River Basin Management Plan
In 2011 the NIEA plans to pursue objectives to improve the state of rivers
within the context of the European Water Framework Directive. River basin management plans have been produced for regions across UK , Ireland and the rest of Europe to deliver improved water quality.
The rivers in Ballycasltle fall under the management of the North Eastern Region, Northern Ireland. This region contains 21 rivers 4 (5) of which are in the Ballycastle region.
*The Margy (5)( a short river form the confluence of Carey and Glenshesk).
*The Carey and its tributary, the Glenmakerran
*The Glenshesk River
*The Tow River.
All these river are short (10/ 12 KM) and spatey and flows will vary considerably during time of heavy rainfall.
Rivers have changed over the past 50 – 100 years of modern practices and drainage and generally rivers rise and fall much more quickly than they used to when their was less drainage and more buffering swamps.
Many of these rivers have been modified over the years with drainage schemes put in place and many meandours have been straightened.
Ballycastle Angling Club now as a great opportunity to continue to work with the local community to enhance the value of these rivers locally and to the wider community.
Partnership working with NIEA, DCAL Fisheries and other agencies will be encouraged to achieve overlapping aims . The main goal of Ballycasltle Angling Club is to maximise the salmon and sea trout run, by utilising the excellent hatchery in a way that balances nature and nurture. That is by pursuing the dual strategy of
Protecting those areas where salmon and sea trout reproduce naturally
Utilising the hatchery in other potentially productive areas.
To that end Ballycasltle angling clubs will within a context defined by NIEA supported by DCAL fisheries.
It is not just the fish that need to be considered.
Habitats
Fish like every other species of wildlife need habitats at certain stages of their life cycle.
Clean water
Pollution
events have severe effects that are often invisible. An event “plug” of pollution can go down the river destroying the invertebrate structure and ecology that is vital to supporting fish. By the time to pollution is noticed it may have disappeared out to sea as these rivers are very short and the time taken for pollution to disperse is rapid.
It will often be the case that when pollution is spotted there is not time to respond and the “plug” of pollution is missed but the damage is done.
There is a series of European Directives that will drive the delivery of NIEA river basin manageemnt plans.
• The current Bathing Water Directive (76/106/EEC) and revised Bathing
Water Directive (2006/7/EEC);
- • The Birds Directive (79/409/EEC);
- • The Drinking Water Directive (80/778/EEC) as amended by Directive
(98/83/EC);
- • The Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (85/337/EEC);
- • The Urban Waste-water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC);
- • The Plant Protection Products Directive (91/414/EEC);
- • The Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC);
- • The Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC); and
- • The Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Directive (96/61/EC).
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