FISH TOO HOT TO HANDLE

INLAND Fisheries Ireland has banned fishing in certain areas of the country because the hot water is sending fish into cramps and spasms.

The new rule applies to areas where fish are caught and released back into the water.

Inland Fisheries said fish are under too much stress to survive being hooked and released.

When fish become hooked on the line they build up lactic acid in the struggle to free themselves, resulting in cramp, which can prove fatal in warm water.

The head of operations at Inland Fisheries Ireland, Greg Forde, likens the experience of the fish to athletes suffering from cramp icing the area to ease the pain. ‘Unfortunately, the fish can’t get cool water to help them recover from the lactate,’ Mr Forde said. ‘We are saying, “Don’t fish in those [areas]” because if you release the fish, in all probability, it’ll die shortly after it swims away.’

He added that current high water temperatures represent a ‘tipping point’ for many fish, such as trout and salmon. A rapid growth in algae is also posing problems for Irish marine life, as it thrives in the sunlight.