish our canal. The stock levels are maintained as I know that when competitions are held the fish are weighed and put back into the water.
“I was shown by one of the local anglers a freshwater mussel and he told me that they only appear where the fresh water quality is excellent so we have the perfect environment for coarse fishing we just need to make it more accessible and attractive to anglers who want to visit our district and fish our canal.
“I hope to discuss this issue with officers and hold a follow up meeting between officers and anglers to discuss the issues and what is being done and can be done to improve access to the canal for coarse fishing and make our canal more attractive to anglers from all over the world.”
