The Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs

Pike Policy Review


Recommendations of the Pike Policy Review Group

Choose for the recommendations put forward at the end of 2003 by the review group for the future management of pike angling in Ireland*


Policy Review Workshop

 The next stage in the Central Fisheries Board Pike Policy Review will be the workshop. It is proposed that this be a full day workshop and that it be held in Westport on 12th June. The Federation will be informing the C.F.B. that we think that the venue should be in the midlands or eastern part of the country.There will be a number of speakers several of whom will be from overseas.Attendance at the workshop will be by invitation and will be confined to some of the very large number of organisations and individuals who made submissions. A full agenda will be posted when it becomes available.


Open Forum Update

Choose for summary of issues discussed at open forum

This is only a brief update, there will be further updates in due course.

The open forum went ahead on Sunday as planned, starting at 2.00pm and ending at 7.30pm. The meeting began with a presentation by Paul Burke of the Central Fisheries Board which gave an in depth synopsis of the current Irish pike product and an overview of the review process. Paul was duly applauded for the obvious preparation and effort which went into the presentation.
The meeting then proceeded to tease out the issues that would form the basis for research to allow the development of a comprehensive submission. It is important to note that on a number of occasions, factual figures came from the floor based on answers given in the pike consultation forms, proving the invaluable source of information the survey is. Credit has to be given to those who initiated the consultation process and those who tabulated the results on the behalf of all stakeholders in Irish pike angling.
It was very evident throughout the meeting, the immense difficulties that pike angling in Ireland faces, many of these difficulties having been thrashed about the message boards over the past couple of years, some not. However, It was obvious that all attendees including the IFPAC and the IPS had one goal which was simply to work towards achieving what is necessary for the future of pike angling, hopefully in partnership. Following the identification of the issues requiring research, working groups were established to develop them further for the submission. More on this later.

The open forum is only the starting point. There is "a lot done but more to do" and if pike angling in Ireland is to have any future then the success of this submission is of paramount importance, otherwise Ireland as a pike destination is facing a bleak future.

It is always difficult to convince anglers to put pen to paper but this opportunity needs to be grasped with both hands. If you have any thoughts on your hopes for the future of Irish pike angling or the success of the submission, wherever you are from, then please send them in writing before 20th of December to:

Lorraine Flanagan
Pike Review
Central Fisheries Board
Mobhi Boreen
Glasnevin
Dublin 9
Ireland



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Open Forum

The Federation are hosting an open meeting in the Greville Arms Hotel on Sunday 29th September at 2.00pm to discuss this review and to begin the process of formulating a submission.

This meeting will be open to anyone interested in pike and their promotion as a valuable sport fish. The exact format of the meeting has not been decided yet but will probably be as follows:
1) Identification of all organisations present.
2) Identification of the issues under review.
3) Discussion of each of these individual issues.
4) The establishment of seperate working groups to go away and carry out further research on their subject matter and prepare a paper for submission to the next meeting.

Further details and advertisement of the open forum will be placed in the National tabloids etc. leading up to the 29th. This page will also be devoted to providing updates on progress of the policy review.

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General Information on Review

The Central fisheries board in August, announced it intends to carry out a review of it's policy regarding the management of Irelands Pike angling resource.
This announcement is welcomed by the Irish Federation of Pike Angling clubs with the overall process and outcome likely receiving close attention from other interested parties both in Ireland and overseas. A satisfactory outcome will require the full commitment of all stakeholders towards issues, among others, such as conservation, protection and the environment with the measure of success being the ability of the new policy to return Irish Pike angling to the quality of which it was once renowned.

Details:

The Federation articles which appeared in the August edition of the "Irish anglers digest" and the September edition of "Angling Ireland" are reproduced below to describe how the review process will be carried out:

Terms of reference:
-To establish a national policy for the management of Ireland's pike fishery resource.
-To develop a National Strategy for implementation of the identified policy.
-To establish a plan with appropriate performance indicators to provide for the delivery of the strategy.

To undertake the review the following will be considered:
-A description of the resource (distribution, biology, status)
-Factors impacting on the resource.
-Cost benefit and value for money including economic, socio-economic and recreational value.
-Interaction of pike with other fish species.
-Options for the future long-term sustainable management and development of the resource.

Methodology :
-A working group will be established among the Central & Regional Fisheries Boards.
-A call for written submissions from interested parties and the public will be made.
-The working group will consult with the National Pike Angling Representatives.
-A workshop will be convened of invited stakeholders and experts in the area.
-A policy and strategy document will be drafted.
-The draft document will be put before the NFME, OMT and then before the Central Fisheries Board for adoption.
-It is proposed that the report when complete and signed off on by the Central Fisheries Board will be forwarded to the Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources for his consideration and adoption as his policy for pike management in Ireland. The report will then be published.

Working Group:
The members of the working group are as follows: 1. Chairman - Philip Mc Ginnity, Director of Protection & Conservation, Central Fisheries Board 2. Michael Fitzpatrick - Development Officer, Northern Regional Fisheries Board 3. Dr. Joe Caffrey - Senior Rearch Officer, Central Regional Fisheries Board 4. Eamon Cusack - Chief Executive Officer, Central Fisheries Board 5. Michael Kennedy - Chief Executive Officer, Western Regional Fisheries Board.

 

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