The Athlone based President of the Angling Council of Ireland is appealing to anglers to help stop the spread of invasive mussels to the lakes and rivers in the west of Ireland this year.
Martin McEnroe who's also a member of the national Water Forum, and a new expert steering group on the management of invasive species on our waterways says anglers need to disinfect their boats and equipment if they're moving from one waterway to another.
He says a recent expert study has shown the invasive Quagga mussel all over Lough Ree and the Shannon at a rate of 250,000 per square metre.
The mussels siphon the water and can have a very harmful effect on invertebrates like the may fly and Duckfly.
He says they hope to bring in legislation eventually to help stop the spread of these species from one waterway to another, but in the meantime he's appealing to anglers to be extra responsible when it comes to moving boats and other equipment from one area to another.
Speaking on the Lets Talk show today Martin McEnroe says a lot of people will be heading to the pristine fishing areas of the west of Ireland in the coming weeks and they should be taking precautions to prevent the spread of the Quagga and zebra mussels.
'What I'm asking , and appealing to anglers this year ,if you're going to move your boat, (first of all don't bring your boat to the Corrib, or other lakes there, there's plenty of boats for hire down there.).
If you do decide to bring your boat down make sure that you sanitise that boat , trailer and engine , and make sure there's no weed , there's no zebra or quagga mussels on it.
I need to inform people about what's happening out there, please clean your boats, clean your gear, clean your wellies, clean everything associated , your reels and rods , before you move them to another waterway.'
