Intoducing a take home size limit

as an aside, what about claiming records (currently) if the cannot be "taken". Perhaps a better mechanism is that no records can be claimed if the fish is not returned alive, and, should be based on length?

If the powers that be were to introduce a licensing system for all angling in Ireland (for a nominal fee of course) and HIGH on the spot fines for fishing without one; enforced by the Gardai. This would ensure all licenced anglers would have IN their possession a form of legitimate ID in the form of an official licence. We could then introduce size limits for all species and bans on species not allowed to be taken. I for one would be more than willing to pay 15 or 20 quid a year if I knew it was helping conservation of fish species and detering the ignorant plunderers that see everything that swims as fair game.