2.3.1 General

· Submit review report to Chief Executive Officer, Central Fisheries Board - August 2003.
· Present review report to the Central Fisheries Board and Regional Fisheries Boards - September 2003.
· Agreed policy statement on pike and pike angling to be issued from Central Fisheries Board - October 2003.
· Agree the Strategy and the Plan - October 2003.
· Submit Central Fisheries Board Policy/Strategy/Plan to the Minister -November 2003.
· Schedule of estimated costs
· Agree Department policy and funding arrangements - December 2003.
· Implement plan - January 2004.


2.3.2 Funding
· Indicative costs for the implementation of the policies outlined in this review are approximately 1m Euro per annum for a period of five years. Based on the information available to this committee the investment would provide excellent value for money (see also section 1.3). The investment should be recouped in the short to medium term by increased revenue generated from the re-establishment and expansion of the recreational and tourism pike angling sector.

· It is recommended that the funding required should be sought from the following sources

· Exchequer - new policy area.
· National Development Plan (NDP) - Tourism Recreational Angling Measure (TRAM).
· Cross border initiatives (INTERREG Ill, IFI, P&R)
· Contribution from stakeholders.
· Public - private partnerships.


2.3.3 Legislation
· Bye-Law amendment document, agreed between Central and Regional Fisheries Boards, as submitted to the Department on 27 July 2001.
· DCMNR to introduce amendments to bye-law by January 2004.


2.3.4 The pilot project
· A pilot project should be carried out to scientifically evaluate and quantify the impact of the proposed policy on designated fisheries (trout. - pike cohort relationships, trout and pike stocks and angling potential for both species). The following pilot project is proposed.

2.3.4.1 Location
· In 2004 through to 2009 four lake fisheries should be selected as candidates for pilot project schemes from the eleven designated trout fisheries: It is recommended that these include Lough Corrib, Loughs Conn and Cullen and Lough Sheelin.

2.3.4.2 Methods
· During this trial period pike < 80cm will be removed using electrofishing equipment.
· In these lakes gill nets will not be used to capture pike for management purposes for a period of five-years. Gill nets will continue to be used for scientific purposes.
· Current management practice (i.e. the combined use of gill nets and electrofishing equipment for the non-selective removal of pike) will prevail in the remaining designated trout fisheries.


2.3.4.3 Evaluation
· The responses of the different cohorts of the pike populations to this selective removal, and that of the trout populations in these waters, must be scientificaIly monitored during the trial period. The fish community response in the fisheries in the pilot waters should be compared with a selected number of control fisheries.

· A scientific examination of the appropriateness and success of the transferring of live pike from designated trout waters into targeted pike or mixed species fisheries should be examined. A 'Best Practice Protocol' for the removal, retention, transfer and stocking of these pike should be developed based on similar research.


2.3.5 National pike stock assessment programme

· To determine the distribution, age structure and current status of the pike populations in Irish watercourses a statistically supported sampling programme of the national freshwater resource should be undertaken. This programme should commence in January 2004. It is recommended that this sampling programme be integrated into the freshwater fish community sampling programme envisaged for the EU Water Framework Directive to be carried out by the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards.

2.3.6 Marketing Research
· In January 2004 consultants should be commissioned to carry out detailed product development with market surveys to monitor demand for, and the economic and socio-economic value of, the pike angling product in Ireland.

2.3.7 Marketing
Commencing October 2004 a targeted marketing programme should be carried out by the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards, supported by other relevant State agencies and by marketing consultants in the UK and Europe. Emphasis should be placed on juvenile pike angling as part of their general angling promotion

2.3.8 Protection
· To address the deficit in human resources to implement legislation for the protection, conservation and promotion of pike, additional Fisheries Officers should be recruited. Funding for this initiative should be included in the budget estimates for 2004.

2.3.9 Evaluation and Review of Plan
· A value for money review of the plan should be carried out mid-term, and at the end of five year trial period, by an independent assessment team.

Appendix 7
Designated Wild Brown Trout Fisheries in Ireland where annual pike control programmes are in operation:

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