I'd prefer to put it down to pure skill Cliff LOL. Remember chaps..Together we stand,divided we fall!

I agree, irrespective of the tradition etc., it's a business, and will only continue as long as there are the right levels of return on the capital invested. Same as for coalmines, steel, cars, wool etc - they all had their day and now they're gone.

As with all the other industries, those with large amounts of capital tied up will continue to do whatever it takes to minmise their losses, but at some point the bigger concerns will call a halt and then the smaller 'Wurzel' type boats will have a market which, as CJS2 infers should pay a premium price.

As long as the guys like Wurzel then stick to the levels they've historically worked at, stocks should thenregenerate and we'll have come to the best position for the smaller commercials and RSA and both parties will then have a joint interest in pressurising the Government and the EU.

But what about the French and Spanish that will come along to replace the bigger boats?
If the so called bigger boats are having such a hard time, then why has a Whitby company ordered the biggest boat by far to be built from Whitby and to work the north sea?
Do you know something they don’t know? Or maybe there massive investment in the future means that they just happen to know something that you don’t know?

Hi Holmsey
How can they explain the situation with Amity and Fruitful Bough working within a stones throw of each other One fills up and the other starves to death on the same tow, How does a charter skipper explain no fish on a wreck or ground today when there was plenty yesterday??

Slackline you have a point conditions deture just how the fishing is, tide, clear water murky water that is what angling is all about certain conditoins will give you the best results this is also the case with commercial fishing clear water for pair trawling and murky water for single trawlering feed also presents a major factor if codlings are on sandeel trawling usually does very well there are so many different factors for angling and also trawling.

I can't explain it, I was hoping the skippers would but we never heard a single excuse or reason. The only logical thing I could think of was that one of them was lucky enough to be on the small population of fish that was there, unfortunately now they're gone. Conditions were the same for them both, like you said they were fishing pretty close, maybe Amity never said their prayers ?

Its definately not the same as comparing 2 commercials with 2 anglers. Both comercials have instruments, equipment and technology giving them an equal standing, anglers rarely have the same ability, bait, rigs etc etc.

Like I have said before, you can have all the technology in the world, to try and help you catch the fish you want to. But at the end of the day it is the fisherman that catches the fish.