Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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10. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to review pike management operations using gill nets and electrofishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21012/16]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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On a very specific issue, will the Minister of State clarify the position on the pike management operation? In particular, has the review started and, if so, when did it start and when will it be completed? Excuse the pun but that is the net issue.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for the question.

On 4 July Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, published the timetable for the review of the national pike and brown trout policies. These policies deal with the established practice of controlling pike in waters which are designated as primary wild brown trout fisheries and where the principal predator, pike, is managed to optimise wild brown trout stocks for anglers.

Following the appointment of an internal IFI policy review group later this month, the review process will commence with a scoping consultation which will be open to all parties. As part of the policy development process, fish stock management methodologies, including gill netting and electrofishing, will be carefully reviewed. IFI will have regard to scientific advice and best practice internationally. It is working to ensure the completion of this process in as consultative a way as possible which will ensure all interested parties can have an input into policy formulation. It hopes to receive the agreed views of angler stakeholder groups, domestic and tourist anglers, tourism providers and the general public.

No decision has been taken on the cessation or otherwise of pike management operations in designated trout waters for 2017. It is expected that the updated pike and trout policy documents will be available in July 2017.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I ask this question very carefully as somebody from Galway who realises the value of salmon and trout. At the same time, I know that there has been great unease among pike anglers about this matter. It is welcome that there is a review under way. I am not clear on what the Minister of State said about the actual consultation process and about how open and accessible it will be to all stakeholders. Perhaps he might clarify the matter for me.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The national policy for the management of trout, pike and bass was launched in 2014. The various policies seek to provide for the best conservation and management of bass, pike and trout in Ireland and will help to ensure the sustainability of stocks. The policy review group which will be established later this month to review the process will comprise appropriate staff who will draft both the pike and trout policies to ensure consistency. It will consider the views expressed in the public consultation process, relevant signs and historical data for inland fisheries.

The Deputy, coming from the west, will acknowledge there is particular concern about pike in the managed lakes in counties Galway and Mayo and such areas. We acknowledge there is a divergence of opinion among trout anglers and pike anglers in different parts of the country.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I agree that there is certainly a divergence of opinion, but it is time, as part of the review process, that all sides were heard. There is also value to pike anglers. They have given me extraordinary figures which indicate a reduction in the number of visitors from 43,000 to 7,200 in the last year. There are issues arising and the anglers are looking for a process in which they will be heard and will be able to make submissions. The Minister is confirming that this will happen, but it concerns me that the deadline is next year. I would have thought this process could have been completed in a much shorter timeframe. The arrangement has not yet been set up and it will run until next year, until July, which seems to be a very long period in which to deal with this matter, given the implications for tourism and revenue generation in local areas.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I will obtain a more accurate update in the coming weeks as the matter evolves. All of this is based very much on scientific advice and work.

For example, the brown trout fisheries that are designated under the pike management include loughs Corrib, Mask, Carra, Conn, Cullin, Arrow and Sheelin, whereas previous research carried out by scientists from Inland Fisheries Ireland indicated that pike removal from waters such as loughs Inagh, Owel and Derravaragh was deemed unnecessary at the time. As a consequence, these operations were terminated and pike management in these waters currently involves the removal of pike by netting and-or electro-fishing. This approach is based on scientific evidence provided by appropriate scientists in Inland Fisheries Ireland. It is not done because a particular group wants it done but on the basis of scientific advice and the monitoring of the populations and predation levels on the trout lakes.