Pike Policy Review



Open Forum - September 29th 2002 (Summary of Main Issues Discussed)

THE RESOURCE
o Identification of the Pike Resource in Ireland - geographic factors etc.
o Stocks of Pike - perceived decrease in both large and small pike.
o ? indigenous species - diverging views.
o Historic balance.
o Effects of pollution.
o Case studies.
o Other countries experiences.
o Need for recognition of pike as a valuable sports fish.

ECONOMIC VALUE - TOURIST ANGLERS
o Bord Failte visitor figures.
o Value of lost visitors.
o Statistics from T.D.I., I.P.S., Paul Burke and Dave Overy.
o Decrease in tourist numbers after 1995 - link with pike culling on western lakes.
o Increase in number of UK carp anglers.
o Increase in popularity of fly fishing.
o Impact of actions of some fisheries boards.
o Consultation between fisheries boards and pike interests.

ECONOMIC VALUE - DOMESTIC ANGLERS
o 1988 ESRI Report.
o Contact tackle shops regarding numbers of pike anglers and the value of pike tackle sales in comparison with sales to coarse and trout anglers.
o See I.P.S. Survey for value of domestic angler spending to the Irish economy.
o Impact of lost revenue arising through Irish anglers fishing abroad.
o The negative effects due to pike culling operations.

CONSERVATION & PROTECTION
o New pike bye-laws - length of fish rather than weight of fish, catch and release of all pike for three years to allow stocks to recover, protection for all pike over 75 cm in length.
o Proper enforcement of bye-laws and an increase in the level of fines, all cruiser companies to be notified.
o Water Keepers - powers, appointment and benefit to pike protection.
o Alleged actions of non-nationals in the removal of coarse fish and also the impact on coarse fish where pike anglers remove coarse fish for bait - need to protect vulnerable waters.
o Benefits or otherwise of a closed season for pike angling - detrimental impact on B&Bs.
o Hook sizes, barbed or barbless hooks (different views), use and correct knowledge of how to use a forceps is important.
o Pike disease - need to allocate resources to carry out further studies.
o Better pike angler representation on fisheries boards - designated pike seat and coarse seat. Numbers of seats dependant on pike angler numbers in the Board area.Better consultation from fisheries boards.
o Impact of declining water quality - huge problem and its impact on fish stocks must be determined.
o Pike culling; instead all fish to have equal status in the waters (River Erkina where both trout and pike are present), historical data (Jardine etc) proving pike and other fish can co-exist.
o Transfer of pike - only in exceptional circumstances where stocks have to be re-established following pollution incident.
o Establish best practice guides.
o Cormorants - impact on coarse fish and knock on effect on pike numbers (use data from Strasburg Cormorant Conference).
o Education of Junior Anglers.
o Suspected damage due to electro-fishing (US Report referred to by Alan Broderick).
o ? possibility of buy-out of netting licences on Lough Ree.

SELECTION OF SUB COMMITTEES TO PREPARE WORKING PAPERS (INITIAL MEMBERS)

CONSERVATION & PROTECTION
o John Crudden
o David Overy
o John Rooney
o Alan Broderick
o David Hamill
o Pat Byrne

OTHER ISSUES
o John Crudden
o David Overy
o John Rooney
o Alan Broderick
o David Hamill
o Pat Byrne

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