Martin Brady (Dublin North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if it is illegal to kill pike taken from lakes and rivers; and if so, the number of prosecutions. [30167/04]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Fisheries Acts, it is not illegal to kill pike taken from lakes and rivers. The conservation of pike by-law No. 667 of 1990 however prohibits the taking or killing by any person of more than one pike on any day and the taking or killing by any person of any pike exceeding 3 kg. This by-law also prohibits a person having in his or her possession more than one dead whole pike or, alternatively, more than 1.5 kg in weight of pike flesh or parts. Separate by-laws, Nos. 466 and 467 of 1949, in the Shannon region, permit nets to be used for the capture of coarse fish, including pike, in Lough Ree and certain other lakes of the Shannon system during a limited period each year.

Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for the conservation and protection of inland fisheries stocks rests with the central and regional fisheries boards. It has not been possible to collate from the boards the information sought on the number of prosecutions initiated by the boards under these by-laws. I have however asked the chief executive officer of the central fisheries board to gather this information and to forward it directly to the Deputy.