Conservation of Trout on Lough Arrow including the Unshin River - Sligo District
Relating to (a) Daily Bag Limit and (b) Size Limit
This public consultation opens on Tuesday, 10/12/2024 at 8:00am and closes on Tuesday, 14/01/2025 at 5:00pm
Inland Fisheries Ireland is seeking submissions in relation to a proposal to (a) reduce the daily bag limit of four brown trout to two brown trout on Lough Arrow and the Unshin River and (b) increase the current size limit for the taking of brown trout from 12 inches to 14 inches on Lough Arrow. The current daily bag limit of four brown trout for Lough Arrow is included in the ‘North Western Region (Lough Arrow) Bye-law No. 731, 1997’. The current statutory size limit is provided for in the ‘Sligo District Bye-law No. 586, 1976’.
Having reviewed the existing Bye-laws, IFI propose to put in place a separate new Bye-law for Lough Arrow including the Unshin River in relation to bag limits and the new Bye-law will also provide for an increase in size limit.
The proposed new Byelaw can be downloaded here, or via the link below, or viewed at the offices of Inland Fisheries Ireland in Ballina, Co Mayo.
Submissions on the draft bye-law should be marked “Public Consultation – Sligo District – Conservation of Trout on Lough Arrow (Inc the Unshin River)” and be submitted by post to:
The Director, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Ardnaree House, Abbey Street, Ballina, Co Mayo, F26 KO29
Or alternatively by email to: ballina@fisheriesireland.ie
The Public Consultation period will run for a period of approximately five weeks and the closing date for receipt of submissions is 5pm Tuesday 14th January 2025 and submissions must be received at or before this time and date. Submissions received after this time and date will not be considered.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the purpose of this Public Consultation?
This proposal aims to address some of the many factors that impact on the wellbeing and status of native brown trout stocks in the Lough Arrow Catchment. Lough Arrow is included as one of the Great Western Lakes designation and currently being managed for wild brown trout.
How is the Proposal to be implemented?
The proposal aims to (a) reduce the current daily ‘bag limit’ from 4 brown trout to 2 brown trout, per angler in Lough Arrow and the Unshin River and, (b) increase the current ‘size limit’ for the taking of brown trout from 12 inches to 14 inches in Lough Arrow in the interest of conserving valuable fish stocks. These conservation measures aim to halt declines in brown trout numbers but may take many years to take effect.
Why is Inland Fisheries Ireland organising this Public Consultation?
Inland Fisheries Ireland wish to engage with all stakeholders in implementing these conservation measures for wild brown trout, to ensure stakeholders have their say in the process.
What Lakes/Rivers are covered by this plan?
The Fisheries covered under this proposal are Lough Arrow, Co. Sligo and Roscommon, including the River Unshin, and the tributaries flowing into them.
Are any previous bye-law being revoked?
Yes, it is proposed to revoke the following 4 bye-laws and update with one single bye-law as set out in this Public Consultation;
- North Western Region (Lough Arrow) Bye-law No. 731, 1997 www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/214745/c664c6bf-e022-4ca3-9a0d-f771e5a70569.pdf#page=null which currently restricts the daily bag limit to 4 trout. The new proposal will make provision for a daily bag limit for Lough Arrow and the Unshin River of 2 brown trout. The annual close season will remain as is.
- The Sligo District Bye-law No. 586, 1976, https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/216375/68be9316-15bc-4c51-96a3-e89c4bdf3175.pdf#page=null which currently restricts the taking or having in possession of any brown trout on Lough Arrow of less than twelve inches (30.48 cm) in length. The new proposal will increase this size limit for brown trout on Lough Arrow to fourteen inches (35.56 centimetres).
- North-Western Fisheries Region (Lough Arrow) Bye-law No. C.S. 158, 1990 https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/234705/f96e7e7b-829a-4bc7-bf24-4ca648cd7226.pdf#page=null . This bye-law set out the Annual Close season for trout in the year 1990 in Lough Arrow. This bye-law is redundant as it relates to the year 1990, but it will also be revoked as part of the new proposal.
- North Western Fisheries Region (Lough Arrow) Bye-law No. C.S. 172, 1991 https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/234737/62f9adb8-cbae-4349-8a68-56821a7b9277.pdf#page=nullAnnual . This bye-law set out the Annual Close season for trout in the year 1991 in Lough Arrow. This bye-law is redundant as it relates to the year 1991, but it will also be revoked as part of the new proposal.
How to make a submission to the process?
All submissions must be received in writing.
Submissions should be marked ‘Public consultation – Sligo District - Conservation of Trout on Lough Arrow (Inc Unshin River)’ and be submitted by post to:
The Director, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Ardnaree House, Abbey Street, Ballina, Co. Mayo, F29 K029.
Or, by email to: ballina@fisheriesireland.ie
The Public Consultation period will run for a period of 35 days until 5 pm on Tuesday 14th January, 2025. Submissions received after this deadline will not be considered.
Will my submission be made public?
Parties should note, responses to the public consultation may be published on the website of the Inland Fisheries Ireland www.fisheriesireland.ie. On acknowledgement of submission, parties will be issued with a unique reference number. This reference number will be published alongside each submission in lieu of personal details of the submitting party.
Please indicate any sensitive information
Responses to this consultation are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts (FOI) and Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) Regulations 2007-2018. Parties should clearly indicate where their responses contain personal information, commercially sensitive information or confidential information which they would not wish to be released under FOI/ AIE or published.
Inland Fisheries Ireland will make every effort to comply fully with the EU Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC and the Data Protection Acts 1988 to 2018. A privacy notice will be published alongside each public consultation to notify you of the processing your personal data will undergo.
Who is affected by this proposal?
This Bye-law will affect anglers fishing for Brown Trout during the angling season.
Who is responsible for managing the lake?
Various bodies are responsible for various aspects of lakes. For example, Inland Fisheries Ireland is responsible for protecting, conserving and managing our inland fisheries resources while local authorities are responsible for water quality.
Will an Appropriate Assessment be carried out as part of this proposal?
Yes, it will. An Appropriate Assessment (AA) is an assessment of the potential adverse effects of a plan or project (in combination with other plans or projects) on Special Protection Areas (SPAs), and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). SACs and SPAs are also known as Natura 2000 sites or, European sites.
A Screening for Appropriate Assessment is the first stage of Appropriate Assessment. It is a review of a plan or project to see if it has the potential, either on its own or in combination with other plans or projects, to have a significant effect on the European sites. The Appropriate Assessment process ends at the screening stage, if the conclusion is that no significant effects are likely.
When the Public Consultation is complete, the views of stakeholders will be considered and incorporated as part of the AA if appropriate.
A Natura Impact Statement examines whether the plan or project, either alone, or in combination with other plans and projects, in the view of the best scientific knowledge and in view of the sites’ conservation objectives, will adversely affect the integrity of the European sites.
For further information on Appropriate Assessment please see the National Parks and Wildlife Service Guidance on the Appropriate Assessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland via this link; https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/NPWS_2009_AA_Guidance.pdf
When is the Appropriate Assessment process finished?
Following completion of the AA, Inland Fisheries Ireland will prepare an Appropriate Assessment Conclusion Statement which identifies potential adverse impacts of the plan on the Natura 2000 Sites and explains how those effects will be avoided through mitigation. When this Conclusion Statement is published the Appropriate Assessment process is concluded.
