Cairde an Chláir is delighted to provide a link to the Lough Sheelin Trout Preservation Association (LSTPA) website.
The LSTPA was founded to improve and preserve Lough Sheelin, at a time when all had given up on this once world famous fishery. They lobbied and campaigned to improve water quality within the catchment. This led to changes concerning farm slurry disposal. At the same time the LSTPA also embarked on a programme of stream enhancements for the reproduction of wild brown trout. They targetted streams that were no longer productive or as productive as they should be. By beginning a programme of restoration work to restore these once productive streams, the LSTPA enhanced these key habitats and made them productive again.
To support this vitally important work, the LSTPA also introduced a campaign for greater conservation to conserve the mature fish of Lough Sheelin. They lobbied for and encouraged anglers to adopt a more conservative attitude when it came to killing trout. This was supported by caring anglers and a more enlightened awareness concerning the impact of killing too many fish had been created. A two fish catch limit for brown trout was also introduced to support the limit your kill campaign and the result was an incredible, overwhelming success.
A world class fishery that was once on its knees and basically finished as a producer of quality trout, was transformed and restored to what it is now, the best trophy water for big brown trout on the fly in Ireland. Anglers from all over the country and from abroad now visit Sheelin in greater numbers than ever before.
This is a success story. It is one to be proud of and it would not have happened if it were not for the endeavour of the dedicated few which are the LSTPA. Their commitment to improving Lough Sheelin by fighting for measures to help improve water quality, restoring damaged nursery stream habitat and the conservation of mature trout, has produced something special and it has provided proof of a proven formula for increasing wild fish stocks which works.
The improvement of wild brown trout stocks is the result of the dedication and implementation of a proven strategy which is known to work. It has been so successful, that the result is we now have in Lough Sheelin a water which was and still is very nutrient rich, one of the nutrient richest in the country but it’s fortunes have been turned around by the dedicated few. There is no room for complacency, this year the LSTPA are still heavily involved in stream enhancement work and it will continue. Lough Sheelin is a success story and one to be rightly proud of.