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New bye-laws have been drawn up to safeguard Knockananig reservoir as an amenity for Fermoy. Photo: Declan Howard Photography

New bye-laws have been drawn up to safeguard Knockananig reservoir as an amenity for Fermoy. The bye-laws were unanimously passed at a recent meeting of the sub-committee, proposed by Cllr John Murphy and seconded by Tommy Lawton of the Coarse Anglers club.

That committee was set up in 2011 after fears were expressed that the amenity would be closed by the county council. It comprises members of the local voluntary sector, tourism interests and local fishing clubs. Chairman of the sub-committee, Tadhg O'Donovan, worked with the town clerk, Pauline Moriarty, in drafting the bye-laws aimed at protecting what he termed "a magnificent facility."

"I'm optimistic that they will be adopted at the next Town Council meeting, paving the way for them to be implemented in the immediate future," he said.

The comprehensive set of bye-laws include a 'catch and release' rule for conservation purposes in angling on the reservoir which would see all fish caught returned to the water, the conservation of flora and fauna through a rule that would prohibit cutting, burning or otherwise destroying plants or any means of harming wildlife.

Fishing from boats would also be banned, no fires would be allowed, or camping, no quad bikes or trail bikes, no horses and no dog fouling.

Wildlife species such as moor hens, herons, owls, cuckoos, ducks, birds of prey, red kites, kestrels, sparrow hawks and hen carriers have all been sighted and record in the reservoir and filter-bed areas, along with frogs and red squirrels which would be similarly protected.

Local councillor Noel McCarthy, chairman of the Fermoy Business Action Group, welcomed the proposed bye laws, saying they would protect an amenity that wasn't just of social value but also one which had an economic spin-off value for the town.

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