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The Mulkear
Pilot Catchment Management
Project
Catchment Management and
the Mulkear CM Programmes
The Department of the Marine’s Catchment Management
Programme was initiated in response to the final recommendations of
the Salmon Task Force, which recommended that coastal communities
and stakeholders should have a say in the management of our salmon
fisheries.
Additionally Ireland's rivers and lakes have
experienced a serious decline since the beginning of the last
century, as a consequence of agricultural, industrial development
and improvements in the standard of living. Society is constantly
changing and pressures on our environment has increased
substantially. Many traditional methods of environmental protection
and fisheries management are now limited in their effectiveness in
this changing environment, new and innovative ideas are required to
address this situation. The scope of work to be covered today
requires resources and man power beyond that of the fisheries
service.
1999 Fisheries (Amendment Act)
Regional Fisheries Boards were given responsibility
for encouraging, promoting and co-ordinating inland fisheries
catchment plans on a voluntary basis with other interests in the
catchment.
Mid term review (Jan 2000) of the pilot projects
identified
· Clarification
of the Department of the Environment, Department of Marine and
Natural Resources and Fisheries Boards approach to catchment
management.
·
Identification of suitable structures and strategy at a
national level
·
The need for greater public awareness of the process.
·
Requirement for financial and staffing resources.
National level
1.
6 pilot schemes
2.
Establishment of National Fisheries Representative Group
3.
£2 million invested in CM projects in the Boards.
Instillation of GIS,
public awareness campaign
development and survey
work
purchase of scientific
equipment
The Shannon Regional Fisheries Board views Catchment
Management as the way forward in the future management of the rivers
within the Shannon region and has identified four key objectives for
the development of Catchment Management programmes within the
region.
Objective 1
To bring together all
those who have a direct interest in the catchment and build local
partnership and an understanding of each others beliefs about the
issues.
Objective 2
Draw together all
relevant information about the catchment, look for common ground by
working on short term projects and develop links to involve others
with any interest in the system, such as schools, Community Groups,
etc.
Objective 3
Develop a Sustainable
Catchment Management Plan with realistic goals, built on a consensus
basis. The Board will seek to have its concerns, on water quality
issues and the development of a fishery strategy to increase angling
tourism and local utilisation of the resource, addressed in the
Plan.
Objective 4
Work with those
responsible for implementing their section of the Plan and continue
to evaluate and revise the Plan.
A Catchment Management National Strategy was drawn
up by Josie Colman, for June 2001. This outlines the commitments of
the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards to CM as the way forward
in the management of Inland Fisheries, in a six year timeframe. It
will be based on the core principles of top down and bottom up
approaches.
In Summary
The establishment of a dedicated focus on catchment
management through the setting up of suitable structures
nationally.
· A
nationwide approach to catchment based on the adoption of a process
that is fisheries orientated.
·
Public awareness of catchment management.
·
Co-ordination with other strategies and policies of the
Boards.
·
Provision of Fisheries Information
·
Human resources development through education and training.
The CM steering group have put forward a list of
recommendations with regard to the implementation of catchment
management by the DOM and the fisheries service.
This gives guidelines to the formation of catchment
management groups and the implementation of CM projects.
Additionally advice is given on the selection of two CM
alternatives, participation or coordination.
The Mulkear CM project began at the end of November,
1999. A public meeting was held and the key stakeholders were
identified. Representatives of these groups were invited to
participate on a committee established to oversee the management of
the catchment into the future. This committee met over the following
year, through dialogue and a process of concensus building drew up a
list of the main concerns and problems within the catchment and
recommendations to tackle them. The result of which has been drawn
together into a draft document which will eventually form the basis
for the sustainable management of the catchment. The plan is at the
printers and will then be sent to people living in the catchment for
further consultation. This will allow inclusiveness and avoid
marginalisation or the perception of marginalisation by any elements
of society living within the Mulkear or otherwise benefitting from
the river or its catchment.
The basic contents of the plan are outlined below
1. The River The
Mulkear River rises in the Slievefelim and Silvermines mountains and
flows through a picturesque landscape, before joining the Shannon
near Annacotty, Co. Limerick. The main channel of the river is
approximately 21.5 km long, and together with its tributaries, it
drains a catchment area of approximately 650 km². This catchment
area spans both Counties Limerick and Tipperary. The principal
tributaries are the Dead River, the Bilboa River and the Newport
River.
2. Topography The catchment consists of
upland and lowland areas, typical of many Irish river systems. The
upland area is extensive and has numerous mountain peaks in excess
of 400m. The lowland area is largely a flat river plain.
3. Geology The catchment topography reflects
the underlying solid geology. The upland channels rise and flow over
a sequence of Old Red Sandstone and Avonian Shales, before
descending to the lowland corridor underlain with Carboniferous
Limestone. The village of Pallasgreen lies at the eastern extremity
of an area known as the east Limerick volcanics. This is a plateau
of land, which stretches for approximately 8 km towards the
Herbertstown and Hospital area. It is an area of former volcanic
activity and the strata lie as a series of igneous rings surrounding
an elevated limestone core. One low lying pair of rings underlies
the area of confluence of the Dead River and the Mulkear River and
is evident as a narrow gorge through which the Dead River flows
immediately downstream of Old Bridge at Sunville.
5. Soils The soil type on high ground
consists mostly of peaty podzols (75%) and blanket peat. The most
widespread soil in the remainder of the catchment is composed of
gleys (75%) and peaty gleys (25%), which are of sandstone glacial
till origin.
The Mulkear Catchment – Human and Commercial
Activity
Settlements and
Population The total population of the Mulkear catchment is in
excess of 7,000.
Landuse
Predominantly agricultural and forestry (substantial Coillte
ownership).
Agriculture - Uses
Impacts Drainage-water abstraction-sewage and silage discharges
The Mulkear Catchment -Environmental Status
Much of the Mulkear River is classified as
unpolluted in the EPA 1995-1997 report. The strong presence of
salmon and trout reflects this assessment. However the
aforementioned report also notes that a considerable portion of the
Dead River and its tributaries, and one location on the Newport
River are moderately polluted. A number of pollution incidents.
Pollution incidents in the catchment over the last
seven years have involved a range of substances; domestic sewage,
silage and other farm effluent, and industrial related toxins, e.g.,
creosote discharge. The river experienced a serious fish kill in
August 1997. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 fish, including 500 adult
salmon perished. Polluted water draining into the north and south
channels which drain the Dead River callows discharged into the Dead
River and affected water quality up to 13km downstream of
Pallasgreen.
The Mulkear Catchment
- Biodiversity and heritage
Nature Conservation
The biodiversity and heritage value of the Mulkear catchment is
considerable. There are a number of NHA and SACs in the catchment.
Importantly, the colourful Kingfisher, otter and hare are listed as
an Annex 2 species of the Habitats Directive. Salmon , the three
lamprey species and a number of wild plants are also listed.
Heritage
Monuments and artefacts discovered in the catchment date back
to the Neolithic Period circa 4000 – 2500 BC.
The Mulkear Catchment
- Recreation and Tourism
Limerick County Council recognises the Mulkear and
its tributaries, as a notable water resource for both tourism and
recreational exploitation.
Angling The Mulkear River has been described
as one of the finest salmon fisheries in the Shannon region, and is
certainly one of the most prolific salmon producing tributaries of
the River Shannon. Other reacreational persuits include walking in
the Clare Glens, hiking, pony trekking, white water kayaking
orienteering, birdwatching and other wildlife appreciation.
Agreed objectives of
the Mulkear CM committee
1. Address water quality issues: maintain and
improve water quality for all including fish habitat.
2. Develop broad links
with others in the system, in particular schools and community
groups (e.g., Limerick VEC Aquanet project) and to educate people on
the value of the resource.
3. Increase educated
local multi-utilisation of the resource and angling tourism.
4. Promote the
sustainable and environmentally friendly utilisation of the
catchment resource.
5. Realise a quantifiable
improvement in waste discharges.
6. Develop and enhance
the catchment as a prime fishery in harmony with all users.
7. Reduce possible
negative impacts from various sectors.
8. Collect and compile
sufficient baseline data in deficient areas.
Mulkear CM plan issues
1.
Agriculture
2.
Education
3.
Forestry
4.
Fisheries
5.
Nature Conservation
6.
Tourism and Recreation
7.
Water quality
8.
Water Resources and Water Course Management
9.
Waste
Example of the recommendations
Issue 1 Lack of accurate records of fish
numbers
Action/Management Required
·
Installation of a fish counters on the Mulkear main channel.
Organisations involved
ESB, OPW, SRFB.
Issue 2 Spawning/Redd Count
Action/Management Required
·
Walking river spawning sections.
Organisations involved
ESB, Duchas, SRFB, OPW, Angling Organisations
Issue 3 Accurate rod catch statistics for the
Mulkear River and tributaries
Action/Management Required
·
Request each angling club to obtain catch statistics.
·
Regular, systematic survey on fish catches, bag checks.
·
Competition/draw to encourage permits to be returned.
Organisations involved Angling Organisations,
National Tagging Programme, SRFB, ESB.
Issue 4 More knowledge required on tourist
angling in the Mulkear catchment
Action/Management Required
·
Survey and Questionnaire – Student sponsorship.
·
Potential for Agri –Tourism.
·
Derive economic value for aquatic resource.
·
Marketing of Catchment.
Organisations involved
S.R.F.B, ESB, Shannon Development.
Issue 5 Predation
Action/Management Required
·
Survey of predatory species (in particular cormorants) and
assess their impact.
·
Literature review and research in predatory species found in
the catchment.
·
Follow up action if necessary.
Organisation involved
ShRFB, Angling organizations, Duchas, ESB.
Achievements and plans
1.
Schools competition to design logo. Created environmental
awareness of the project.
2.
Purchased fish counters and GIS
3.
Exposure nationally on RTE Nationwide
4.
Agreement of all stakeholders to the plan
Plans for the immediate
1.
Launch the plan
2.
Carry out biological/fish stock survey of the catchment.
Identified as necessary in the report. Also Duchas are drawing up
SAC plans for salmon and require information on the distribution of
salmon in the catchment.
3.
Install fish-counter
4.
Input information on the GIS
5.
Get stakeholders to commit to the process by carrying out
recommendations relevant to their activities and set targets. Also
need to establish performance indicators.
A number of field trips were also organised to
familiarise the stakeholders with some the catchment and other
fisheries management projects elsewhere.
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