|
|||||||||||
|
10th
Workshop Of the International Society Of Arctic Char Fanatics
September 2002 was an historic occasion for the Irish Char Conservation Group, who hosted the 10th biennial workshop of the International Society of Arctic Char Fanatics (ISACF). Killarney was chosen as the location for this prestigious event and offered an ideal opportunity to explore the recreational, economic and conservation aspects of this endangered species in Ireland. It allowed for Irish scientists to network with International experts, as well as allowing for members of the public to gain a greater appreciation of what is not only an under utilized resource but also an endangered part of our natural heritage. The ISACF comprise of the world's leading Arctic char experts who hold workshops every two years, in order to network and discuss Arctic char, their ecology, and factors affecting their welfare around the world. The ICCG had the pleasure of facilitating the arrival of scientific representatives from Russia, the United States, Canada, Sweden, Norway, France, Holland, England, Scotland, Finland, Austria, Iceland, and Japan. These representatives addressed a series of public and private meetings and workshops.
Killarney's National Park was chosen as the central venue for this workshop. The Park is famous for its red deer, strawberry trees, world-renowned lakes, and some of the oldest oak woodlands in Ireland. Its lakes contain a range of fish-species including Arctic char, ferox and brown trout, 'goureen' (land-locked twaite shad) and a large population of migratory Atlantic salmon. This workshop gave science the opportunity to study, for the first time, Killarney's blunt nosed Arctic char, believed to be unique among the world populations. The workshop ran from Monday September 2nd through to Sunday September 8th. Days one to four were spent in the Killarney area, surveying the Upper, Middle and Lower Killarney Lakes. These surveys were conducted over-night, with hydro acoustic equipment used to identify netting locations and prevent unnecessary mortalities in non-target fish species (e.g. Atlantic Salmon). The species of fish taken in the nets were Arctic char and brown trout, with the brown trout being the numerically superior species. The only lake to produce Arctic char was the Middle Lake. We believe that the Lower Lake (Lough Leane) has lost its Arctic char population, most likely as a result of eutrophication. Although no char were taken in the Upper Lake survey, there are reports that anglers have caught and released char there, and there is no reason why a future netting survey would not reveal a char population. Brown trout populations were found to be in a healthy state in the three lakes.
The destination for day five was Galway, via a ferry across the Shannon. It was very hard to leave Killarney, given the tremendous hospitality we had received from the Duchas rangers and the richness and diversity of the Park. On the way to Galway, the workshop was diverted to Gortglass Lake, where nets had been set overnight. There are records of char from this lake in the past, but they are believed to now be extinct. The netting effort resulted in three stocked brown trout. Cornamona was the destination on day 6. This small west of Ireland village in on the northern shore of Lough Corrib, a lake that had a healthy population of Arctic char until the 1980's. The ICCG had organised a Kids Festival, with bouncing castle, face painting, and magicians to keep the kids occupied. A series of informal talks took place that evening, after which the delegates retired to Mac's Bar. Day 7 saw the delegates taken on a tour of the Ballynahinch System. The main lake on that system, Lough Inagh, is believed to have a healthy population of Arctic char but they are under threat, most notably from damage to spawning gravels caused by unsympathetic road development. The ICCG is actively involved in ensuring the long-term survival of Lough Inagh's char. The workshop concluded in Cornamona, with a final talks session in the local community centre and a Slide Quiz in Mac's Bar.
The workshop was an overwhelming success, with the delegates expressing sincere wishes to return to Ireland, both in a professional and private capacity. The success of the workshop was due in no small part to the assistence and co-operation of personnel from several organisations;
The ICCG would also wish to thank the many people who contributed their time so generously to the 'cause', in particular Andrew Long, James Allison and Brian Beckett. The ICCG hope to have an Irish presence at the 11th ISACF workshop, to be held in Sweden in 2004. Watch this space!! ISACF Workshop in Ireland | About the ISACF | Structure of Workshops | Programme | Details
 Copyright
2003. ICCG ©2003 |
|||||||||||
