The trout season opens on March 1, on most of the little rivers and streams in our area.

This time of year I find myself checking all my gear on a most frequent basis in excited anticipation of the beginning of another season of wading up rivers, searching out hidden bars of gold in unlikely pools and the chance of near total emersion in the beauty of the natural surroundings.

Fortunately Leitrim is gifted with its fair share of small rivers and streams that hold trout, which for the most go unfished from one year to the next. These rivers offer really great wild fish and there is a good chance that many have never even seen an artificial fly.

We are also lucky that these rivers and streams offer free fishing and I often think that just fifty miles to the north of us, if you want to go fly fishing for the day, you need to get various permits, contact local angling clubs etc. which for me takes the spontaneity out of the anglers hands. We really should cherish what we have.

The annual stocking of Lough Rowan by Rinn-Shannon & District Angling Club shall take place in the first week of March. The club is introducing 1500 rainbow trout into the lake as a first stocking of the season.

Boat owning members who would like to assist in the dispersion of the fish throughout the lake are asked to contact club chairman Paul Beck on 087 6254740 for more information. New members welcome, for further information on the club and how to join please go to www.rinnshannon.com.

Inland Fisheries Ireland launches stakeholder survey programme

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has launched a stakeholder survey programme to help the organisation to understand the opinions and attitudes of its stakeholders and to provide an effective service that will meet their needs and expectations into the future.

The programme is a key component of the National Strategy for Angling Development and forms part of a continuing examination of the recreational angling sector in Ireland. A series of surveys is planned to take place throughout 2016.

Some of the key areas that will be examined during this programme include: IFI field operations; Irish angling participation; Irish angling expenditure patterns; Irish fisheries research; and the intrinsic benefits of angling in Ireland. The first survey, which was launched last Thursday, looks at IFI’s communication with stakeholders.

Stakeholders include state agencies, government departments, NGOs, anglers, tourism providers, consultants, researchers and all individuals or organisations interested in the inland fisheries sector.

Announcing the survey programme, CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland, Dr Ciaran Byrne, said: “The programme of surveys is an important step to effect IFI’s commitment to stakeholder engagement, as outlined in its recently published National Strategy for Angling Development and its ongoing collaborative and partnership approach to inland fisheries conservation, protection and management”.

“The first survey, on stakeholder communication, was developed to provide an opportunity for individuals and organisations to share their feedback. This feedback will be used to gain a better understanding of how IFI is viewed by its stakeholders and to shape and inform IFI’s communication strategy into the future.

Resources within IFI remain limited but we are looking at ways to make our communication more efficient, which will improve our working relationships with stakeholders; increase our mutual knowledge; and create an environment where we can work together more purposefully and effectively.”

IFI will notify stakeholders of the surveys via its websites, social media, press releases, email and through staff members. Responses from individuals or organisations who consider themselves to be stakeholders are welcome.

Participation is on a voluntary basis and the first survey is available online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IFISurvey_Communications.

In the event that stakeholders require a non-web based means of submitting their view, this can be provided on request.

All responses are confidential and will be maintained in accordance with data protection legislation. Respondents have the option to identify themselves or to remain anonymous. Results will be available within two months following the closing of the survey and will be published by IFI on its websites.

For more information, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.