Sea Trout Policy Development

Sea Trout Policy Development

Public consultation

Inland Fisheries Ireland has launched a public consultation to make recommendations which will contribute to development of a national sea trout policy.

Sea trout has significant economic and cultural importance in Ireland with potential for further development. This potential, allied to major concerns about the decline of sea trout in some systems nationally, demand that future management of sea trout is underpinned by a comprehensive policy.

In the context of legislation and management, sea trout in Ireland has always been closely identified with salmon and this process will set out to consider the requirement of establishing a separate identity for sea trout.

The policy will make recommendations dealing with a range of areas including management of sea trout which will incorporate any potential legislative changes that may emerge. Other areas to be addressed will include protection/conservation (including biodiversity, habitat protection and interactions with aquaculture), stock assessment and education/promotion.

Submissions must be made in writing or by email and will be published on the Inland Fisheries Ireland website www.fisheriesireland.ie .

Submissions should be marked ‘Public Consultation – Sea Trout Policy’ and can be submitted by email SEATROUTPOLICY@fisheriesireland.ie

 or by post to:

Sea Trout Policy

Inland Fisheries Ireland

3044 Lake Drive

Citywest Business Campus

Dublin 24

D24 Y265

The Public Consultation period will run for five weeks and the closing date for receipt of submissions Wednesday, 12th July 2017.

Background

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is a national authority established under the Inland Fisheries Act 2010. Under Section 7.1 (b) & (c) of this act Inland Fisheries Ireland is tasked with advising the Minister on policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries including sea angling.

With increasing attention being focussed on sea trout in Ireland, the Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland, embracing its national species policy development responsibilities, has identified a requirement to develop a broad-ranging national sea trout policy. Amongst the policy considerations are the economic and cultural importance of sea trout together with its potential for further development, particularly the growing sea angling fishery in several estuarine and coastal locations, and its decline in parts of the west of Ireland.

In Ireland, sea trout in the context of legislation and management has always been closely identified with salmon and the policy will also set out to consider the requirement of establishing a separate identity for sea trout. The policy will make recommendations dealing with a range of areas including the sustainable management of the sea trout resource which will reference any potential legislative changes that may emerge. Other areas likely to be addressed will include protection/conservation (including biodiversity, habitat protection and interactions with aquaculture), stock assessment and education/promotion.

Composition of Review Group

The policy formulation group is comprised of a range of Inland Fisheries Ireland staff who have considerable sea trout experience:

• Dr Maureen Byrne – Fishery Officer, Eastern River Basin District
• Mr Sean Coady - Asst. Inspector, Western River Basin District
• Mr Kevin Crowley - Inspector, Western River Basin District
• Mr Leslie Payne – Inspector, South Western River Basin District
• Dr William Roche – Senior Research Officer, Citywest Office, (Chairman)

Terms of reference

In developing the sea trout policy the group shall have regard to the following;

• Best management practise internationally
• Obligations on Inland Fisheries Ireland under international and European legislative measures (e.g. Convention on Biodiversity, Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive, Fish Health Directive)
• Obligations on Inland Fisheries Ireland under national legislation including but not limited to Health and Safety Act 2015, Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013, Maritime Safety Act, 2005
• Government policies and the legislative, budgetary and financial circumstances of Inland Fisheries Ireland
• Relevant scientific studies on sea trout
• The distribution of the angling resource and whether specific geographic/demographic options are necessary for regional areas
• Corporate and other governance obligations relevant to the sector

The policy development document will follow the best precautionary principles while being cognisant of enhancing and conserving the environment for all species. The implementation of any revised management practices will be considered by Inland Fisheries Ireland in due course.

Inland Fisheries Ireland will support the policy group; all documents, presentations and submissions relating to the work of the group will be made publicly available on the Inland Fisheries Ireland website. The Chairman of the group will be able to request any external experts or interested parties to advise, present or join the group, as he deems appropriate, subject to budgetary and financial constraints.

Sea trout policy development FAQ

What is this policy development and public consultation about?

Inland Fisheries Ireland has launched a public consultation to develop a national sea trout policy. Increasing attention is now being focused on sea trout in Ireland arising from its economic and cultural importance along with its potential for further development, particularly the growing sea angling fishery in several estuarine and coastal locations. This is coupled with the decline of sea trout in parts of the west of Ireland. The Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland, which has development responsibilities for national species policy, has identified a requirement to develop a broad-ranging national sea trout policy.

In Ireland, sea trout in the context of legislation and management has always been closely identified with salmon and this process will set out to consider the requirement of establishing a separate identity for sea trout. The policy will make recommendations dealing with a range of areas including management of sea trout which will incorporate any potential legislative changes that may emerge. Other areas to be addressed will include protection/conservation (including biodiversity, habitat protection and interactions with aquaculture), stock assessment and education/promotion.

Inland Fisheries Ireland recognises the diverse opinions of stakeholders regarding the future management of sea trout and their fisheries and encourages stakeholder engagement through this public consultation process. Interested parties are invited to make submissions will be reviewed and considered by the Sea Trout Policy Group which comprises of a range of representatives with a broad experience of sea trout within Inland Fisheries Ireland.

What is Inland Fisheries Ireland’s current policy regarding sea trout?

There is currently no sea trout specific policy in Ireland and sea trout are invariably associated with management of salmon.  Current management on all sea trout waters is incorporated into the  national salmon and sea trout fisheries management regulations http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Salmon-Regulations/salmon-regulations.html which are implemented to conserve salmon and sea trout through carcass tagging (includes all salmon, and sea trout≥40 cm), bag limits and method restrictions, fishery closures or operation of catch & release fisheries and other local restrictions. 

How do I make a submission to this consultation and how long have I got?

Submissions must be made in writing or by email and will be published on the Inland Fisheries Ireland website www.fisheriesireland.ie .

Submissions should be marked ‘Public Consultation – Sea Trout Policy’ and can be submitted by email (SEATROUTPOLICY@fisheriesireland.ie ) or by post to:

Sea Trout Policy

Inland Fisheries Ireland

3044 Lake Drive

Citywest Business Campus

Dublin 24

D24 Y265

The Public Consultation period will run for five weeks and the closing date for receipt of submissions is Wednesday, 12th of July 2017.

Q: What will this policy consider?

Please see the ‘Terms of Reference: ‘Terms of reference (ToR) for Sea Trout Policy Development’   

Examples of areas that the policy will consider are:

• all inputs from public and general consultations
• the requirement of establishing a separate legislative identity for sea trout versus salmon
• sea trout management (in freshwater, estuarine and marine angling fisheries)
• protection/conservation (including biodiversity, habitat protection & interactions with aquaculture)
• stock assessment
• education/promotion

Q: Who is on the Sea Trout Policy Group?

The Group comprises of a range of representatives from Inland Fisheries Ireland.

• Dr Maureen Byrne – Fishery Officer, Eastern River Basin District
• Mr Sean Coady - Asst. Inspector, Western River Basin District
• Mr Kevin Crowley – Inspector, Western River Basin District
• Mr Leslie Payne – Inspector, South Western River Basin District
• Dr William Roche – Senior Research Officer, , Inland Fisheries Ireland (Chairman)

Q: What is the process for this review?

Following the public consultation period and inputs from other stakeholders, a draft policy will be developed and reviewed initially by Inland Fisheries Ireland management. Iterative policy group drafts will be reviewed at different stages by the Inland Fisheries Ireland Board, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, the National Inland Fisheries Forum and statutory consultees, prior to the statutory public consultation. The final policy document will be reviewed by the Inland Fisheries Ireland Board before issue.

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