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Gracehill, Galgorm and District Angling Club ....Founded 1960.... |
Last Update: 30 November,
2009
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Ballymena Guardian - March 16 2005 LOCAL CLUB GETTING TOUGH WITH ILLEGAL ANGLERS Gracehill Galgorm and District Angling Club has warned those fishing their stretch illegally to beware! For their bailiffs intend taking whatever steps are required to bring the culprits before the court. And those apprehended will be fined. A Larne Road man in Ballymena caught fishing their stretch without a day ticket was fined £195 which included costs, at Coleraine Magistrates Court. And a Bangor angler, also apprehended without a day ticket, was also fined £195, which included costs. An angler from Ballymena was found fishing the stretch without a license and a day ticket. The man also obstructed a bailiff. He was fined a total of £240, which included costs. Another local angler caught fishing the stretch without a day ticket was fined £150, including costs. And an angler from Cloughmills was fined £150, including costs, for fishing the stretch without a day ticket. "Our message is clear - we will not tolerate anglers who break the law to fish our stretch," declared a club spokesman. Last fishing season, the club seized eight fishing rods. Compare these fines to the price of our Day Tickets, and we're sure you'll agree - it's not worth the risk. You WILL get caught! |
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Illegal Fishermen Beware! Gracehill and Galgorm Angling Club are continuing their tough policy on fishermen who flout the law! Club bailiff Stephen Gilmore said that those who do not cooperate with them will be charged under the Fisheries Act of Obstruction. 'All anglers on day permits are reminded that the club rules apply at all times,' pointed out Stephen. 'There will be no spinning before August 1st.' And he revealed that as well as patrolling the rivers this season bailiffs will be out in force to enforce a new club rule of one salmon per day bag limit. .This rule was brought in by our own club as a conservation measure to help the declining stocks,' said Stephen. Last month two Belfast anglers were dealt with at the local Magistrates Court on fising offences. For an offence of unauthorised angling on club water and two of obstructing a bailiff one was fined £315, including costs. Another up on the same charges was also fined the same amount. The Dunmurry man who was unauthorised to fish the stretch and who gave a false name and address was fined £202, including costs. In all cases the rods were seized. 'So the message is there,' declared Stephen. 'Make sure everything is legal - or else do not fish our stretch'. |
Effluent Discharge into River Maine: Meat plant boss fined £2500 An effluent discharge from a meat plant into a river was 'potentially harmful' to fish life, a court heard last week. William McCurdy t/a Townsend Meats, Galgorm Industrial Estate, Fenaghy Road, Galgorm was not present at Ballymena Magistrates Court to answer a summons alleging a discarge of effluent into the River Maine. He was fined £2500. 'If McCurdy thinks that [fine] is excessive, he should have been here and can appeal it,' commented Richard Wilson, RM. A lawyer prosecuting for the Environment and Heritage Service told the court that on April 26th last year a complaint was received of pollution at the River Maine, near Galgorm. A water quality inspector who went to the scene observed a grey/white discharge occuring on the east bank of the river. Manhole He traced the discharge back up the storm line system to a manhole outside the gates of Townsend Meats. There, a grey foaming discharge was occuring into the manhole from the direction of the defendant's company. The inspector obtained a sample of the discharge and on April 27th he interviewed McCurdy, who told him: 'We re-routed the system following Barry Morrow's visit by laying a new pipe across to the foul system'. McCurdy added: 'We did not know the foul effluent was going to the storm system, because the foul and system lines were close together. 'We rectified the problem as soon as it was proved to us that there was a wrong connection.' The prosecutor told the court that the result of the analysis showed that the effluent sample was alkaline with a very high biochemical oxygen demand. She said that the sample was highly polluting in nature and was potentially harmful to fish life, although there had been no fish kill. McCurdy, who had a clear record, was ordered to pay costs totalling almost £155. |
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Angling Club Brings Pollution Fight to Council |
A local angling club have brought their fight against river pollution to Ballymena Borough Council in the hope that their campaign will bring an end to the continuous incidents of pollution. Last Thursday members of Gracehill Galgorm and District Angling Club held a workshop with Ballymena Councillors at Ardeevin to highlight the levels of pollution in the Rivers Maine and Braid, and their tributaries. They were also keen to highlight the lack of support they have recieved from authorities. Stephen Gilmore, Honorary Secretary and Head Bailiff of the club presented Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) figures to the councillors showing that there have been a combined total of 110 confirmed incidents of pollution on the Rivers Maine and Braid since 2004. Of those incidents there have been thirteen letters sent warning of poor working practice and only three prosecutions. Mr. Gilmore told the councillors that urgent action needs to be taken by the EHS. 'It is an absolute disgrace - there is no hope for a fishing club who are putting all their money into the river. Anybody looking at these figures can see that it is totally and utterly unacceptable,' he said. At the workshop, Mr. Gilmore highlighted one particular incident of pollution to the councillors. On July 19th, 2006, he was called to the river to inspect a report of raw sewage flowing into the river from an uncovered manhole that had been replaced by a sheet of steel near Galgorm Bridge. Mr. Gilmore told the workshop that the |
contractor who was carrying out work near the river at the time, has accepted responsibility for the sewage escaping from the manhole. Mr. Gilmore explained that the contractor 'freely admit liability for the incident but refuse compensation'. 'We don't have to prove that they did this - they have admitted responsibility to me - what we need is some compensation' he told the workshop. Mr. Gilmore said the company agreed to carry out an independent survey by an ecologist to determine if any pollution had occured. Mr. Gilmore stated that the contractor has agreed to continue to monitor the River Maine for pollution. The Guardian contacted the contractor and they had no comment to make. As soon as he discovered the July leakage, Mr. Golmore contacted the EHS. 'I reported it to the EHS, I got a call from the duty manager asking if the sewege was still flowing, I told him it wasn't and that it had all gathered on the bank, he said there is little point in sending someone out,' he explained. The EHS confirmed that their Duty Polution Officer received a report on July 20th via the water pollution hotline. 'As the DPO was told that there was no sewege in the river at the time the EHS officer had no obligation to go down but arranged to visit the next day,' said an EHS spokeperson. The following morning (July 20th) an inspection took place and the EHS report confirmed that 'no discharge or |
water pollution was observed. The EHS stated that the sewege on the bank was cleared up the next day by the contractors. At the workshop Ballymena Mayor, Alderman James Alexander, gave his support to the club in seeking compensation from the contractor in question. 'I fully support the efforts of the club, the lack of compensation is totally disgraceful' he said. He added that the pollution levels in general were a major problem. 'Pollution has been a lifelong problem all over the province yet the government department do not seem to be taking responsibility. It is spoiling the area for anglers and for tourism,' he said. Deputy Mayor, Councillor Maurice Mills said he will take it upon himself to bring the matter to council and recommended that the matter be taken to the Northern Ireland Local Government Association. Gracehill Galgorm and District Angling Club are a self funded and self supported club who have pumped thousands of pounds into improving the rivers and their surrounding habitat. They have made vast improvements including wheelchair access platforms. They constantly monitor water quality and fish stocks through electro-fishing. They feel that the money they have spent on the river is being washed away by a continuous fight against pollution. |
........from Ballymena Guardian Article |
Dates for your Diary |
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The picture on the left shows the remains of the raw sewege which flowed from under a steel plate, placed over a manhole beside the river Maine at Gracehill Bridge on July 19th 2006. See article above for details. |
CLICK HERE for 2010 Competition Dates. |
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Please email me with any content for the website. It is YOUR website so it should include YOUR input! |
Click here.Disabled Anglers and Junior Day The annual competition for Anglers with a disability was held on 13th September. Another enjoyable day was had by all with the winner being Raymond Parker, closely followed by Victor Robinson and Bob Adair in third place. As can be appreciated from the picture on the right, the junior competition which always follows the Disabled Anglers' competition was well supported again. A large number of fish were caught and a good night was had by all - adults and children alike. The results of the junior competition were. Winner: Ian Mills. 2nd: Erin Galbraith 3rd: Denver Mills. |
....until the start of the new fishing season!!ick here to add your text. |
