Sea fishing contest attracts 120 anglers

MORE than 120 anglers from Ireland and the UK are attending the prestigious Rosslare Small Boats Festival taking place this week at Kilmore Quay harbour.

The four-day angling competition now in its 33rd year, is one of the largest sea angling events in Europe and contributes an estimated €300,000 to the local economy

An attractive prize fund worth €20,000 is on offer to anglers, consisting of fishing equipment, monetary prizes and engraved trophies.

This year, 39 boats are participating from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales with fishing taking place every day of the competition. Anglers compete in a variety of categories with prizes on offer for the largest nominated species, the heaviest round and flat fish, best specimen of the week and the heaviest fish of the festival.

The boat which achieves the highest number of fish species over the week will win the prestigious ‘Rosslare Small Boats Competition’ trophy.

the boats are launching at Kilmore Quay every day and fishing at a number of locations along the Wexford coastline in search of as many varieties of sea fish as possible, including cod, bass, whiting, ray, gurnards, dogfish, wrasse, bull huss and conger eel.

Kilmore Quay Harbour is a renowned location for species fishing with over 40 different species of fish having been caught there during previous festivals.

On the shore, Inland Fisheries Ireland have a marine fish tank for the purpose of displaying fish species that will be caught and released during the competition. People can view marine fish such as thornback ray, ballan wrasse, gurnard and bull huss which will be kept in the fish tank and released back into the sea alive.

The educational benefits of the tank and practising catch and release for marine species is considered hugely beneficial in terms of conservation and creating public awareness of Ireland’s sea fisheries resource.

The prizegiving ceremony will place on Friday, September 14 at 7.30pm in the Coast Hotel, Rosslare Strand.