Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

Countryside Alliance Ireland welcomed the meeting held today between the NI Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Michelle O’Neill, and the Chief Constable Matt Baggott to discuss the action being taken to address the issue of ongoing attacks on Loughs Agency staff. 

The Rural Development Minister recently met with the Justice Minister, David Ford MLA, to discuss the issue of Loughs Agency staff being intimidated and assaulted while carrying out their duties by preventing poaching in the Foyle and Carlingford Areas.

The Minister also acknowledged the excellent work that the Agency’s staff do in protecting the Foyle and Carlingford fisheries and the significant amount of poaching related equipment that Agency staff have confiscated. These issues were discussed in further detail and she learned about what the PSNI is doing to ensure that these unacceptable attacks do not continue. They agreed to establish improved liaison between the Garda Síochána, Loughs Agency and the PSNI and she welcomed the efforts that the PSNI and the Garda Síochána are making to address the issue of poaching related wildlife crime.

The Minister stated she was very concerned at the increasing levels of crime in rural areas, in particular the theft of farm equipment and livestock rustling across the north.   She said “I recently raised these concerns with Minister Ford and call on the Chief Constable to ensure that effective action is being taken on the ground to prevent this trend continuing."

Lyall Plant, Chief Executive, Countryside Alliance Ireland (and Chairman of the Poaching Sub Group of PAW NI) said; "We are delighted to see that the Minister and the Chief Constable are taking poaching and rural crime very seriously. Fish poaching has been identified by the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime (NI) poaching sub group as the highest priority on its radar.  Indeed, recent statistics from the National Wildlife Crime Unit has shown fish poaching is Northern Ireland's number one wildlife crime.  We welcome any measures taken by the appropriate authorities to alleviate illegal poaching activities and to safeguard the wellbeing of the Loughs Agency staff.”