NI Pikers step up Lough Beg campaign

Pike anglers in Northern Ireland are stepping up their campaign to highlight the pollution of Lough Beg and get the authorities over there to take action over the damage sewage run-off and diesel spills are doing to this prime fishery.

PAC members met with Friends of the Earth's Niall Bakewell last week to discuss a dossier they have been compiling.

RO Gordon Nesbitt said: "We contacted Niall as FOE have extensive experience in this field, with their "Adopt a Polluter" pack. Their strategy serves to highlight the failures of the systems set in place which should be protecting the environment from pollution.

"Niall was very interested in our perspective, as previous experience had shown him that anglers only concern was with the fish. We not only demonstrated the importance of Pike in maintaining a balanced and healthy fishery, but we also left him in no doubt that we are as concerned with the whole ecosystem, as we are in our chosen quarry."

Friends of the Earth will be attending the regions meeting on Thursday, June 7, at Portadown Town Hall.

"Niall feels as we do, that we can both benefit immensely from each others help," Gordon said.

"He was very encouraged by the evidence that has been gathered by us so far, but we need more and that's where our members come in."

See the Northern Ireland PAC blog for more on this story - click here.