20. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the licensed commercial draft netting on Lough Ree for brown trout has been subject to annual appropriate assessment screenings since 2006 under the framework of the Shannon Fisheries Region (Close Season for Draft Netting of Trout on Lough Ree) Bye-Law No. 284 of 2006 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46189/26]

The Shannon Fisheries Region (Close Season for Draft Netting of Trout on Lough Ree) Bye-Law No. 284 of 2006 introduced a closed season for draft netting on Lough Ree as a conservation measure for trout stocks.

Licensed commercial draft net activity operating on Lough Ree under this framework is currently subject to annual Appropriate Assessment (AA) screening. Inland Fisheries Ireland has advised that these operations have been subject to annual AA screenings since 2020.