#Angling - Sean Kyne TD, Minister with responsibility for the Inland Fisheries sector, today welcomed Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 2018 Stock Management Plan for designated trout lakes.
The 2018 plan again includes operations on Loughs Corrib, Mask, Carra, Conn, Cullin, Arrow and Sheelin for the conservation of the respective wild brown trout fisheries.
Minister Kyne said: “Management of predator species is an important element of ensuring the preservation of salmonid species in these seven lakes which have long been recognised by IFI as prime wild brown trout fisheries.
“I want to commend IFI and its board on its plan for 2018, set out with the inputs of local managers, which aims for the removal of almost 8,370 pike from the lakes, a significant increase on the objective of some 6,840 removals set for 2017.
A separate management plan was put in place in January for the Owenriff system following the introduction of pike to those waters, the minister said, adding that a rehabilitation plan for that system will be announced shortly.
Work on stock management operations is expected to commence immediately. Routine analysis of stomach contents will be undertaken for research purposes.
Stock management operations are carried out in accordance with IFI’s pike and trout management policies under strict standard operating procedures. S59 authorisations are required by clubs and organisations wishing to remove pike via angling competitions on managed trout fisheries.
IFI is currently reviewing its policy on the management of pike in designated wild brown trout fisheries, and the 2018 plan is based on a continuation of operations in line with existing policies.
Minister Kyne also emphasised that the management of the large limestone wild brown trout lakes has been set out in policy and that stock management is prioritised in line with the special designation of these lakes.
“I have directed my department, working in tandem with IFI, to consider how this designation can be given statutory status as a matter of priority,” he said.
Details of the 2018 Stock Management Plan can be downloaded below.
