CPR Saves Fish says Inland Fisheries Ireland as new campaign highlights importance of conservation

CPR saves fish according to Inland Fisheries Ireland at the launch of a new campaign to highlight angling and the importance of conservation. The hashtag #CPRsavesfish has been placed across a number of bridges and high footfall locations across the country to engage the public around the pursuit of conservation focused angling. The stencils have been attracted public attention over the past few days before Inland Fisheries Ireland revealed the aim of the awareness initiative this morning.

‘CPR’ stands for ‘Catch, Photo, Release’ and refers to a method of angling where a fish is caught and subsequently returned unharmed back into the water. This angling technique is proven to contribute to the maintenance of healthy fish stocks and ensures future generations can continue to enjoy the recreational and economic benefits of the fisheries resource.

Darragh Nolan (Age 5 from Lucan) and Evelyn Cahill (Age 4 from Dunboyne) with Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland
Darragh Nolan (Age 5 from Lucan) and Evelyn Cahill (Age 4 from Dunboyne) with Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland

Inland Fisheries Ireland is supporting catch and release across all types of angling including pike, coarse, salmon and trout fishing as well as sea angling. The method results in positive survival rates for fish when caught using best practise methods. Research carried out by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research in 2014 examined the survival of salmon after catch & release fishing in three Irish rivers – the Owenmore in County Mayo, the Mulkear in County Limerick and the Feale in County Kerry. Overall, 92% of the Atlantic salmon recorded after tagging survived post Catch & Release*.

The #CPRsavesfish stencils can be found in urban locations in each River Basin District in Ireland including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Letterkenny and Kilkenny. The hashtag stencils, which have been power washed with water onto pavements, are completely environmentally friendly and are expected to fade naturally in the coming weeks.

#CPRsavesfish on the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin
#CPRsavesfish on the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin

 

#CPRsavesfish stencil in action in Cork City
#CPRsavesfish stencil in action in Cork City

Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “This awareness campaign aims to put angling on the general public’s radar by playing on the concept of CPR as a lifesaving mechanism and to engage existing anglers around the practise of catch and release fishing. Catch, Photo, Release (CPR) angling ensures the sustainability of our fisheries resource in the long term with most sporting anglers in Ireland already practicing catch and release to some degree, recognising that it ensures the maintenance of healthy fish stocks and the sustainability of the sport in the long term.

Angling is a pursuit that can be enjoyed at any age or ability and Ireland has a host of top angling destinations right on doorsteps across the country. We are encouraging novice anglers to visit www.fishinginireland.info/cprsavesfish to find out more about how they can try fishing in their local area.”

For more information on Ireland’s fisheries resource, the method of Catch, Photo and Release angling and where to go to try out fishing, visit www.fishinginireland.info/cprsavesfish . The #CPRsavesfish stencils can be found at the following locations:

Dublin: Samuel Beckett Bridge & Ha’Penny Bridge

Cork: St Patrick’s Bridge & Parnell Bridge

Galway:Wolfe Tone Bridge & Salmon Weir Bridge

Limerick: Sarsfield Bridge & Living Bridge (University of Limerick)

Letterkenny: Market Square, Letterkenny & Letterkenny Shopping Centre

Kilkenny: John’s Bridge & Lady Desart Footbridge