Abbert River works support wild fish spawning

ENHANCEMENT works on the Abbert River in Monivea are set to improve spawning conditions for wild brown trout and salmon in the Clare River catchment area.

Some 900metres of nursery stream development was done in Tiaquin on the Abbert River in recent times, with 350tonnes of gravel used to form gravel riffles and potential redds or nesting beds for fish. The work was carried out by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).

Wood has also been placed into the river bank to act as flow deflectors and high flows of water will naturally sort the gravel during the winter months.

The site will also be fenced and native trees will be planted in November by members of Cairde an Chláir, a group comprised of local angling clubs in Tuam, Milltown and Cregmore-Athenry.

Funding for the project on the Abbert River has been provided by IFI and LawPro (Local Authority Waters Programme).

The OPW may be starting works on the Derreen River, a tributary of the Abbert River, this week.

Nursery stream enhancement works have been done on the Clare River catchment area – which produces 28 per cent of the adult brown trout caught in Lough Corrib – since Cairde an Chláir signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with IFI in March of 2020.

Last year, IFI and members of Cairde an Chláir carried out 1,200metres of development works on two tributaries of the River Clare, on the Grange River in Mahanagh in Clonberne, and the Abbert River in Killaclogher in Monivea.