Loughs Agency Regulations 2007

Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Licensing of Fishing Engines) (Amendment) Regulations 2007  
These Regulations amend the Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Licensing of Fishing Engines) Regulations 2001 by amending the dates by which applications for commercial salmon licences must reach the Commission.

Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Licensing of Fishing Engines) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2007
These Regulations amend the Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Licensing of Fishing Engines) Regulations 2001 by retaining the Schedule to those Regulations with the omission of the references to Drift Nets used wholly to seaward of Lough Foyle and Drift Nets used partly in Lough Foyle and partly seaward of the seaward limit of Lough Foyle.

Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Tagging and Logbook) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
These Regulations amend the Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Tagging and Logbook) Regulations 2001 by –

(a) omitting the definition of “one day angling logbook” and inserting a definition of “three day angling logbook” (regulation 3);

(b) altering the colour requirements for gill tags (regulation 4);

(c) providing that up to a maximum number of 3 gill tags may be issued by a distributor to a person holding a three day game fishing rod and line licence during the period 1st January to 31st May (regulation 5)

(d) providing that up to a maximum number of 6 gill tags may be issued by a distributor to a person holding a three day game fishing rod and line licence during the period 1st June to 31st October (regulation 5)

(e) providing that up to a maximum number of 5 gill tags may be issued by a distributor to a person holding a game fishing rod and line licence other than a three day game fishing rod and line licence during the period 1st January to 31st May (regulation 5)

(f) providing that up to a maximum number of 20 gill tags may be issued by a distributor to a person holding a game fishing rod and line licence other than a three day game fishing rod and line licence during the period 1st June to 31st October (regulation 5)

(g) replacing the format of the one day angling logbook prescribed in Schedule 1 with the format for a three day angling logbook (regulation 8); and

making minor and consequential changes (regulations 3, 5 and 7).

Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Angling) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
These Regulations amend the Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Angling) Regulations 2001 by:

(a) Omitting the definition of “salmonids” thus permitting a wider range of conservation measures for individual species of fish (regulation 3)

(b) Providing that on any one day during the period 1st March to 31st May only 1 salmon or sea trout over 40 cm in length may be taken by rod and line and retained (regulation 4)

(c) Providing that on any one day during the period 1st June to 31st October only 2 salmon or sea trout over 40cm in length may be taken by rod and line and retained (regulation 4)

(d) Providing that on any one day during the period 1st March to 31st October only 4 brown trout or sea trout of 40 cm or less in length may be taken by rod and line and retained (regulation 4)

(e) Providing that in any calendar year only 25 fish, being either salmon or sea trout over 40cm in length, or a combination of both, may be taken by rod and line and retained (regulation 4)

(f) Providing that any arctic charr taken by rod and line shall not be retained (regulation 4)

(g) Providing for the catch and release of salmon, sea trout and brown trout (regulation 4)

(h) Providing that where the appropriate numbers of salmon, sea trout or brown trout which may be taken by rod and line have been attained that only a single barbless hook is permitted while angling and the use of earthworms as bait is prohibited (regulation 4)

(i) Restrictions on the number and size of pike which may be taken by rod and line and retained (regulation 4)

(j) Providing that when a person is unsuccessful in returning a salmon or sea trout alive, and when appropriate to tag, such fish shall be notified to, and surrendered to the Loughs Agency (regulation 5)

(k) Providing that the Loughs Agency shall replace a tag to a person who has surrendered a salmon or sea trout with the appropriate tag.

Foyle Area (Control of Netting) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
These Regulations amend the Foyle Area (Control of Netting) Regulations 1981 by –

(a) Prescribing the maximum length of a drift net which can operate in Lough Foyle at 500 metres.

(b) Providing that drift nets may not be operated in the Foyle Area seawards of Lough Foyle.

Foyle Area (Control of Drift and Draft Net Fishing) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
These Regulations amend the Foyle Area (Control of Drift and Draft Net Fishing) Regulations 2004, and prescribe the maximum number of licences which the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission may issue for drift and draft net fishing in the tidal waters of the Foyle Area. In particular these Regulations prescribe that the maximum number of licences which may be issued in a calendar year shall be no more than the number of licences issued in the 2007 season but not exceeding the maximum numbers specified in the substituted schedule to the Foyle Area (Control of Drift and Draft Net Fishing) Regulations 2004.

These Regulations exclude the issue of licences for drift net fishing in the waters of the Foyle Area seawards of Lough Foyle.

These Regulations provide that in consideration of monies paid or payable by the Commission a person undertakes to make no further applications for a licence, that person and any spouse or child of that person shall be precluded from being considered under the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (11) of regulation 4 if he applies for a licence.

Applications for the 2007 season will be considered only from applicants who had a licence issued for Drift or Draft Net fishing in a minimum of one of the previous three calendar years.