The Development Section of the Southern Regional Fisheries Board, working in co-operation with other staff within the Board, is primarily involved with the protection and management of the fish habitat and strives to protect the riverine and other aquatic eco-systems within the region for the benefit of all resident and migratory fish species.
The principal requirements for good fish habitat are clean well-oxygenated waters of suitable temperature over a natural physical substrate, with marginal and bank side conditions as near pristine as possible.
The main inhibiting factors to fish production usually result from man's activities such as drainage, building, construction and agriculture, all of which impact on the natural environment. Fishery development and management techniques are based on continuous surveys and assessments of the fish habitat and are designed to increase fish production or the quality of fish within a given catchment or sub-catchment.
Scientific evidence indicate that naturally occurring fish species within any geographic area have evolved over long periods of time and have adapted themselves to thrive in the natural aquatic conditions pertaining to that area. It therefore makes sense, from a fisheries perspective, to endeavour to restore waterways to as near as practical a natural state.
Fishery Board staff have both an active and advisory role in the management of the fish habitat. Inland fisheries are a valuable national resource which should be accessible and of interest to all. Board staff make every effort to work in co-operation with all interested parties and welcome any constructive comments that people may wish to contribute. Similarly when actions deemed to be detrimental to fish survival are seen the Fisheries Board would welcome it being brought to their attention as soon as
possible webmaster@srfb.ie