'STATEMENT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE WESTERN REGIONAL FISHERIES BOARD ON LOUGHS MASK AND CORRIB'
ON MONDAY THE 6th OF DECEMBER A GENERAL MEETING TOOK PLACE OF THE N.I.P.S. AND THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS AGREED TO BY ALL MEMBERS.
FOR MANY HUNDREDS OF YEARS THE PIKE HAS SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF MAN SIMPLY THROUGH IGNORANCE AND AN UNWILLINGNESS TO UNDERSTAND THIS MOST IMPRESSIVE AND MAGNIFICENT FISH. THANKFULLY , BUT SLOWLY, PEOPLES PERCEPTION OF THE PIKE IS CHANGING AND THEY ARE SEING IT FOR WHAT IT IS, A MOST MAGNIFICENT SPORT FISH WHICH DESERVES TO BE CONSERVED AND NOT KILLED AT EVERY OPPURTUNITY.
SADLY, THERE ARE THOSE WHO WISH NOT TO BE EDUCATED AND OF THOSE THE WESTERN REGIONAL FISHERIES BOARD STAND OUT.THIS ORGINISATION HAS BLATANTLY NETTED, MANHANDLED, AND SLAUGHTERED OUR PIKE IN LOUGHS MASK AND CORRIB, ALL IN THE NAME OF "PREDATOR CONTROL".THEIR SOLE AIM IS TO RID THESE TWO LAKES OF ALL TRACES OF PIKE AND THEREFORE ROB US PIKE ANGLERS OF THE OPPURTUNITY TO FISH THESE TWO GREAT EXPANSES OF WATER.THIS PRACTICE WHICH THE N.I. PIKE SOCIETY REGARD AS TOTALLY BARBARIC IS CARRIED OUT IN THE HOPE THAT IT WILL IMPROVE THE TROUT FISHING EVEN THOUGH THOUSANDS OF TROUT ARE CAUGHT IN THESE NETS AS WELL AS PIKE.THE W.R.F.B. HAS STUCK TWO FINGERS UP AT US PIKE ANGLERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR FISHING AND WANT TO SEE THE PIKE CONSERVED IN THESE TWO LAKES.THEY HAVE ALSO REJECTED THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT IS AVAILABLE ,WHICH SHOWS THAT THE PIKE IS IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DOWNTURN IN TROUT SPORT AND THAT CONTINUED NETTING WILL ONLY FURTHER THE DECLINE. MASK AND CORRIB ARE SEEN AS WILD BROWN TROUT LAKES(SOMETHING OF A RAREITY IN EUROPE), AND THE PIKE SOCIETY WISH TO SEE THIS CONTINUE AND FOR THE LAKES TROUT STOCKS TO FLOURISH ,BUT THE NETTING OF PIKE MUT BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND THE REAL ISSUES ADDRESSED WHICH ARE POOR WATER QUALITY,AND THE LACK OF QUALITY SPAWNING BAYS.
ALSO THERE IS THE ATTITUDE OF A NUMBER OF TROUT ANGLERS WHO HAVE THE "KILL ALL THEY CATCH MENTALITY" WHETHER IT IS A 4oz FISH OR A 10lb FISH, SURELY A CATCH AND RETURN POLICY IS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD ON THESE TWO LAKES.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE TROUT ANGLERS WHO PHOTOGRAPH AND RETURN
ALL THEY CATCH AND THE PIKE SOCIETY APPLAUD THEM BUT IT IS THE KILL ALL THEY CATCH BRIGADE
WHO ,AS WE SAID, NEED TO BE EDUCATED. SADLY THERE ARE SO CALLED PIKE ANGLERS WHO ARE TO
BLAME FOR THIS CONTINUED SLAUGHTER, A FEW YEARS AGO THE W.R.F.B. HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
FEDERATION OF PIKE ANGLING CLUBS OF IRELAND(OF WHICH THE PIKE SOCIETY IS NOT A MEMBER)
ALONG WITH THE P.A.C. ON THE PROPOSSED TRANSFER OF PIKE FROM THE TWO LAKES , IF THEY
SURVIVED THAT LONG.THE FEDERATION GAVE THEIR BLESSING TO THIS ,MUCH TO THE ASTONISHMENT OF
OURSELVES AND MANY OTHER IRISH ,ENGLISH, AND FOREIGN PIKE ANGLERS.
THE P.A.C. WITHDREW FROM THE TALKS REALISING THAT THE DIRTY DEAL HAD BEEN DONE .THE FEDERATION CONTINUED WITH THE DIRTY DEAL AND THE BARBARIC NETTING CONTINUES TODAY. SAD THAT IT IS, THE FISHERIES BOARDS SEE THE FEDERATION AS A VOICE FOR ALL OF IRELANDS PIKE ANGLERS,(THEY MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE PIKE SOCIETY),AND WE ARE SURE THAT IF MOST CLUBS WHO ARE AFFILIATED, KNEW WHAT WAS DECIDED ON THEIR BEHALF THEN THEY TOO WOULD BE AS OUTRAGED AS WE ARE. WHERE ALL THE CLUBS AFFILIATED TO THE FEDERATION ASKED FOR THEIR OPINION ON THIS MATTER? . WHO MADE THE FINAL DECISION AND GIVE THE GO-AHEAD TO THE W.R.F.B? THE FEDERATION STAND ACCUSED OF SELLING OUT PIKE ANGLERS, WHEN THEY HAD THE IDEAL OPPURTUNITY TO JOIN THE P.A.C. AND CONDEMN THE NETTING OF PIKE. SADLY THEY SHOWED THE YELLOW STREAK THAT RUNS DOWN THEIR BACKS AND THE PIKE HAS TO ONCE AGAIN SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF MAN. WE NOW CALL ON THE W.R.F.B. TO STOP THE NETTING BEFORE ALL FISH LIFE IS DESTROYED FOR GOOD , AND THE FEDERATION TO COME OUT AND VOICE THEIR OBJECTIONS TO THIS NETTING. WE CALL ON ALL AFFILIATED CLUBS TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS TO THEIR CHAIRMAN AND ANGLING PUBLICATIONS. STAYING SILENT CAN ONLY BEEN SEEN AS YOUR APPROVAL TO THE SLAUGHTER ON THE GREAT WESTERN LAKES.
ESOX LUCIUS IS INNOCENT,STOP THE CRUEL PIKE SLAUGHTER IN IRELAND. NORTHERN IRELAND PIKE SOCIETY.
