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  Irish Angler

  1st April, 2010

  A Present
  
  In 1990 Minister John Wilson gave Irish anglers a gift. When he signed into law the Irish Bass Protections legislation he gave us something that no other anglers across Europe have ever had or can even hope to achieve. This is a marine fish reserved only for recreational use. Now before we go and thank Mr. Brown for his generosity and foresight, we need to realise that bass stocks in 1990 were in a terrible state. Years of uncontrolled over-exploitation had left our inshore bass stocks in very poor condition. Now in 2010 some of those little bass that were around in 1990 still swim in our seas. They have been joined by many more and even though our stock is still depleted things are much better. We now have a stock that gives us as anglers a realistic chance of catching a decent sized bass on a regular basis, in stark contrast to most other European countries.
  
  We have this improved stock because we as anglers did not abuse this resource. We respected the legislation, looked after our bass stocks and we have earned the right to be involved and consulted in any decision about the future of our bass.
  
  Irish Bass was set up by a number of anglers and professionals involved in bass angling. We promise with your help to do everything we can to safeguard the future of our resource. You can help and become more informed about important current and future issues by logging on to www.irishbass.org and becoming a friend of Irish Bass. It is completely free.
  
  Even if you don’t fish for bass or even fish in the sea your support will strengthen the case that angling and the livelihoods it supports are of significant socio-economic value to Ireland.
  If we don’t look after and protect the gift we were given 20 years ago we may lose it and never get it again.
  
  Thanking you in advance for your support.
  John Quinlan
  Chairman of Irish Bass