More Eel "News"

[ColinW]

Another piece of brilliant journalism by the BBC News website.

Eel populations in London's River Thames crash by 98%.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8473965.stm

 

Where do you start with this one?

"London's River Thames" maybe? Since when has the River Thames belonged to London? Anyway, I suppose that's being pedantic.

 

The article says that elvers take three years to cross the Atlantic and then live in freshwater for "up to twenty years" before starting the return journey. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say they actually start this journey after ten years. This is when the "scientists" trap them and count them. Pardon my stupidity, but does this not mean that whatever decimated this particular stock probably did so thirteen years ago? Or are they actually claiming that what is wiping them out is what happens while they are living in freshwater? I find that hard to believe.

 

How are we supposed to change something that happened in the last millenium?

[barry luxton]

Another piece of brilliant journalism by the BBC News website.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8473965.stm

 

Where do you start with this one?

"London's River Thames" maybe? Since when has the River Thames belonged to London? Anyway, I suppose that's being pedantic.

 

The article says that elvers take three years to cross the Atlantic and then live in freshwater for "up to twenty years" before starting the return journey. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say they actually start this journey after ten years. This is when the "scientists" trap them and count them. Pardon my stupidity, but does this not mean that whatever decimated this particular stock probably did so thirteen years ago? Or are they actually claiming that what is wiping them out is what happens while they are living in freshwater? I find that hard to believe.

 

How are we supposed to change something that happened in the last millenium?

This is absolutely maddening, not for the reporting but with regards to all who are responsible if they are on the demise. Sick and tired of hearing the men in suits who are and have been dealing with this 'problem ' for over ten years, and more. If it is true then they ain't worth tuppence let alone the amount of wages and pensions that have been paid out to keep this paper chain on the go. Disgusting. Now if it is true then the likes of the A T and this so called eel hugging society should do no more than sort out an outright ban in fishing for them full stop. Well the balls in the suits and the A T and the eel society, deal with it or get off the pot.

[Steve Walker]

"London's River Thames" maybe? Since when has the River Thames belonged to London? Anyway, I suppose that's being pedantic.

 

Ah, to understand that, you need to see my map of the UK as understood by the London media:

 

 

[Mark7]

This is absolutely maddening, not for the reporting but with regards to all who are responsible if they are on the demise. Sick and tired of hearing the men in suits who are and have been dealing with this 'problem ' for over ten years, and more. If it is true then they ain't worth tuppence let alone the amount of wages and pensions that have been paid out to keep this paper chain on the go. Disgusting. Now if it is true then the likes of the A T and this so called eel hugging society should do no more than sort out an outright ban in fishing for them full stop. Well the balls in the suits and the A T and the eel society, deal with it or get off the pot.

 

Good evening Barry and Colin W

 

Always entertaining to read one of your rants, Barry, aimed at the "men in suits" that you seem so frightened of. Did you have a bad experience with a man in a suit as a child

 

Steve, the reporting on the ZSL lecture is not very accurate. I attended, and when I get a chance I will summarise that, and a subsequent meeting with the AT and EA regarding the eel. I will leave it for a few days to allow poor Barry's apoplexy to subside

Edited January 22, 2010 by Mark7

[barry luxton]

Good evening Barry and Colin W

 

Always entertaining to read one of your rants, Barry, aimed at the "men in suits" that you seem so frightened of. Did you have a bad experience with a man in a suit as a child

 

Steve, the reporting on the ZSL lecture is not very accurate. I attended, and when I get a chance I will summarise that, and a subsequent meeting with the AT and EA regarding the eel. I will leave it for a few days to allow poor Barry's apoplexy to subside

 

Why wait, give it to us, the eel has been waiting for more than ten years or so for a decent bit of protection Still looks like the suits and co, you included if you like are still pussy footing around, Don't you have a clue as to what the problem is or how to fix it. Your the experts, you tell us. How about a outright fishing ban would that help? Or do you consider the eels plight would get better if you chatted a bit more with all the hangers on, or the suits if you like, i don't care. How would i be frightened by a bunch of paper shufflers. Let us in on the secrets that you and the AT have been holding from the rsa for a change.

 

Tell us how many of these eels are foul hooked, or are you that good you always hook them in the mouth. If the eel is in that serious decline, why are you still fishing for them if you recon you care for them so much? Good evening btw.

[Mark7]

Why wait, give it to us, the eel has been waiting for more than ten years or so for a decent bit of protection Still looks like the suits and co, you included if you like are still pussy footing around, Don't you have a clue as to what the problem is or how to fix it. Your the experts, you tell us. How about a outright fishing ban would that help? Or do you consider the eels plight would get better if you chatted a bit more with all the hangers on, or the suits if you like, i don't care. How would i be frightened by a bunch of paper shufflers. Let us in on the secrets that you and the AT have been holding from the rsa for a change.

 

Tell us how many of these eels are foul hooked, or are you that good you always hook them in the mouth. If the eel is in that serious decline, why are you still fishing for them if you recon you care for them so much? Good evening btw.

 

Hello again Barry

 

I will post an update during the course of the next week or so, but not for your benefit. You will continue to rant and rave no matter what I, or anyone else, says. There are, however, anglers out there who have an open mind, and that is why we keep at it. And I always hook eels in the mouth, by the way, these days invariably in the scissors with a barbless size 10 that falls out in the net. Small hooks, hair rigged baits, off bottom rigs, braid and sensitive bite indication make all the difference.

 

Have a good weekend and watch that blood pressure!

[barry luxton]

Hello again Barry

 

I will post an update during the course of the next week or so, but not for your benefit. You will continue to rant and rave no matter what I, or anyone else, says. There are, however, anglers out there who have an open mind, and that is why we keep at it. And I always hook eels in the mouth, by the way, these days invariably in the scissors with a barbless size 10 that falls out in the net. Small hooks, hair rigged baits, off bottom rigs, braid and sensitive bite indication make all the difference.

 

Have a good weekend and watch that blood pressure!

 

 

A further good morning to you. Your words rant and rave, not mine, but carry on you can offer whatever you like against myself it won't take away the fact that both yourself and also the AT are very secular and again your right, nothing for my benifit nor the rsa. However by return i promise i won't use the words eel hugger again. Although as a ranter you would have to agree that the suits havn't really done a good job managing, have they? 95% depleted, sounds like poor management to me, thats why i was very polite in using the word suits.

 

Don't tell me in your pursuit of your enjoyment you don't have an effect on the stock, please i'm not stupid as well as a ranter and raver, (your words). Are you telling me that you or any other eel fishers, have never had a deep hooked fish, in your dreams maybe. You'll be telling us next along with the AT that all anglers will use your method or else. In the pursuit of your 5%....4%.....3%...... of the remaining stock. I use those figures as the A T was quick to use the 95% depletion figure when it went for the ban on the rsa take without telling the rsa. I will leave it to others to judge if im ranting or raving, from my perpective i consider i'm quite reasoned.

 

Based on the evidence of the depleted stock, why won't you change your stance to a complete ban? When will both you and the AT go down that road. When it hits 2%.......1% .......0%?

Edited January 23, 2010 by barry luxton

[Sportsman]

We have to accept that the eel is an endangered species and should not be exploited in any way.

In particular the commercial fishing of eels and elvers should be stopped immediately.

I don't think anyone would be arguing that point.

What I do not understand or accept is that the society which claims to be concerned for the eel's welfare the National Anguilla Club finds it perfectly OK to continue to fish for them and apparently have convinced themselves that there is no possibility of harming a single eel in doing so.

This is rank hypocrisy in my view.

 

In Scotland all fishing for eels is banned (quite rightly) but the NAC want special licenses issued so that they can pursue their sport.

If the eels are in such dire straits leave them alone altogether

[Steve Coppolo]

I attended, and when I get a chance I will summarise that, and a subsequent meeting with the AT and EA regarding the eel.

 

Ah, so you, your eel fanciers club, and the angling trust, have had a hand in the angling ban that will do nothing to protect eel stocks and that has further decreased the chance of the real issues, (whatever they are), being addressed?

 

I thought so.

[Mark7]

Ah, so you, your eel fanciers club, and the angling trust, have had a hand in the angling ban that will do nothing to protect eel stocks and that has further decreased the chance of the real issues, (whatever they are), being addressed?

 

I thought so.

 

If you have deduced that from my comment earlier referring to a meeting with the AT and EA regarding the eel, then once again you are reading into a post what you want to believe. The meeting I am referring to took place last week, and was to discuss the progress made toward implementing the Eel Management Plans, focusing on localised restocking with elvers, removal of barriers, bypassing of obstructions, improving habitat and monitoring results. We did not discuss stopping you catching them to stuff down your craw, but we did discuss the regulation of the elver fisheries, and how they might assist restocking. I was in two minds as to whether to bother responding to your post, as it just perpetuates what has turned into another attack on the AT, men in suits, and any other organisation that doesn't behave as you would like, but I gave in to temptation. Before you now jump in and tell me that all the initiatives mentioned above are not tackling the issue of the decline in glass eel and elver recruitment, then I would suggest that you find out a little more about the likely causes of the problem. As an example of the good work that is being carried out, the bypassing of a barrier on a west country river which was completely impassable to elver passage prior to the EA installation of the pass, resulted in the upstream passage of 10,700 elvers in the first 6 hours, and 47,000 for the year. Allowing elvers to move upstream into suitable habitat that is currently unavailable to them is a critical part of the solution, and the EA have been quietly installing these passes for some time now, but there are an awful lot more that need doing as a priority, and the EMPs are designed to make it happen. I am not interested in who is responsible for lack of action in the past, but am very interested in what happens in the future, and that's where my energies go. I will post a summary of the meeting and the ZSL lecture featured in the BBC report as soon a s I get time to write it, as I am sure that there are anglers out there who want to know what is happening. As usual, I guess yourself and Mr Luxton will want to have the last word.....