Chantel Carr from the National Biodiversity Data Centre has written another guest post for us about young Irish anglers doing their bit to protect our biodiversity. Take it away Chantel…

 

Rising Protectors of Angling

We are very excited the International Sport Fly Fishing Federation has chosen the island of Ireland to host the Youth World Fly Fishing Championship 2026. The event will take place across County Tyronne and Donegal and involves our most talented young anglers testing their skill in wading and boat fishing.
These young anglers are ambassadors to the sport through becoming Biosecurity Champions ahead of the competition. The team are protecting our waters through raising awareness of the spread of invasive species to other competitors, ensuring all anglers Check Clean and Dry their gear before leaving each fishing spot and setting an example for us all to follow.
With invasive fish such as roach (Rutilus rutilus) outcompeting our native salmonids and invasive pondweeds including Nuttall’s Waterweed (Elodea nuttallii), impairing our ability to navigate along the waterways, we need to share key messages around biosecurity and support small, practical actions.
Some suggested small actions to take:
  • Apply to everyday – build the biosecurity message into what already happens. Share a quick CHECK CLEAN DRY reminder [www.invasives.ie/resources/check-clean-dry-resources/] using ready-made posters.
  • Support good practice- make use of simple tools such as a basic biosecurity checklist to support your group.
  • Citizen Science- watch for invasive species and report sightings to help track their spread.

 

If you spot any invasive species while out on the water please report your sightings by visiting:
Northern Ireland- www.invasivespeciesni.co.uk/report-sighting/
Ireland- www.invasives.ie/reportsightings/
“Biosecurity can be part of what you already do, small actions can make a big difference.”