Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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191. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 174 of 22 November 2022, if he and his Department will amend and/or revoke the current Conservation of Coarse Fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006, which is in direct conflict with other domestic and EU environmental legislation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13250/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Bye-Law referred to has been in place on a National basis for some 17 years. The Bye-law provides for the killing and retention by anglers, of up to 4 coarse fish (including roach) per angler per day on all waters within the State.

In that regard, the effectiveness of any amendment to such secondary legislation, in the context of contributing to management of any species, critically depends on angling effort on the particular species in the specified waters.

I have asked Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to advise on angling effort on roach in Lough Melvin and, based on this, to consider whether a specific Bye-law for Lough Melvin, would be an effective measure. Lough Melvin is a transboundary waterway and management proposals require engagement with fisheries authorities in Northern Ireland.

Roach is included as a “non-native” species in the third schedule of S.I. 477 of 2011. The schedule provides that regulations 49 and 50 of that SI apply to the species included therein. This SI is a matter for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and my Department and IFI are currently liaising with NPWS regarding potential vires for IFI under S.I. 477.