Can commercial fishermen and sea anglers work together?

[Leon Roskilly]

Hmmmm!

 

One of the fishermen at the last K&ESFC meeting was saying that he couldn't understand what was happening in the outer Thames estuary.

 

He was catching mantis prawns, anchovies & red mullet, but not finding the usual species.

 

 

 

 

Ben Bradshaw has said that there is no urgency to protect the year 2002 year class.

 

Do you think that maybe DEFRA have them hidden away somewhere?

Edited August 7, 2006 by Leon Roskilly

[Steve Coppolo]

If they are just late, why were the rivers stuffed full of 33cm to 35cm bass earlier in the year? And why have the numbers of these undersize fish decreased week on week since June?

We took plenty of scale samples so I'll make a phone call later to see what year class these undies are.

 

I still say they have been caught. It's a natural progression from what has been happening over the last few years. First all the big bass seemed to disappear, but there were still plenty of 3 to 5lb fish about. Then they disappeared, but there were still plenty of fish of around 2lb available. Last year there were fewer 2lb fisgh about, but there were thousands just under the 36cm. This year the 36cm to 45cm bass seem to have disappeared and the under 36cm fish are getting fewer and fewer.

 

I hope they have gone North as Steve says, but if they haven't things are looking very grim indeed. How is your Belgian mate doing Peter? Is he still getting plenty of bass over there?