Fishing suspended at popular Mayo spots due to high temperatures

Mayo fishing enthusiasts will have to strike two of the county’s prominent hotbeds off their lists until further notice in the wake of closures yesterday.

At midnight on Sunday, May 18, Inland Fisheries Ireland took the decision to indefinitely suspend angling at both the Moy Fishery in Ballina and the Erriff Fishery.

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The current hot spell has brought with it rising temperatures in the River Moy and Erriff, and spells bad news for fishers in the region.

In a statement, the IFI revealed that the decision to enforce the closures was “guided by scientific advice that indicates a dramatic increase in angling-related mortalities at temperatures above 20 degrees.”

The group, who are tasked with conserving Ireland’s fish species and monitoring stocks in lakes and rivers across the country, has also stated that the two areas will be reopened when temperatures return to the appropriate levels so as not to thermally stress the fish.

Any anglers who have bookings affected will be contacted in due course.

At present, Cloongee and Ballyvary fisheries, which are operated by the IFI, remain open.